LEGO Digital Play acquires ForthStar from Playdemic founders, its third mobile studio deal

Published 9 Nov 2026 · Games Atlas Editorial · Acquisition · Companies: The LEGO Group, Playdemic Ltd, Electronic Arts, Light Brick Studios, TT Games, Griffin Gaming Partners

Games Atlas summary: LEGO Digital Play acquires ForthStar, a Manchester studio founded by Playdemic veterans. The deal adds about 30 staff to LEGO Digital Play's 100-person team. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed by either company. It is LEGO Digital Play's third studio acquisition since launching in 2025.

ForthStar keeps its Manchester team and operating leadership

• ForthStar's roughly 30 staff remain based in Manchester, United Kingdom.
• Paul Gouge becomes head of games across LEGO Digital Play.
• Alex Rigby continues to lead ForthStar as a flagship studio.
• Neither company disclosed the deal's financial terms.

LEGO Digital Play replaces brand licensing with wholly owned studios

• Lego Group has long licensed its brand to external console studios like TT Games.
• LEGO Digital Play launched in 2025 as a separate company wholly owned by Lego Group.
• "We were founded... To create new, unique, and authentic Lego experiences... That are wholly owned by us," - Aaron Loeb, President, LEGO Digital Play.
• ForthStar becomes LEGO Digital Play's third wholly owned studio, after Light Brick Studio and Offroad Games.

The roll-up links Kirkbi's balance sheet and outside venture investors

• Light Brick Studio, LEGO Digital Play's first buy, came from Kirkbi, Lego's controlling shareholder.
• It acquired Offroad Games, maker of Chrome Valley Customs, in September.
• ForthStar's 2024 seed round included $10m from Griffin Gaming Partners, now exiting via this sale.
• "I'm very pleased that they're getting a good outcome... A very supportive venture capital company," - Paul Gouge, Co-founder, ForthStar.

Lego enters a $120bn mobile market dominated by former rivals

• Playdemic, Gouge and Rigby's prior studio, sold itself and Golf Clash to EA.
• EA paid $1.4bn for Playdemic and Golf Clash in 2021.
• Mobile gaming remains the industry's largest segment, generating more than $120bn in revenue.
• "The rumors of mobile's death have been greatly exaggerated," - Aaron Loeb, President, LEGO Digital Play.

Sources

• Lego Digital Play buys ForthStar mobile game studio from the founders of Golf Clash maker Playdemic | exclusive - GamesBeat (gamesbeat.com)
• Lego Digital Play acquires Golf Clash veterans’ new studio ForthStar – Mobilegamer.biz (mobilegamer.biz)
• Lego Digital Play acquires Golf Clash founders’ ForthStar studio | PocketGamer.biz (pocketgamer.biz)