LEGO Digital Play buys Space Ape spinout Offroad Games in shift to owned mobile studios
Summary
LEGO Digital Play acquired UK mobile studio Offroad Games; terms undisclosed
Offroad spun out of Space Ape Games just 19 months ago
The studio is built around car-themed mobile game expertise
Direct ownership breaks from LEGO's usual licensing and co-branded playbook
01
An acqui-hire of genre-specific talent, not a live portfolio
LEGO Digital Play acquired UK mobile studio Offroad Games
Neither company disclosed financial terms
Offroad was founded 19 months ago by a team that spun out of Space Ape Games
The studio focused on car-themed mobile games under CEO Geoffrey Gilles
No shipped titles or player base are cited in the deal announcement
"We started this company 19 months ago... to develop a new generation of mobile games"
02
LEGO shifts from licensing IP to owning development capacity
The buyer is LEGO Digital Play, a distinct digital unit, not the core LEGO Group
This breaks from LEGO's visible pattern of licensing and co-branded gaming tie-ins
Recent examples include LEGO's Pokémon Go store partnership and physical Pokémon sets
Owning a studio gives direct roadmap control plus integration and retention risk
One deal alone does not confirm a repeatable studio-ownership strategy
What this means
For Investors & VC: Specialized studio spinouts can exit to strategics in under two years without shipped titles.
For Publishers & Developers: LEGO now competes for mobile talent as an owner, not just a licensor.
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Locations
United Kingdom
COMPILED BY GAMES ATLAS EDITORIAL
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