Mattel will buy out NetEase's share in their joint subsidiary studio
The deal will cost the Barbie manufacturer $159 million.
UNO Wonder
In 2018, Mattel and NetEase jointly established a studio called Mattel163, which started developing mobile games based on popular card franchises like Uno, Phase 10, and Skip-Bo. Initially, the companies each owned 50% of the studio, but now all 100% will belong to Mattel.
As Mattel explained in a message to investors, the company decided to take full control of Mattel163 to strengthen its position in the video game market. Recently, the company has been increasingly focusing on this area.
“Our goal is to bring physical games into the virtual space. By creating digital products and games based on Mattel's intellectual property, we can achieve sustained engagement among people of all ages,” commented Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz on the acquisition.
The deal is expected to close by the end of the first quarter of 2026, which means by April 1.
As of today, Mattel163 has released four mobile games under Mattel licenses. According to the company's estimates, their total downloads exceed 550 million, and the combined monthly active audience amounts to 20 million people.