TinyBuild to 'acquihire' Rawmen developer Animal for up to $10.2 million

TinyBuild is looking to beef up its own game development prowess through the acquisition of Rawmen developer Animal.

The deal, billed by TinyBuild as its fourth 'acquihire' of the year, sees the mobile game publisher paying up to $10.2 million for Animal over the next three years. Around 30 percent of that price is set to be paid in cash, while the rest takes the form of TinyBuild shares (should operational targets be met).

"As a public company, we have an even more powerful platform from which we can deliver on our organic and M&A growth ambitions," reads a statement from TinyBuild CEO Alex Nichiporchik. As outlined in a press release, TinyBuild expects deals like this one to boost its value in the eyes of shareholders as it continues to strategically elevate "core franchises from third-party, to first and second party."

“Our goal is to expand our position as a leading global developer and publisher, focusing on IP ownership while creating long-term scalable franchises across multiple media formats," continues Nichiporchik. "In addition, we are looking at a number of other potential acquihires and larger-scale acquisitions to enhance the Company’s strategic and operational position.”

The Animal deal is the latest event in an increasingly busy year for TinyBuild. The company kicked off 2021 by going public on the London Stock Exchange's AIM market back in March, and has acquired (or "acquihired" in some cases) several studios already this year including Streets of Rogue dev DogHelp and Totally Reliable Delivery Service dev We're Five Games.