Miniclip has been historically one of the major players in the once thriving world of browser gaming, and now a formidable presence in the mobile gaming space as well. Their expansion into mobile gaming has also come with the opening of new studios and major acquisitions. Earlier this year Miniclip opened its fifth office in Lisbon, Portugal, and has now announced the rebranding of Gamebasic, a studio they acquired, as Miniclip Netherlands. The rebrand will see them move into a new, refurbished office in the city of Zoetermeer and a closer working relationship with Miniclip and its other subsidiaries.
CEO of Miniclip, Saad Choudri said of the move, “We’re extremely proud of the work that Miniclip Netherlands has produced so far. Since the acquisition, we’ve rapidly deepened our relationship, in no small part due to our shared collaborative approach to culture and our passion for games. The transition from Gamebasics to Miniclip Netherlands was an easy decision as we knew from the moment we started working with the team that we would do great things together. I’m delighted to officially introduce them as Miniclip Netherlands.”
What does this mean for Miniclip?
Miniclip has recently moved its entire gaming operation to mobile, shutting down the original website of which many people will have fond memories.. However, with the way the winds are blowing it was only a matter of time before the more lucrative mobile market saw Miniclip make the transition. Rebranding Gamebasics to Miniclip Netherlands will, functionally, change little about the operation of the studio, as it has been affiliated with the company for years now.
However, Gamebasics will now form a larger part of the Miniclip brand, signalling to the public and the wider business community that expansion is on the cards. The interest from local authorities is also an indicator that the mobile gaming, and gaming industry in general, is increasingly valued as a creator of potential jobs and economic stimuli to local economies. The rebranding not only signals growth but also an attempt to create a single coherent network of affiliate studios, even when working on different projects.
Miniclip also recently acquired Sybo, developers of the mega-popular Subway Surfers game. Whether or not Sybo will see a similar rebrand is undetermined as of yet, but regardless, the acquisition was one of the most notable of the year. Miniclip’s string of acquisitions and continued expansion have also seen them as an entrant on our Top 50 Game Makers of 2022 list.
