Metacore
Company
30 documents in the library are about Metacore, from writers such as Mobilegamer.biz, Gamecity Hamburg and Two & a Half Gamers. Each has a summary and key insights with the page they come from.
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Key figures from the reports
Supercell has acquired Metacore, the developer of Merge Mansion, a title that has generated approximately $490 million in in-app purchase revenue since its 2020 launch.
Mobilegamer.biz, 2026 · Apple app review woes, EA job cuts, Supercell, Monopoly Go and more, p. 10
Mobile gaming studio Metacore has implemented workforce reductions of up to 70% after failing to successfully diversify its portfolio beyond a single declining asset.
Deconstructor of Fun, 2026 · TWIG #388: Xbox's Spinout Plan, Metacore's Mass Layoffs and Netflix's FIFA Flop, p. 1
Supercell has maintained a long-term financial relationship with Metacore, beginning with a $5.9 million investment in 2018 and subsequent funding rounds.
Game World Observer, 2026 · Supercell Conducts Layoffs in North American Division
Supercell acquired Metacore, resulting in a 30% workforce reduction at the studio as part of a strategic shift in the merge-game genre.
Two & a Half Gamers, 2026 · 🚨📢 BREAKING NEWS: Applovin Record Revenue, More Layoffs, EvE online sold back, p. 5
Supercell has acquired Metacore in a deal involving a €180 million investment, resulting in the layoff of 160 staff members—over half the company—as the studio pivots to focus exclusively on Merge Mansion.
Mobilegamer.biz, 2026 · Supercell buys Metacore amid brutal layoffs, Second Dinner cuts, inside Scopely x Niantic, more, p. 2
Documents about Metacore
EA shuts down BioWare and Supercell buys Metacore | Week in Mobile Games
The mobile gaming industry is currently navigating a period of significant structural change, characterized by studio closures, strategic acquisitions, and a shift in how developers approach user acquisition and market viability.
- Electronic Arts is closing BioWare and laying off approximately 400 employees to prioritize established live-service franchises like Apex Legends and Battlefield over high-budget single-player projects.
- Supercell has fully acquired Metacore, the developer of Merge Mansion, to bring the title under direct management following a long-standing financial partnership.
- Mika Games has launched a $10 million funding initiative specifically designed to support mobile studios during the soft-launch phase by financing user acquisition testing.
🚨📢BREAKING NEWS: BioWare Shutdown 😱, PEGI 16 rating on lootboxes, Griffin Gaming film studio
The current landscape of the gaming industry is marked by significant structural shifts, including major corporate restructuring, regulatory tightening, and evolving investment strategies.
- Electronic Arts has initiated a major restructuring that includes the closure of the BioWare studio following the underperformance of Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
- Apple’s App Store review process is facing significant delays, with wait times extending to several weeks due to an influx of over 50,000 AI-generated submissions per day.
- The Pan European Game Information (PEGI) agency has implemented a new policy requiring a 16+ rating for games featuring paid loot boxes, a mandate that now applies to titles like Pokémon TCG Pocket.
Apple app review woes, EA job cuts, Supercell, Monopoly Go and more
The mobile gaming industry is currently navigating significant operational shifts, ranging from platform-level bottlenecks to major corporate restructuring.
- Apple’s App Store review times have extended from 24–48 hours to several weeks due to a surge in AI-generated submissions, disrupting developer roadmaps while Google Play remains unaffected.
- Scopely emerged as the top-earning U.S. publisher in Q3 with $507 million in revenue, bolstered by Monopoly Go, which generated $41 million in Q3 licensing earnings for Hasbro.
- Electronic Arts is cutting 400 jobs, representing 3% of its global workforce, as part of a restructuring plan following its transition to private ownership.
‘Tis the Season: Holiday Live-Ops in 2026
The landscape of live-ops in 2026 reflects a fundamental shift away from reliance on the traditional calendar toward a strategy centered on proprietary, game-specific milestones.
- Games now generate higher revenue and engagement from their own 'manufactured' calendar events than from traditional holidays; for example, Fortnite's Chapter 7 launch event saw a 300% increase in monthly peak players compared to the prior month.
- Christmas week in mobile gaming primarily drives new user acquisition rather than increased spending, with a 1.41x lift in downloads compared to a modest 1.05x lift in revenue.
- Black Friday consistently delivers a 1.19x revenue lift across mobile titles globally, functioning as a reliable commercial event because it leverages existing consumer shopping habits rather than thematic in-game content.
Trump’s MAGA Games, NC’s $300m Spree, App Store, Metacore, Yahoo Games, Overwatch, More
This industry update provides a comprehensive overview of significant developments within the global mobile gaming sector as of early September 2026.
- Supercell is finalizing its acquisition of Metacore, the developer of Merge Mansion, following a period of significant restructuring that included approximately 160 job cuts and the closure of Metacore’s Swedish and German offices.
- Korean gaming company NC has invested $300 million across four studios and is actively seeking further acquisitions of established developers generating between $50 million and $100 million in revenue.
- Apple faces a £2 billion legal claim from UK app developers alleging that the company applied stricter App Tracking Transparency (ATT) rules to third-party developers than to its own advertising business, which has grown to $7.4 billion since the policy's implementation.
A lot of App Store news, NC’s $300m mobile push, Overwatch, Metacore, Yahoo Games and more
The mobile games industry is currently navigating significant shifts in platform policy, corporate consolidation, and evolving monetization strategies.
- Apple’s App Store revenue is facing a downturn, with Sensor Tower reporting a 6% decline in US consumer spending for Q2 and App Figures estimating an 18% contraction in US commission revenue, largely driven by legal rulings forcing the allowance of external payment methods.
- Korean MMO giant NC (formerly NCsoft) has invested $300 million in mobile studio acquisitions and aims to grow its mobile casual division into a $5 billion business by 2030, targeting established studios with live titles generating $50–$100 million annually.
- Supercell will finalize its acquisition of Metacore by the end of September, officially bringing the 'Merge Mansion' title into its portfolio following significant restructuring and layoffs at Metacore.
TWIG #388: Xbox's Spinout Plan, Metacore's Mass Layoffs and Netflix's FIFA Flop
The gaming industry is currently navigating a period of intense structural realignment, characterized by aggressive cost-cutting, leadership turnover, and a pivot toward profitability over creative expansion.
- Xbox is pivoting toward a distribution-heavy model focused on daily active users, signaling a potential strategic spin-off from Microsoft following significant studio closures and leadership turnover.
- Mobile gaming studio Metacore has implemented workforce reductions of up to 70% after failing to successfully diversify its portfolio beyond a single declining asset.
- The gaming industry is increasingly prioritizing short-term profitability and cost-cutting over creative expansion, driven by rising customer acquisition costs and the limitations of web shops as revenue stopgaps.
Weekly Industry Brief: Summer Game Fest and Market Updates
This weekly industry brief provides a comprehensive overview of the mobile gaming landscape as of June 12, 2026, highlighting significant shifts in corporate strategy, market trends, and viral success stories.
- A viral football drafting game, '38-0-0', developed overnight by an amateur using Claude AI, has become the number one iOS game in the UK, surpassing Fortnite.
- Supercell has ceased development on one of its US-based game projects, and staff departures suggest the other US-based project is also inactive.
- Supercell is in the process of fully acquiring Metacore, the maker of 'Merge Mansion', as part of a restructure that will result in 159 job cuts in Finland and the closure of Metacore's German and Swedish offices.
Summer Game Fest thoughts, Supercell kills US projects, Xbox chat, EA's mobile misstep, more
The mobile games industry currently faces a significant disconnect between its massive market dominance and its lack of visibility at major industry events.
- Supercell has effectively wound down its US-based game development operations, with the team behind a project in development for three and a half years disbanded and the remainder of the 2022-announced US team no longer with the company.
- Metacore, the developer of Merge Mansion, is cutting 159 jobs in Helsinki and closing its offices in Germany and Sweden as part of a major restructuring.
- Xbox Chief Strategy Officer Matthew Ball acknowledged that mobile is the largest and most valuable segment of the gaming industry, yet confirmed the company's primary focus remains on the console business, which he noted has the least growth potential.
The Console War returns - The Game Business Micro
The current landscape of the video game industry is defined by a strategic pivot toward platform exclusivity, a resurgence in large-scale industry events, and shifting profitability models for major intellectual properties.
- Xbox is pivoting back to a strategy of console exclusivity for major titles like Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution to drive hardware engagement, despite its concurrent role as a multi-platform publisher.
- Summer Game Fest engagement grew significantly year-over-year, reaching 3.6 million peak viewers, a 30% increase in total hours watched, and a 37.9% rise in editorial coverage.
- IO Interactive’s 007: First Light has sold between 2.7 and 3 million units with an 88 Metacritic score, with the developer planning a long-term content support model similar to the Hitman series.
Supercell Conducts Layoffs in North American Division
Supercell has initiated workforce reductions within its North American division, marking a period of contraction for the Finnish mobile gaming giant.
- Supercell has conducted layoffs within its North American division, including the departure of a branch co-founder, following the cancellation of a game project.
- Metacore, which Supercell is in the process of acquiring, has undergone a major restructuring that includes closing its offices in Germany and Sweden.
- As part of its restructuring, Metacore has laid off 159 employees in Finland, representing the majority of its workforce.
The Truth Behind Supercell’s Metacore Deal
Supercell’s full acquisition of Metacore, the Finnish studio behind the hit title Merge Mansion, marks a significant shift in mobile gaming strategy, transitioning from a growth-oriented venture to a focus on long-term, predictable cash flow.
- Supercell has fully acquired Metacore, the developer of Merge Mansion, to transition the studio from a growth-oriented venture into a model focused on long-term, predictable cash flow.
- The acquisition involves significant restructuring, with up to 70% of Metacore’s 230-person workforce facing layoffs to prioritize profitability and operational efficiency.
- Despite generating approximately $150 million in annual revenue, Metacore struggled with mounting debt and declining revenue-per-head metrics by 2024.