Phase 10

In the Hot Seat: Mattel163 COO Devin Nambiar on Uno and life after the NetEase deal

Mattel163, a mobile game publisher, recently transitioned from a joint venture between Mattel and NetEase to a wholly-owned internal development and publishing division of Mattel.

• Mattel acquired NetEase's 50% stake in their joint venture, Mattel163, in February 2024 for $318 million, transitioning the studio into its internal game development and publishing division.
• Mattel163 has achieved over $1 billion in lifetime revenue, nearly $250 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR), and 20 million monthly active users (MAUs) across its four live titles.
• Successful cross-border game expansion requires significant product tailoring, as evidenced by the failure of major titles like Honor of Kings and Monster Strike when launched globally without sufficient culturalization.