Seattle-based game developer System Era Softworks, the creator of the sandbox sci-fi space exploration game Astroneer, has just been acquired by indie game developer Devolver Digital.
In a press release, UK law firm Fieldfisher, which acted as Devolver"s advisor, stated the acquisition was made for $22 million in cash upfront. Another $2 million in cash and stock will be paid 12 months after closing. After that. The deal could also pay System Era another $10 million in deferred consideration, and up to $8 million more in a potential earn out, again in a mix of cash and stock.
In a post on its blog, Devolver Digital revealed that it almost became the publisher for Astroneer nearly eight years ago. Instead, System Era decided it would publish the game itself. Astroneer launched in early access in 2016 for both PC and Xbox, and entered its 1.0 version in February 2019. Since then, the game has also been launched for the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch platforms. Fieldfisher stated today that the game has generated $87 million in revenues and has been played by 13 million people.
In a post on its own blog, System Era stated it will continue to develop and expand Astroneer, stating that Devolver Digital"s purchase will allow it to access "even greater capacity to support Astroneer and its amazing community who have stuck with us for so long." It added that it has a "whole roadmap for 2024 updates" for the game.
At the same time, System Era and Devolver both hinted that an all-new game is in the works at the developer, saying only that it is "something new and exciting".
This is the latest developer that Devolver Digital has acquired. In 2020, it bought Serious Sam and The Talos Principle developer Croteam. That developer will launch its next game, The Talos Principle 2, tomorrow, November 2. The publisher has also acquired the Doinksoft, Nerial, Firefly, and Dodge Roll studios.