Kukouri Cell Liquidates Assets in Strategic Shift Away from Game Development
Image by strategy of Kukouri Cell Entertainment.
PocketGamer reports that developer Kukouri Cell Entertainment is exiting game development.
In a statement, CEO Petri Piipari announced that the studio has gradually distanced itself from game development “for a few years now.” It has already transferred ownership of its two game intellectual properties, Pixel Worlds and Little Troopers, to Social First. The studio continues to exist but will shift focus to another venture.
Piipari revealed its difficulties with the two, now-decommissioned properties: Pixel Worlds has failed to be “commercially viable” in recent months, while Troopers is licensed out to another developer and publisher. Consequently, Kukouri made the “tough choice to cease all game operations.”
As of this writing, no layoffs have been reported, and Kukouri’s future plans remain unclear. Its now-inactive developer webpage states: “Thank you for all the years.”
Who is Social First?
Social First, the new custodian of Kukouri’s previous properties, is comprised of former employees from the Finnish studio. Its debut game, the Early Access title Nexus Map, has been promoted by PocketGamer as a successor to Pixel Worlds. Founder/CEO Kim Soares told the outlet that the decision to acquire the rights to Pixel and Little Troopers “was an easy one. […] Many of the Social First team had worked at Kukouri on one or both of these IPs earlier in their careers, including myself. We aimed to secure the IPs from Kukouri, as they represent the legacies of many of our team members.”
Developers establishing their own studios to carry on the spirit of their former employer is not uncommon, but not every team manages to acquire the properties they once developed. For now, Soares hasn’t revealed any further information about what’s in store for either property. However, he did mention that these acquisitions won’t alter Social First’s Nexus focus “in any way.”
“Pixel Worlds possessed one of the most vibrant online communities I have encountered in my 25 years in game development, [and] we certainly hope to see that community come together again in Nexus Map.“
About the Author
Contributing Editor, GameDeveloper.com
Hailing from Kansas City, MO, Justin Carter has contributed to various online platforms including IGN, Polygon, and SyFy Wire. In addition to his work at Game Developer, his writing can also be found at io9 on Gizmodo. Don’t ask him about how much gum he’s had, as the answer might be more than he is willing to confess.