Glu Mobile LLC is an Americandeveloper andpublisher ofmobile games. It was founded as Sorrent in 2001 and acquiredMacrospace in 2004. Both companies collectively rebranded as Glu Mobile in 2005. In April 2021, the company was acquired byElectronic Arts and subsequently consolidated underEA Mobile.
Glu Mobile was founded as Sorrent in 2001. In December 2004, Sorrent acquired theLondon-basedMacrospace. In June 2005 the merged company created a new corporate name: Glu Mobile.[3] That same year, Greg Ballard replaced Sorrent founder Scott Orr as CEO. In 2006, Glu Mobile acquired iFone, a mobile video game developer based in the United Kingdom.[4][5] In 2007, it acquired Chinese mobile game producer Beijing Zhangzhong MIG Information Technology Co. Ltd. ("MIG"). In September 2007, Glu announced the launch ofAsteroids for mobile phones.[6] In March 2008, Glu acquiredSan Clemente-based mobile developerSuperscape.[7]
In January 2010, Niccolo de Masi joined Glu Mobile as the President and CEO. De Masi was previously CEO atHands-On Mobile. Since his arrival, Glu has transitioned to a freemium business model focused around Glu's original IP.[citation needed]
On August 2, 2011, Glu acquired Griptonite Games and Blammo Games. Its staff of 200 "approximately double[d]" Glu's internal development capacity.[8][9]
In April 2012, Glu acquired the entireDeer Hunter franchise.[10]
Glu Mobile boughtGamespy Technologies (the entity responsible for GameSpy multiplayer services) fromIGN Entertainment in August 2012,[11] and proceeded in December to raise integration costs and shut down servers for many older games, including theStar Wars: Battlefront series,Sniper Elite,Microsoft Flight Simulator X andNeverwinter Nights, with no warning to developers or consumers.[12] GameSpy Technologies remained operational and did not make any announcements of an impending shutdown; the two GameSpy companies were separate entities and only related by name.[13] On April 2014, Glu announced that they would shut down all remaining Gamespy multiplayer services on May 31, 2014, which affected many older games,[14] also the online multiplayer services on the game consolesNintendo DS andWii (viaNintendo Wi-Fi Connection).
On September 3, 2014,PlayFirst was acquired by Glu. The official statement from Glu Mobile CEO Niccolo de Masi read "We are pleased to officially add PlayFirst to the Glu family and look forward to delivering newDASH products to a worldwide audience."[15]
In April 2015, Chinese companyTencent paid $126 million for a 15% stake in Glu Mobile.[16] It had 20.8% as of 2017.[17]
On November 4, 2016, Glu purchased the mobile app developer Crowdstar, buying their mobile games includingCovet Fashion.[18]
On December 22, 2016, it was announced that Glu Mobile had acquired the trivia gameQuizUp forUS$7.5 million. On January 20, 2021, QuizUp was removed from appstores, and on January 21, 2021, it was announced thatQuizUp will be discontinued on March 22, 2021. Since then, all purchases are disabled.[19][20]
In November 2016, Nick Earl became CEO. The majority stake of Glu shares are held by institutions: at the start of the third quarter of 2012, institutional ownership was 78% of the outstanding shares according toGoogle Finance.[21]
Electronic Arts announced in February 2021 that it plans to acquire Glu in a deal estimated at US$2.4 billion.[22][23][24] On the same day of the announcement of the deal, it was revealed that the companies expect the acquisition to close in the second quarter of 2021.[25] In April 2021, EA completed the acquisition of Glu Mobile.[26] Following the shutdown ofEA Sports MLB Tap Sports andF1 Mobile Racing mobile games, EA announced it would lay off "a small number of staff" from Glu Mobile.[27] Glu Mobile's 2021 Q4 earnings and revenues surpassed estimates.[28]
