Bally in 3G Studios takeover talks
Gaming supplier understood to be considering bid in excess of $60m for Reno-based developer.
Bally Technologies has held talks to acquire Reno-based game developer 3G Studios’ B2B division for a sum thought to be in excess of US$60m, according to reports.
The gaming machine supplier is among several potential buyers including Activision Blizzard, IGT and Electronic Arts, interested in the developer which is seeking an interactive poker licence in Nevada and has struck a B2C partnership deal with Eldorado Resorts in Vegas.
According to Reuters, Bally executives held meetings at 3G’s offices in Reno earlier this week to determine whether or not to submit a formal offer, thought to be in the region of in excess of US$60m, for the developer’s B2B offering.
3G Studios was founded in 2006 by serial entrepreneur James Kosta and has worked on well-known consol-based games such as Playstation’s successful Rockband series of games. More recently however, it has focused on developing online poker and casino games, licensing products to the likes of IGT.
Real-money poker via the Eldorado partnership is set to be launched early in 2013 under a joint brand once both partners are licensed by the state’s Gambling Commission. In the meantime a virtual currency freeplay casino platform SlotALot is to be made available as a mobile app and on Facebook.
Unwilling to comment on specific acquisition talks, Kosta told eGR: “3G Studios is executing aggressively on both B2B and B2C strategies and plans to introduce several disruptive technologies and innovations in the coming years. Our business will always involve collaborating and/or partnering with top-tier companies and thinkers; and it would be hard to find a company in video games or gaming that we have not talked substantively with.
“At 3G, we pride ourselves on empowering big ideas and for our discretion in dealing with the trade secrets of others. Any public speculation about the nature of our discussions within the video game and gaming industries is just that: speculation; and we discourage it as it defocuses everyone from the exciting tasks at hand.”