Business Wire

CA-ZYNGA

5.8.2021 22:09:32 CEST | Business Wire | Press release

Share
Zynga Enters Into Agreement to Acquire Mobile Game Developer StarLark, Team Behind the Hit Franchise, Golf Rival

Zynga Inc . (Nasdaq: ZNGA), a global leader in interactive entertainment, today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire StarLark, developer of the fast-growing and second-largest mobile golf game in the world, Golf Rival, from Betta Games for $525 million in cash and stock. This acquisition brings to Zynga a talented development team with the proven ability to create a global hit and additional projects in early development. StarLark also expands Zynga’s international presence by establishing a China-based studio with access to the region’s creative talent base.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210805005098/en/

In Golf Rival , players of all skill levels compete in real-time player-versus-player matches, including multiplayer tournaments on spectacular courses with customizable equipment. The game has rapidly grown to become the second-largest mobile golf game in the world with six million downloads in 2021 alone.

“With the acquisition of Golf Rival , Zynga becomes home to a talented team with the proven ability to create a global hit, while expanding Zynga’s international footprint with a new studio in China,” said Frank Gibeau, Chief Executive Officer of Zynga. “Golf Rival has rapidly ascended to become the second-largest mobile golf game in the world, with six million downloads in 2021 alone. Together, Zynga and StarLark are well-positioned to grow Golf Rival faster together with additional new projects in early development.”

“I’m very proud of the StarLark team for making Golf Rival a worldwide hit and we are thrilled to join Zynga to further accelerate the game’s incredible growth trajectory as a forever franchise,” said Henry You, Founder and General Manager of StarLark. “This partnership will provide Zynga with greater accessibility to China’s deep talent pool, while also giving StarLark access to Zynga’s global resources and expertise.”

Zynga will acquire the StarLark development studio and Golf Rival franchise for approximately $525 million, comprising approximately $315 million of cash and approximately $210 million of Zynga common stock (issued at the average closing price per share over the thirty-day trading period ended August 02, 2021). The final closing consideration will also include customary closing adjustments and is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2021.

Zynga was advised by White & Case and Fangda Law. Aream & Co. acted as the exclusive financial advisor and Orrick served as legal advisor to Betta Games in this transaction.

Editor’s note:

Key art and broadcast assets available for use at the following link:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/k04y6d41bgrcw7m/AACg-NaEWZDbPEumf0s42qlIa?dl=0

About Zynga

Zynga is a global leader in interactive entertainment with a mission to connect the world through games. With massive global reach in more than 175 countries and regions, Zynga has a diverse portfolio of popular game franchises that have been downloaded more than four billion times on mobile, including CSR Racing ™, Empires & Puzzles ™, Hair Challenge, Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells, High Heels!, Merge Dragons! ™, Merge Magic! ™, Queen Bee ™, Toon Blast ™, Toy Blast ™, Words With Friends ™ and Zynga Poker ™. With Chartboost, a leading mobile advertising and monetization platform, Zynga is an industry-leading next-generation platform with the ability to optimize programmatic advertising and yields at scale. Founded in 2007, Zynga is headquartered in California with locations in North America, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit www.zynga.com or follow Zynga on Twitter , Instagram , Facebook or the Zynga blog .

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including those statements relating to, among other things: the proposed acquisition of Beijing StarLark Technology Co., Ltd. (“StarLark)”, the Golf Rival mobile game franchise and related other games, intellectual properties, business records and specified other assets and liabilities; our ability to achieve the intended benefits of the acquisition, including the growth of the Golf Rival franchise, the development of future games, and attracting and retaining key development and other personnel; the purchase price for the acquisition and the timing in which the transaction is expected to close. Forward-looking statements often include words such as “projected,” “planned,” “intend,” “will,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “target,” “expect,” and statements in the future tense are generally forward-looking. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and reflect management’s current expectations. The achievement or success of the matters covered by such forward-looking statements involves significant risks, uncertainties, and assumptions, and our actual results could differ materially from those predicted or implied. Undue reliance should not be placed on such forward-looking statements, which are based on information available to us on the date hereof. We assume no obligation to update such statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include: satisfaction of transaction closing conditions and our ability to timely close the transaction; our ability to effectively integrate and achieve the expected benefits of the transaction; and risks of litigation and/or regulatory actions related to the transaction. More information about these risks, uncertainties, and assumptions and additional factors that could cause actual results to differ are or will be described in greater detail in our public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), copies of which may be obtained by visiting our Investor Relations website at http://investor.zynga.com or the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov .

About Business Wire

Business Wire
Business Wire
101 California Street, 20th Floor
CA 94111 San Francisco

http://businesswire.com

Subscribe to releases from Business Wire

Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Latest releases from Business Wire

Insurance Investment Outsourcing Surpasses $5.5 Trillion as Private Markets and Global Expansion Reshape the Industry20.5.2026 09:00:00 CEST | Press release

IIOR Shows Record Outsourced Insurance AUM, Private Assets Near $1 Trillion, and Europe Emerging as a Global Growth Engine Clearwater Analytics (NYSE: CWAN) today released the 2026 Insurance Investment Outsourcing Report (IIOR), produced in partnership with DCS Financial Consulting. The report captures $5.5 trillion in third-party general account insurance assets under management across 96 asset managers, a 23% increase year-over-year and a 65% increase since 2021, alongside $1.8 trillion in assets under advisement across 12 investment consultants. The findings point to an outsourcing market that has become larger, more global, and materially more complex. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260520780028/en/ The 2026 IIOR reveals defining trends reshaping insurance investment management: Private Markets Cross a Threshold. Third-party private insurance AUM has more than doubled since 2021, reaching $947 billion and

Factbird Adds Quality & Compliance and Reports to its Manufacturing Intelligence Platform20.5.2026 08:00:00 CEST | Press release

Two new capabilities give multi-site manufacturers standardized workflows, traceable records, and automated reporting across every plant. Today, Factbird is announcing two major additions to its manufacturing intelligence platform: Quality & Compliance and Factbird Reports. Both address a problem that compounds as manufacturers grow. More sites mean more variation in how work gets done. More regulation means more documentation pressure on frontline teams. And more data, when fragmented across systems, often slows decisions rather than speeding them up. Solving this has traditionally meant large IT projects and months of deployment. “Enterprise manufacturers shouldn’t have to choose between capability and simplicity,” said Mogens Arne Hansen, Chief Technology and Product Officerat Factbird. “With Quality & Compliance and Reports, you can have standardized, audit-ready operations and automated performance reporting across every site, deployed in days, used by the people on the floor.” Qu

The LYCRA Company to Successfully Complete Comprehensive Financial Restructuring20.5.2026 04:23:00 CEST | Press release

Company positioned for long-term growth, operational excellence, and continued customer-focused innovationWill emerge from financial restructuring with enhanced financial flexibility and significantly less debtNew ownership and Board of Directors committed to executing on vision to take the business to the next levelBruce Rubin appointed Executive Chairman and Dean Williams appointed Interim Chief Executive Officer The LYCRA Company, LLC (“the Company”), a global leader in developing fiber and technology solutions for the apparel and personal care industries, will successfully complete its comprehensive financial restructuring process and emerge from Chapter 11 protection on May 20, 2026. The LYCRA Company has established a durable capital structure that will enable the Company’s pursuit of its growth strategy through investment in innovation, customer partnerships, and global operations. The Company will emerge from its comprehensive restructuring process with significantly enhanced f

Johns Manville Announces John Vasuta as New CEO19.5.2026 22:30:00 CEST | Press release

Johns Manville (JM), a global building and specialty products manufacturer and a Berkshire Hathaway company, announced today that Bob Wamboldt will retire and John Vasuta will assume the role of President and Chief Executive Officer, effective August 1, 2026. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260519630814/en/ John Vasuta will become JM's CEO and President on August 1, 2026. Vasuta joined Johns Manville in 2019 as President of the company’s Engineered Products business. He also serves on the Board of Directors for EJ, a global leader and private manufacturer of infrastructure access products for water, sewer, utilities, drainage and telecommunications. “It’s an extraordinary privilege to step into the role of CEO,” Vasuta said. “I’m deeply honored to continue serving our customers and supporting the employees whose dedication makes our success possible.” Before joining JM, John held leadership roles at Bridgeston

Mereo Insurance Announces Move into Excess Casualty Insurance19.5.2026 22:12:00 CEST | Press release

Mereo expands into Excess Casualty Insurance by acquiring renewal rights to Everen Specialty Ltd.’s Excess Casualty Energy portfolio. Mereo Insurance Limited (“Mereo”) today announced a renewal rights transaction with Everen Specialty Ltd. (“ESL”), a member of the Everen Group, for ESL’s Excess Casualty Energy portfolio. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260519154915/en/ David Croom-Johnson, President & Chief Executive Officer of Mereo Insurance Limited Under the transaction, Mereo will become the insurance carrier on a go-forward basis for both new and renewed business effective June 1, 2026. ESL’s underwriting team and underwriting systems supporting the Excess Casualty Energy portfolio will also transition to Mereo, led by former ESL Chief Underwriting Officer, Carla Greaves. Under the terms of the agreement, Mereo will provide ESL insureds with continuity of coverage, access to AM Best “A- rated” paper, and

In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.

Visit our pressroom
World GlobeA line styled icon from Orion Icon Library.HiddenA line styled icon from Orion Icon Library.Eye