Outsourcing company Stepico has acquired fellow Ukrainian studio Inkration, which provides art and design services. The deal will allow both sides to create full-cycle game production.
The financial terms of the deal remain undisclosed. Inkration founders and executives will keep their roles at the studio, with CEO Mykhailo Prystash becoming creative director at Stepico.
“Combining Stepico’s strong technical expertise with Inkration’s incredible creativity is a perfect choice,” Stepico CEO Nikola Pisetskyi said in a statement. “Joint efforts will allow us to achieve rapid development of the company in the next stage of growth.”
By adding Inkration’s team of 60, Stepico will bring its total headcount to over 200 people.
The acquisition is a part of Stepico’s major rebranding. The company created a new slogan: “Step your game up!” and a new mission, which is to be the “trustworthy and best partner in the gaming industry for customers by using innovative approaches and solutions.”
Founded in 2012, Stepico has two main offices in Lviv, Ukraine, and Limassol, Cyprus. The studio has collaborated with companies like Gameloft, Immutable, Universal, Snapchat, and DreamWorks. It focuses on the more technological and deeper side of development, including the implementation of modern trends such as blockchain.
Stepico has already worked alongside Inkration on Nile Valley, Fishing Rival, Century Ciege, and other games. By combining their art and technical expertise, the companies will provide full-cycle game development services under one brand and will focus on even larger projects.