Epic Games has announced a new M&A deal, acquiring Brazil-based studio Aquiris. The team, known for its mobile titles like Wonderbox, will now be working on the new content for Fortnite.
Wonderbox: The Adventure Maker
What happened?
- The Aquiris acquisition was announced on April 19, but its terms and other financial details remain undisclosed. This comes a year after Epic Games invested in the Brazilian studio, also establishing a 15-year publishing partnership.
- Aquiris will be renamed Epic Games Brasil, the company’s first studio in Latin America.
- It will now focus on creating “groundbreaking content and social experiences within Fortnite,” but its games such as Wonderbox and Horizon Chase 2 will continue to operate.
- According to Alain Tascan, executive VP of game development at Epic Games, Aquiris will help the company establish its presence in Latin America and provide new opportunities for further expansion in the region.
Who is AQUIRIS?
- Founded in 2007, Aquiris is a Porto Alegre, Brazil-based developer that employs almost 200 people.
- It has several mobile titles in its portfolio: Looney Tunes World of Mayhem, the Horizon Chase series, and Wonderbox: The Adventure Maker.
- The latter is a sandbox game available on the Apple Arcade. Wonderbox allows users to customize their characters, play different campaigns, and create their own levels and worlds using the in-game toolset.
- So Epic’s decision to acquire Aquiris seems logical, considering that Fortnite has been constantly expanding its UGC capabilities over the past years.
- Last month, Epic Games announced Unreal Editor for Fortnite, which will allow players to create their own games and islands using the power of UE5.