Z2Live, the fast-growing Seattle mobile gaming company, announced today that it is buying Big Sandwich Games of Vancouver, B.C. for an undisclosed price. The acquisition gives Z2Live, maker of Trade Nations, Battle Nations and Metalstorm, a “foot hold in the talent rich Vancouver market,” the company said.
Microsoft employs more than 150 people at a gaming studio in Vancouver, and last year announced plans to open a new studio in nearby Victoria. Seattle’s PopCap Games also has a branch office in Vancouver.
Big Sandwich is led by Glenn Barnes and Tyler Sigman who will stay on board as they oversee the newly-formed Z2Live Games Vancouver studio.
“Big Sandwich Games clearly executes at a level that meets our bar for quality”, said Lou Fasulo, COO at Z2Live. “The acquisition represents a key part of our long term strategy to build, operate and scale genre defining games.”
Z2Live has been undergoing an impressive growth spurt, recently relocating its Seattle headquarters to a new office near the Pike Place Market. The profitable company now employs 89 people — up from 16 at this time last year. That includes the nine employees who have joined from Big Sandwich.
Led by mobile veteran David Bluhm, Z2Live raised $2.5 million from Madrona Venture Group and Draper Fisher Jurvetson in March.
Coming up: Z2Live CEO David Bluhm will be a featured speaker at the GeekWire Summit & Anniversary Party on March 7th. Details and tickets here.
