Netease has announced the acquisition of Minecraft co-developer Skybox Labs. The company aims to support the studio with resources and execution capabilities so that SkyBox Labs can achieve a faster scale while maintaining its quality of work.
SkyBox Labs stated that it will look to retain staff and hire new employees in Canada after the acquisition. The studio is looking for team members across all game development disciplines, including art, engineering, design, production, and QA.
With NetEase’s support, SkyBox Labs will continue to operate independently, working closely with existing and new partners to pursue creative opportunities and co-develop titles in the PC and console space. The studio previously worked on giant games such as Halo Infinite, Fallout 76, and Minecraft.
Shyang Kong, Co-Founder of SkyBox Labs, made comments on the recent acquisition:
“Over the last decade, we’ve had the pleasure to work on beloved games such as Halo Infinite, Minecraft, and Fallout 76. We remain committed to growing our presence in Canada, supporting our current and future partners, and co-developing more AAA games for some of the biggest game studios around the world.
“We have built a team of talented individuals who are passionate and creative, and by joining NetEase Games, we will also be able to accelerate our plans to pursue new creative opportunities and enjoy access to world-class operational resources and the full breadth and depth of NetEase’s services so we can scale faster in Canada.”
Burnaby-based SkyBox Labs was founded in 2011 and has offices in Victoria and Burnaby. The company has developed titles alongside some big names in the game industry, including Xbox Game Studios, Wizards of the Coast, and Electronic Arts.
