Tilting Point, a free-to-play games publisher, has acquired Budge Studios, a mobile developer within the children’s entertainment and education category. Budge Studios’ app portfolio includes titles featuring brands like Barbie, Paw Patrol, Transformers, Hot Wheels, My Little Pony, Strawberry Shortcake and Hello Kitty, among others.  

The acquisition expands Tilting Point’s audience and enables it to enter a new, edutainment vertical. As with all Tilting Point’s acquisitions, Budge’s leadership team and 129 employees will continue to operate independently, only now with Tilting Point’s publishing power providing amplification opportunities for all its games. The combined company will also be able to leverage its larger scale for better access to opportunities with major brands for licensing and with platform partners for distribution.  

Budge’s apps are targeted at the 3-13-year-old audience and incorporate puzzles, creative games and vibrant characters that make daily activities, such as bedtime routines, exciting. 

“We love what Budge has built in the kids’ space,” says Kevin Segalla, founder and co-chief executive officer, Tilting Point. “Budge’s decade-long laser focus on the children’s audience, with over 50 successful apps, is very impressive and is a great addition to our catalog. We look forward to merging our publishing expertise with their great content to truly amplify Budge’s potential.” 

The acquisition will provide Budge the power of Tilting Point’s marketing expertise and tech, improvements to live ops, more IP integrations and expansions onto more platforms for its award-winning portfolio. Tilting Point will benefit from Budge’s 10+ years of experience serving children and families, including their commitment to children’s privacy and online safety. 

“Joining the Tilting Point family is an exciting and huge opportunity for Budge,” says David Lipes, co-chief executive officer, Budge. “With this acquisition, we will continue operating independently to develop the best creative content, plus have even more access to globally recognized IP and a greater ability to bring our games to even more children worldwide.” 

Tilting Point’s other recent acquisitions have continued to expand the company’s reach across geographies, audiences and platforms, including Korea-based sci-fi strategy game experts, AN Games, mobile games and assets from gambling technology software leader, Playtech plc., including the San Diego-based FTX Games, hit titles, Star Trek: Timelines and TerraGenesis as well as LTV Tech Platform Gondola.