nDreams Acquires Long-Term Dev Partner Near Light
VR games developer and publisher has now nDreams has now acquired Near Light, its long-term partner, and collaborator.
The two companies have been collaborating for over five years. Now they have decided to join forces in a bid to shape the future of virtual reality and augmented reality gaming.
Near Light developed both Perfect and the Shooty Fruity titles which were published by nDreams. Recently, Near Light also pioneered an augmented reality experience for a leading global toy brand. The developer is currently working on a yet-to-be-announced virtual reality title which will also be published by nDreams.
Near Light was founded in 2016 by Paul Mottram and Ben Hebb. The two had previously collaborated in major roles at Zoe Mode, Wide Games, and Kuju Brighton. The two worked on various innovative titles championing the new modes of play including titles such as the Guitar Hero series, EyeToy Play, and SingStar.
In its statement following the acquisition, nDreams stated that it is keen to deepen its relationship with Near Light following several “years of fruitful partnerships.” nDreams’ chief development officer Tom Gillo stated that the acquisition of the studio will enable the developer and publisher to collaborate even more closely “on medium-defining games.” It also brings on board the 20 years of Near Light’s founders’ experience into nDreams which will help in further strengthening nDreams’ own expertise.
nDreams already has three in-house development studios – nDreams Studio (based in Farnborough, UK), nDreams Studio Elevation, and nDreams Studio Orbital (which are fully remote).
This is nDreams debut acquisition of a VR development studio. nDreams CEO Patrick O’Luanaigh stated that his company could potentially acquire other development studios with which it is “similarly aligned on vision and strategy” in the future.
nDreams received a $35 million investment from Aonic Group which has allowed the publisher to accelerate its investments in third-party publishing and internal development. Its acquisition of Near Light is, thus, a sign of its ambition and rapid expansion plans.
The Near Light team won’t have a problem working closely alongside nDreams given their solid history of collaboration. The already closer ties will also unlock lots of new opportunities.
The two collaborated on both Perfect and Shooty Fruity, a collaboration which Near Light co-founder Ben Hebb described as “really enjoyable.”
nDreams has published a number of VR titles including Far Cry: Dive Into Insanity, Phantom: Covert Ops, and Fracked. nDreams has also been publishing some of the most innovative virtual reality games from top-tier indie talents such as the hit Little Cities. While Near Light was founded in 2016, nDreams was founded in 2013.
The leadership team at Near Light has had extensive experience thanks to its partnerships with Activision, Sony, Microsoft, Sega, and Disney in various gaming genres.
The name of the company -Near Light- was inspired by music from Icelandic musician Olafur Arnalds. Near Light currently has 8 staff although it once employed up to 20 people at the peak of its development projects. With the acquisition by nDreams, the studio has now expanded its horizons for more growth.
https://virtualrealitytimes.com/2022/12/22/ndreams-acquires-long-term-dev-partner-near-light/https://virtualrealitytimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/nDreams-and-Near-Light-bosses-600x305.pnghttps://virtualrealitytimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/nDreams-and-Near-Light-bosses-150x90.pngAcquistionsBusinessVR games developer and publisher has now nDreams has now acquired Near Light, its long-term partner, and collaborator. The two companies have been collaborating for over five years. Now they have decided to join forces in a bid to shape the future of virtual reality and augmented reality gaming. Near Light...Rob GrantRob Grant[email protected]AuthorVirtual Reality Times - Metaverse & VR