NetEase Acquires SkyBox Labs, a Support Studio Who Worked on Halo and Minecraft

SkyBox Labs, a Canadian developer best known for supporting the development of Halo: Infinite, Minecraft, and other games, has been acquired by Chinese company NetEase.

NetEase made the announcement on January 6, saying that SkyBox would continue its regular work and operate independently, but now with the resources to do things on a faster scale.

“Over the last decade, we’ve had the pleasure to work on beloved games such as Halo Infinite, Minecraft, and Fallout 76,” said SkyBox co-founder Shyang Kong. “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.”

NetEase made clear that SkyBox would be continue the work it is known for, work closely with its existing and new partners to pursue “creative opportunities”, and co-develop games for both PC.

“We are thrilled to welcome SkyBox Labs to the NetEase Games family and are committed to creating an environment that allows them to thrive and operate independently as a game studio,” said Simon Zhu, NetEase president of global investment and partnerships.

“We were impressed with their extensive experience in game development and are great admirers of their past work on some of the world’s leading franchises. We look forward to working with the SkyBox Labs co-founders and providing the resources needed to help them grow their presence in Canada as they continue to support top creators around the world in developing unforgettable gaming experiences for players.”

SkyBox becomes the latest studio to be acquired by NetEase, who’s most recent big purchase was of Heavy Rain developer Quantic Dream.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer and acting UK news editor. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.