Golf With Your Friends was a hit with players last year. Though we didn't have the strongest opinions on it – giving it 6/10 stars – we thought it made for a decent mini-golf multiplayer game, though one which suffered from fiddly controls. Evidently, it's been a success for publishers Team17, who've now bought the game's rights and assets from developer Blacklight Interactive for £12 million.
Golf With Your Friends' purchase will be split into two segments, consisting of an initial £9 million payment, followed by a further £3 million after 12 months. Speaking about this directly, Team17 revealed plans to "create additional opportunities to extend the life cycle of the existing game". That includes further DLC, with a potential sequel also being looked into.
During this announcement, Team17 also shared its financial results for 2020, advising these have been "ahead of expectations" and witnessed a 34% increase.
Team17 CEO Debbie Bestwick had this to say about the news:
We are delighted to start 2021 with the announcement that we have acquired GWYF and see great potential in this IP. Over the last two years, GWYF has shown strong consumer demand and mass market appeal, doubling its owner base and achieving success on multiple gaming platforms.
GWYF is the type of IP we believe is right for ownership, it is successful and proven but still at the start of its journey. The team at Blacklight Interactive can be assured that we will take great care of this amazing IP.
Just what 2021 will bring Team17 remains to be seen, but we're certainly excited to see what they've got planned.
[source gamesindustry.biz]
Comments 13
I didn't realize Team 17 had that kind of money to spend. I hope it works out for them.
These guys are a classic independent British game studio with a long history. If they were a bike they'd be triumph which has never been foreign owned. I hope nobody buys them and ruins them.
I was a bit curious, and then I realized it was the publishers buying rights from a developer. Never a fan of publishers acquiring rights from people who actually MAKE games. Hopefully they are a decent publisher.
Good luck to team17, been around years. I also had no idea they had that kind of cash. Blacklight lucked in there!
Fun game, so have fun Team17.
@Brummieendo90 now you've said that, Microsoft will acquire them and it will be Rareware all over again
Strange they didn’t just make a “very similar” game from scratch... can’t see development and advertising cost more than 9million?!?! But what do I know....
To me, you make a simple golf game with worms holding the clubs and I’d pretty much be sold... 🤣
@TimboSlice Worms Crazy Golf does actually exist on iOS and PS3! It’s 2D and not much like Golf With Your Friends at all but it’s a fun time.
Love Golf with your Friends, play it online with my brother every week. It's dumb fun. Once you get used to the gameplay and course design, you can really cook. It's on Game Pass, so I rec everyone to check it out for themselves.
Back on the Dreamcast, there was a 102 Dalmatians game. It wasn't very good, but it had a mini golf mini game my brothers and I probably put 100s of hours playing just that. This reminds me of it a lot.
@timboslice This game has a Worms themed course, funny enough.
Wow, I wouldn't have expected this particular game to be worth so much.
@sketchturner I'm surprised too. But I hope this clues people in to how much IP is worth, and that they'll be less surprised at how vigorously Nintendo protects theirs.
Well, if GWYF is worth £12 million, I guess I can understand why all of ZeniMax cost $7,5 billion now 😅
I had to re-read this title like 4 times I was in disbelief.
I could think of about 100,000 things that would be better to spend £12,000,000 on than some shovelware golf IP. Are they serious?
How popular is this exactly? I've literally never heard of it before. Hope this works out for them and that this isn't some huge money laundering scheme.
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