With over 40 deals and $2 billion invested, how Ourpalm become a major force in the global gaming market

One of the best ways of understanding how the Chinese gaming market is changing the world of gaming is to look at the most successful Chinese gaming companies.

One such is Ourpalm.

The web and mobile gaming company has built itself into a strong entertainment company thanks to acquisitions, investments and strategic partnerships in the gaming, animation, film and television, IP, and VR sectors.

Indeed, since its IPO on the Shenzen Stock Exchange in 2012, Ourpalm has completed more than 40 investments and acquisitions with total worth of $2 billion.

Big deals

In terms of its core game business, Ourpalm's 2013 acquisitions of web developer Dovo Entertainment for $123 million and mobile developer Playcrab for $264 million provided the foundation for its future growth.

Playcrab is best known in China for its The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match Online game, which has generated peak monthly revenue of over $33 million. It's currently working with Ubisoft on the development of mobile game series Heroes of Might and Magic.

More recent deals include the purchase of an 80% stake in developer Tianma, which is best known for its MU Miracle game, which has generated $600 million in lifetime revenue - and the remaining 30% stake in mobile and web developer Shang Game.

Ourpalm invested $124 million to acquire its original 70% stake in Shang Game back in 2013. Its Three Kingdoms Defense generated peak single day sales of $1.5 million.

Going global

Ourpalm hasn't just invested in Chinese companies though.

In March 2016, it became the second largest shareholder in Korean web game publisher Webzen, investing $170 million for a 19.24% stake.

Part of its initiative to boost overseas IP resources, the deal also enables Ourpalm and Webzen to create business synergies and accelerate the global reach of their gaming businesses.

Another deal saw Ourpalm’s investment in Australian-floated publisher Animoca Brands. The two have also worked together over games such as Doraemon Gadget Rush.

The company is heavily involved in the emerging VR sector too. Ourpalm has invested in China's leading VR offline distribution platform Leke VR, and China's leading VR website and user platform 87870

It's working closely with Sony through a collaborative VR Project and its shareholding company Gamepoch, which is one of the 26 partners for Sony's PlayStation VR platform in Asia.

In this way, Ourpalm is quickly becoming a major force in driving the growth of the global gaming market, both in mobile, PC and VR gaming.