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FunPlus announces its plan to jump into mobile game development to continue its presence in Barcelona

Global developer and publisher of successful mobile games expands its scope beyond publishing to game development!

FunPlus, one of the world’s largest independent mobile game companies, today announced its plans to expand into mobile game development in Barcelona, where the company’s Western publishing arm already operates. The Swiss-based company thus reaffirms its commitment to Barcelona, which has recently expressed its desire to become the next European technology and gaming hub.

“We are honored to expand FunPlus’ commitment to the city with our ambition to develop new games that accompany the company’s strategic ambitions,” said Enric Cabestany, FunPlus’ VP of Europe and LATAM.

He added, “this is just the beginning of an exciting journey that will allow us to grow as a team, recruit for key roles, and seek out new opportunities to perform well and make Barcelona shine in the coming years.”

FunPlus Barcelona mobile game development
Image via FunPlus

Felipe Mata, FunPlus’s former Director of Product Development and industry veteran, has been promoted to the position of VP Product as part of this evolution. Jacob Krüger has also been hired as the company’s new Director of User Acquisition. Jacob joins the company with significant experience at Miniclip, Scopely, and Social Point which will further strengthen FunPlus’ operations. He is tasked with expanding the UA department in Barcelona.

FunPlus will work with local government and provide working students and interns with first job experiences to launch their careers

FunPlus will collude closely with the local government to develop the development venture’s strategy and priorities. This will help them to tap into Barcelona’s rich talent pool. It is also launching its first “Career Starter” program in the Barcelona office. FunPlus will provide working students and interns with their first job experience and launch their careers in the gaming industry.

The Catalan video game association, DeviCAT, is a strong supporter of FunPlus’ ambitions to expand into game development in Barcelona. “Video games are one of the sectors with the greatest potential in and for Catalonia, particularly in terms of creating young and qualified jobs,” said Iván Fernández, Secretary General of DeviCAT. “Thanks to the drive of Catalan businesses, our country has become the most appealing specialized talent hub for an unstoppable growth sector.” Another strong example is our partner FunPlus’s desire to expand its presence here.”

FunPlus Barcelona mobile game development
Image via FunPlus

This announcement emphasizes the robustness of Catalonia’s video game ecosystem. Catalonia, according to data from the Libro Blanco del Videojuego, is the primary driver in a sector experiencing unprecedented growth in Spain, with 440 registered companies and €1,105 million in revenue in 2020. Catalonia accounts for 50% of national revenue or 3.3% of European industry.

With 3,966 people directly employed, the region employs half of the country’s workers in the sector, with 25% being women. According to a recent local government report, Catalonia is also the European region that attracts the most projects and investments in this sector.

FunPlus Barcelona publishing team has rapidly grown in size and scope with its game successes

The original FunPlus Barcelona publishing team was established in late 2019 with a brand new office in the city center. And it has been gradually growing in size and scope over the past three years, with a focus on providing leadership and support for the company’s portfolio of games in the areas of Community Management, Marketing/Growth, and Creative Services.

Since then, the company has attracted artists, technology, and gaming professionals in the Barcelona area, more than doubling the size of its original team in the last year. Enric Cabestany, VP Publishing, Europe, and LATAM, is the team’s leader. He is a seasoned technology and digital media leader with over 15 years of management and publishing experience.

FunPlus Barcelona mobile game development
Image via FunPlus

The FunPlus publishing and development teams in Barcelona will continue to contribute to the company’s impressive track record of success. State of Survival, a free-to-play strategy game available on iOS and Android, celebrated 150 million downloads in 2022. King of Avalon and Guns of Glory also reached major milestones with three-year and five-year anniversaries, respectively.

What are your thoughts as FunPlus Barcelona outlined its plans to jump into mobile game development? Let us know in the comment section below.

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