Internet technology provider Google has acquired Owlchemy Labs, a US-based game studio backed by mobile semiconductor maker Qualcomm, electronics producer HTC and game publisher Colopl, for an undisclosed amount.
Founded in 2010, Owlchemy has developed a series of mobile games and recently moved into virtual reality, first with the experimental Job Simulator and then with a game based on critically acclaimed cult sci-fi TV show Rick and Morty.
The only funding disclosed by the company is a $5m series A round in August 2016 that featured Qualcomm Ventures and Colopl VR Fund as well as HTC and Capital Factory, a startup incubator located in Owlchemy’s home city of Austin, Texas.
Post-acquisition, Owlchemy will carry on producing VR games for platforms including HTC’s Vive, Oculus Touch and PlayStation VR.
Relja Markovic, an augmented and virtual reality engineering director for Google, said: “Together, we’ll be working to create engaging, immersive games and developing new interaction models across many different platforms to continue bringing the best VR experiences to life.”