NetEase Acquires Developer that Worked on Halo Infinite and Minecraft

Chinese gaming company NetEase acquired another studio this week, this time going after one that’s got credits on massive games like Minecraft, Halo Infinite, and more. NetEase acquired SkyBox Labs, the Canadian studio listed as a co-developer and support studio on games ranging from those listed above to strategy titles and even a VR experience. SkyBox Labs will continue to operate independently, NetEase said, and will expand the partners it works with now under NetEase’s ownership.

NetEase announced the acquisition of SkyBox Labs this week and said it’ll “support the studio with resources and execution capabilities so that SkyBox Labs can achieve faster scale while maintaining the quality of work the studio is known for.” Considering how NetEase said that SkyBox will continue to be able to work with the current co-development partners it was already affiliated with, it seems as though SkyBox will still be able to work on the games it’s currently assisting with.

“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, the president of global investment and partnerships at NetEase Games. “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 worked on Halo Infinite, Halo 5, Fallout 76, and a number of different Minecraft versions and updates as well as some of the Age of Empires games. Two originals from the studio include Stela and Tastee: Lethal Tactics.

This move is just the latest from NetEase to grow the company’s gaming talent. Last year, veteran Resident Evil producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi left Capcom to join NetEase. In its biggest move of 2022, the company also acquired Quantic Dream, the creators of games like Detroit: Become Human.