E-Games Merges With Level Up

After aggressively expanding its Internet café network through acquisitions (Netopia and CyBr cafes) and franchising, IP E-Game Ventures Inc. (E-Games) was seen to be aiming for the domination of the online gaming business in the Philippines. However, E-Games pulled a surprise on Feb. 14 when it revealed that it has agreed to sell its game publishing business to main rival Level-Up Inc. (LUI), the country's pioneer online gaming company. The company said the merger would result in future operational synergies and savings. 

In a press release, E-Games announced it would transfer to LUI most of its titles and assets relating to its game publishing business. In the deal, it will receive equity in LUI, a

commercial interest in the merged game publishing entity, and cash. The online game publishing business of the merger will be handled by LUI’s associated  company, Playweb Games Inc.

E-Games has 15.9 million registered gamers and an average of 3.5 million active users a month. The company earlier bagged the exclusive right to operate and sell ads for the Philippine portal of NBA.com. After the merger, the combined entity will have the widest gaming pre-paid cards and PINs distribution network and offer a portfolio of games, including Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs) such as Cabal, Audition, Pointblank, Ragnarok, Grand Chase, Rohan and newly launched Bounty Hounds.