Big Fish Games
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | 2002 |
| Headquarters | Seattle, Washington , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Parent | Aristocrat Leisure |
Big Fish Games, Inc. is a developer and distributor specializing in casual games, headquartered in Seattle, Washington, with an additional office located in Oakland, California. As a subsidiary of Aristocrat Leisure, the company concentrates on producing casual gaming content for both PC and mobile platforms.
The organization encountered legal issues, notably a 2016 claim alleging it misled customers into subscribing to unwanted monthly charges. Additionally, it resolved a $155 million class action lawsuit concerning its Big Fish Casino application, which was classified as unlawful online gambling, leading to substantial employee layoffs.
History
Established in 2002, Big Fish broadened its reach internationally by launching its European headquarters in Cork, Ireland, in 2009. By 2010, the company had achieved over one billion game downloads through its digital platform.
In 2013, Big Fish discontinued its cloud-based gaming service and closed offices in Vancouver and Cork. The following year, Churchill Downs Inc. acquired the company in a transaction valued up to $885 million. Subsequently, in 2018, Aristocrat Leisure—a manufacturer of gambling machines based in Australia—purchased Big Fish for $990 million.
Post-acquisition, the company underwent significant workforce reductions: a 15% staff cut in 2018 followed by nearly half of the employees laid off in 2020. These measures were part of a strategic realignment to better fit the new corporate structure and market objectives.
Big Fish Studios
Big Fish Games manages multiple development teams situated in Seattle and Oakland, including Self Aware Games, Triton Studios, Epic Ventures, and ARC Studios. Prominent titles developed by these studios encompass the Drawn series (comprising Dark Flight, The Painted Tower, and Trail of Shadows), Fairway Solitaire HD, the Hidden Expedition and Mystery Case Files franchises, Faunasphere, as well as the Grim Facade collection (totaling 21 games). These key franchises play a vital role in sustaining the company's leadership within the casual gaming sector.
Online games
In 2007, Big Fish expanded into browser gaming by acquiring Ion Thunder, which was later renamed Atlantis and subsequently Big Sea Games. However, by 2010, the firm strategically withdrew from conventional online games to prioritize social gaming on Facebook and mobile devices. This pivot aligned with market developments and enhanced their digital engagement strategy.