Ngmoco
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | July 2008 |
| Founder | Neil Young |
| Defunct | October 18, 2016 |
| Fate | Shut down by parent company DeNA |
| Headquarters | San Francisco , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Neil Young (founder), Simon Jeffery (Plus+ Publishing group leader) |
| Products | Video games for iOS and Android |
| Owner | DeNA Co., Ltd. |
| Parent | DeNA Co., Ltd. |
Ngmoco, LLC (branded as ngmoco:) was a U.S.-based publisher specializing in video games for iOS and Android platforms, operating as a subsidiary of DeNA Co., Ltd.. Established in July 2008 by former Electronic Arts executive Neil Young, ngmoco amassed more than seven million total game downloads. The company secured $40.6 million in funding from venture capital firms such as Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Norwest Venture Partners. Ngmoco gained recognition primarily for its Rolando franchise and Eliminate Pro.
History
Neil Young departed from Electronic Arts in June 2008 to launch a new venture alongside co-founders Bob Stevenson, Alan Yu, and Joe Keene. The enterprise, named "ngmoco"—an abbreviation for "Next Generation Mobile Company"—concentrated on publishing games for the iPhone. Funding was provided by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers through the iFund, with former EA Chief Creative Officer Bing Gordon joining the board of directors.
The company's initial releases—Topple, MazeFinger, and Rolando—debuted in October 2008. By March 2009, their titles had exceeded seven million downloads on the App Store. In a subsequent financing round, Norwest Venture Partners contributed $10 million, with Tim Chang joining the board.
On June 15, 2009, ngmoco introduced the "Plus+ Network", a social and multiplayer platform designed to support independent developers. Leadership of the "Plus+ Publishing group" was entrusted to Simon Jeffery, formerly of Sega and LucasArts.
Ngmoco expanded its portfolio on November 4, 2009, by acquiring Miraphonic, an iPhone and Facebook developer recognized for Epic Pet Wars and Epic Soldier Wars.
In February 2010, the company secured an additional $25 million in Series C funding led by Institutional Venture Partners, alongside returning investors Kleiner Perkins, Norwest Venture Partners, and Maples Investments. Following this round, ngmoco acquired Mac OS and iOS developer Freeverse as well as Stumptown Game Machine.
Japan-based DeNA purchased ngmoco on October 12, 2010, for $400 million. Post-acquisition, ngmoco functioned as DeNA's Western regional headquarters, managing studios located in Vancouver, Santiago de Chile, Stockholm, and Amsterdam.
On October 18, 2016, DeNA announced it would shut down all Western subsidiaries as part of a strategic realignment in partnership with Nintendo.
Games
Key games published under ngmoco's label include:
- Dr. Awesome (2008)
- MazeFinger (2008)
- Rolando (2008)
- Topple (2008)
- Dropship (2009)
- Eliminate Pro (2009)
- Rolando 2: Quest for the Golden Orchid (2009)
- Star Defense (2009)
- Topple 2 (2009)
- Touch Pets: Dogs (2009)
- Word-Fu (2009)
- Adventure Bay (2010)
- Charadium (2010)
- Eliminate Burst (2010)
- Eliminate: Gun Range (2010)
- GodFinger (2010)
- Star Wars: Imperial Academy (2010)
- Touch Pets: Cats (2010)
- Touch Pets: Dogs 2 (2010)
- We City, We Doodle, We Farm, and We Rule (2010)
- Fantastic Fish (2011)
- Dreamtopia (2012)
- Skyfall (2013)
