'Rick and Morty' Game Developer Has Been Acquired by Adult Swim
Adult Swim has finally put a ring on it.
Big Pixel Studios, the developer behind Rick and Morty mobile game Pocket Mortys has been acquired by Adult Swim. The network has published games from unaffiliated developers before, but this is the first time the cartoon studio has purchased a developer to work in-house. According to a press release from Turner Broadcasting System, this acquisition marks Adult Swim’s “increased investment” in the video game market.
Pocket Mortys was released in January 13, 2016 to mixed reviews from critics but a warm reception from fans. The title and game are a clear nod to the monster-collecting role-playing game Pokémon with Rick as the trainer and Mortys as the pocket monsters. In keeping with the infinite universes timeline of the television show, players take the role of a Rick who finds Mortys in the wild and trains them to battle other Ricks.
Turner did not comment on the terms of the deal.
Though primarily known for its television programming, Adult Swim has published over 200 games with independent developers. Its gaming portfolio has mostly focused on mobile games and retro-inspired titles for PC and console. Shortly after the announcement, Big Pixel Studios announced a number of new positions.
All of them list a love of Rick and Morty as a desirable (but not essential) quality, so it’s unlikely the studio is working on another IP just yet. Fans of Rick and Morty can look forward to even more games featuring the dysfunctional duo.
Rick and Morty Season 4 does not have a premiere date yet.
