Playtika's game studio Wooga launches Switchcraft, a new story-driven Match 3 Game

Rhea-AI Summary

Playtika Holding Corp. (NASDAQ: PLTK) has announced the global launch of Switchcraft, a new casual game developed by its Berlin-based studio, Wooga GmbH. This game features a young female protagonist, Bailey Ward, who guides players through a magical world filled with witchcraft-themed puzzles. Switchcraft combines Match 3 mechanics with narrative-driven gameplay, appealing to a diverse audience. This launch is seen as a significant milestone for Playtika, following its IPO in January 2021, and aims to expand its player base within the popular Match 3 genre.

Positive

• Launch of Switchcraft expands Playtika's portfolio in the lucrative Match 3 gaming segment.
• Game leverages Wooga's expertise, known for success in narrative-driven games, enhancing player engagement.
• Switchcraft's diverse characters and storytelling appeal to a broader audience, potentially increasing monthly active users.

Negative

• None.

• Switchcraft's immersive world and fully-realized characters take Match 3 gaming to the next level
• The casual game takes players on an interactive journey through the eyes of a female protagonist exploring her magical powers
• The launch of Switchcraft is a further milestone for Playtika in 2021, following the company's IPO in January
  

HERZLIYA, Israel, Oct. 11, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Playtika Holding corp. (NASDAQ: PLTK) today announced the global launch of Switchcraft, developed by its Berlin-based game studio Wooga GmbH.

Switchcraft is a casual game that marries interactive, narrative storylines with Match 3 mechanics, combining the best of puzzle-centered gameplay with an immersive and gripping narrative. The game's protagonist is a young woman — Bailey Ward — living in a small town in Massachusetts on the East Coast of the United States. Bailey takes players on a wondrous and winding journey filled with witchcraft-themed puzzles and interactions, featuring a diverse set of storylines constructed to constantly amaze players.

The game will enable Playtika to expand its offering and player base in one of the most popular segments of the casual games industry — Match 3 — thanks to Wooga's position as a leading story-driven casual game studio.

The game launches today globally on the iOS and Android platforms and is available for download in English, as well as being localized in twelve different languages.

A new experience for players

By creating a truly story-driven Match 3 game, the depth and richness of Switchcraft's narrative and gameplay will appeal to players who love to uncover mysteries and escape into virtual worlds full of fascinating and relatable characters. Switchcraft builds on Wooga's strong track record in narrative-driven games, including June's Journey, a leading Hidden Object title.

The contemporary magical theme throughout Switchcraft adds dynamic and unpredictable elements to the story, taking players on a journey of exploration and discovery as they choose their own path through the evolving mysteries. It has also adopted a unique, graphic-novel art style and a diverse cast of characters. The game features a majority BIPOC main cast¹ of characters headed by a strong female lead, making it distinctive in the Casual Puzzle Games sector² . Wider diversity, including nationality, sexuality, and disability, is embedded throughout the story.

"Wooga has been working on Switchcraft for multiple years. But the team's ability to make this game launch ready in the last 18 months under the most challenging of circumstances, we feel is nothing short of incredible," said Nai Chang, Wooga's Managing Director. "I would like to especially thank all the Wooga employees who contributed to this amazing achievement, enabling us to take the next step on our journey to fulfil our vision of becoming the player's choice for story-driven casual games and deliver on our purpose to inspire joy in work and play."

Bringing Wooga's expertise in narrative-driven games to the Match 3 space will reach a broad player demographic, adding to Playtika's monthly active user base of 36 million players across all its games globally.

"The global launch of Switchcraft adds further prominence to an already remarkable year for Playtika, which started off with our IPO in January," said Robert Antokol, Playtika Co-Founder, CEO and Chairman. "Wooga is a unique studio with a high level of craftsman-ship in the games they develop, and this is a milestone achievement for the studio. It is also a very significant development for Playtika, emerging from our strategic focus on new games development, and our establishment of a specialist team dedicated to the creation and rollout of new best-in-class casual games."

For more information on the making of Switchcraft, we kindly invite you to watch the Behind-The-Scenes Video or visit our Switchcraft landing page.

About Playtika Holding Corp.
Playtika Holding Corp. is a leading mobile gaming company and monetization platform with over 36 million monthly active users across a portfolio of games. Founded in 2010, Playtika was among the first to offer free-to-play social games on social networks and, shortly after, on mobile platforms. Headquartered in Herzliya, Israel, and guided by a mission to entertain the world through infinite ways to play, Playtika has 20 offices worldwide including Tel-Aviv, London, Berlin, Vienna, Helsinki, Montreal, Chicago, Las Vegas, Santa Monica, Newport Beach, Sydney, Kiev, Bucharest, Minsk, Dnepr, Vinnytsia, Lausanne, and Warsaw.

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1. Characters that are promoted in the game's official website, App Store materials, promotional posters, and official game trailers

2. Commissioned research conducted by Naavik has identified that only 4% of lead characters and 20% of main cast across the top 50 Casual Puzzle Games are BIPOC. (Top 50 Casual Puzzle Games identified by combined downloads and revenue data, Sensor Tower, 2021, HI)

Investor Contact
Playtika
David Niederman
davidni@playtika.com

Press Contact
Playtika
Matthew Owen, Account Director
playtika@theproffice.com
+447824119171

 

FAQ

What is Switchcraft, and who developed it?

Switchcraft is a new casual game developed by Playtika's Berlin-based studio, Wooga GmbH, featuring Match 3 mechanics and a narrative-driven experience.

When was Switchcraft launched?

Switchcraft was officially launched globally on October 11, 2021.

How does Switchcraft impact Playtika's business?

The launch of Switchcraft is expected to expand Playtika's offerings and player base in the Match 3 gaming category, following their IPO in January 2021.

What themes are explored in Switchcraft?

Switchcraft features witchcraft-themed puzzles and a diverse narrative with a strong female lead, appealing to a wide demographic.

How many monthly active users does Playtika have?

Playtika has approximately 36 million monthly active users across its portfolio of games.