In Brief
Acquisition Impact: SOMO will continue operating under its existing brand with enhanced support from Animoca’s global resources and network, thereby improving its global distribution and brand visibility.
Game Development Initiatives: SOMO is creating a diverse range of games and apps, emphasizing the “collect, battle, evolve, earn” gameplay loop, with releases like SOMO Battlegrounds and SOMO Duel on the horizon.
Strategic Alignment: The acquisition by Animoca supports its strategy of enhancing tokenized, owner-driven gaming ecosystems and broadening blockchain-based gaming participation through SOMO’s platforms.
Acquisition Strategy and Outcomes
Animoca Brands has recently acquired SOMO as part of its strategy to enhance its global footprint in the digital gaming space and add meaningful integrations into its portfolio. Post-acquisition, SOMO will retain its brand identity but will significantly benefit from the inclusion in Animoca’s wide-reaching network and diverse advisory resources. The collaboration intends to expand SOMO’s intellectual properties and ecosystem solutions effectively on a global scale.
SOMO’s Development Pipeline
SOMO is dedicated to crafting engaging and interactive gaming experiences, focusing on a gameplay loop that includes collecting, battling, evolving, and earning. Existing products include the SOMO App, which features a collection of mini-games and community-driven elements. Soon-to-be-launched are SOMO Battlegrounds, a tactical game for iOS and Android, and SOMO Duel, a card-based strategy game integrating betting mechanisms. Additionally, SOMO is exploring innovative distribution channels, such as launching games over Telegram, showcasing their commitment to providing accessible gaming experiences. The development team at SOMO is also working on establishing a sustainable and comprehensible token economy, viewing their platform as a long-term entity rather than a series of isolated game releases.
The Vision Behind the Purchase
The acquisition of SOMO aligns with Animoca’s strategy to venture deeper into consumer engagement through short-session, highly repeatable games. Animoca aims to cultivate ownership-driven gaming ecosystems that do not demand permanent player commitment to a continuous game. By acquiring SOMO, Animoca anticipates using SOMO’s gaming formats as a medium to implement rapid updates, seasonal challenges, and integrated rewards, which can enhance player engagement across both SOMO’s and Animoca’s gaming portfolios.
Strategic Integration and Future Watch Points
The success of this strategic integration will largely hinge on SOMO’s ability to maintain a steady flow of updates and new game releases, thereby validating the strategic merits of the acquisition. A key factor will be the effective leverage of Animoca’s expansive network to boost player acquisition and retention rates significantly. For sustained mainstream attraction and player interest, maintaining clarity in SOMO’s token economics will be vital, ensuring that rewards directly align with gameplay value and player participation. Following a path similar to that of Animoca’s The Sandbox, which features well-structured seasonal gaming activities, SOMO could see enhanced operational efficiency and clearer pathways for user engagement through continuous content updates.
