CharStudio, a Ukrainian game development studio based in Lviv, has announced the successful completion of a deal with Phoenix Games, which has resulted in the studio regaining full control over its portfolio of three-in-a-row games. The studio shared the news with AIN.
- The deal, which was finalized in November 2024, allows CharStudio to publish its games independently.
- The company was founded in 2014 by brothers Ihor and Yaroslav Charkovskyi.
- Unfortunately, the studio refused to disclose the amount of the deal.
About CharStudio
CharStudio gained popularity in the field of casual games thanks to its cooperation with the publisher SmileyGamer. The joint work resulted in the creation of several successful games, including the festive Christmas Sweeper 3, which became a worldwide hit and topped the holiday game charts in the U.S. and other countries.
In 2020, SmileyGamer was acquired by Phoenix Games, which changed CharStudio's publisher, and the studio was not happy with the terms.
"We didn't like the new partners, so we decided to buy back our games and publish them ourselves. The negotiations lasted several years and took a lot of effort," said Yaroslav Charkovsky.
In addition, he said that the Indian studio Garden City Games, owned by Phoenix Games, has released a Christmas-themed three-in-a-row game that has similarities to Christmas Sweeper 3.
"I asked Klaas Kersting, the CEO of Phoenix Games, for comparative screenshots, but I didn't get a reply from him," Yaroslav added.
Below are screenshots comparing the two games.
Image: Christmas Sweeper 3
Image: Christmas Sweeper 3
Image: Christmas Sweeper 3
Image: Christmas Sweeper 3
Image: Christmas Sweeper 3What's next?
Now that CharStudio has full control of the publishing house, they plan to improve the player experience and expand the team. Christmas Sweeper 3, released 8 years ago, managed to get the best sales last year, with over 2 million downloads combined from users on Apple Store and Google Play Store.
The studio has also expanded its team to ensure successful game publishing in the future.
