Company Profile - Scopely

Game on at Scopely

Gen-Z gaming sensation Stumble Guys has climbed the ranks to become one of the Top 10 most downloaded apps in the world, benefitting from a hugely engaged fan community, a strong social media presence, a growing licensing slate and expanded ways to play for 2024. Naz Amarchi-Cuevas, senior vice president and general manager at Scopely, the studio behind the game, tells Toy World what makes Stumble Guys such a hit and why emotional experiences keep players coming back time and again.

Can you tell us a little about Scopely as a developer and publisher – what is your company ethos and how do you aim to bring it to life?

Scopely is one of the global leaders in free-to-play games and is now the No. 1 mobile games company in the US. We’re home to one of the most diverse portfolios of games today, including Stumble Guys, Marvel Strike Force, Star Trek Fleet Command, and our newest game Monopoly Go!, one of the most successful mobile game launches ever.

I am always inspired by our mission, which is to ‘inspire play, every day’. Our players are the driving force behind everything we do at Scopely. More than 100m players immerse themselves in our imaginative game worlds every month and our teams work tirelessly to delight them with new experiences that keep them coming back for more. We’re also proud that our games foster a strong sense of community among players, allowing them to connect with existing friends and make new ones while exploring, chatting or competing together.

Scopely is home to over 2,000 employees across more than a dozen cities. Some of our key hubs include Los Angeles, Spain (Barcelona and Sevilla), Dublin and Bangalore.

What combination of factors makes Stumble Guys the hit it is with gamers?

Stumble Guys has built a massive following, staking its claim as one of the Top 10 most downloaded apps in the world in 2022. The game is enjoyed by tens of millions of players every week and is one of the most played games in 50+ countries. It’s a Gen-Z sensation: I always think that behind every beloved brand and IP there is a secret - emotion. The thrill of winning after many rounds of intense competition through our unique levels is incomparable, and it’s an absolute blast no matter your skill level.

We’re always evolving the game with varied events, tournaments, imaginative experiences and fun new game modes. Our community loves to face-off against their friends on foot, in vehicles, or in the high-stakes first-person Stumbler mode.

We pride ourselves on inviting our community to create their own Stumble Guys experiences and enjoy the game on their own terms. For example, we just launched the Stumble Workshop, where our user generated content allows players to create and design

their very own challenges and experiences in the game, which is already delighting fans all over the world. We also have tournaments and events hosted by top creators and influencers, and our players can invite their friends to all of their adventures.

Our fans love how Stumble Guys delivers endless possibilities for self-expression. The game is filled with colourful, memorable characters called Stumblers. Stumblers can be humanoid, animal-like, object-like –their uniqueness speaks to all audiences, and there is a Stumbler for every mood or season. .

We’re aware of your current licensing deal with P.M.I. Kids World, but what other consumer product categories are you exploring from a licensing perspective?

We’re very excited to start delighting our fans around the world and are looking for partners that align with the Stumble Guys audience and values. We’re delighted with our partnership with P.M.I. Kids World, which is transforming our fan-favourite characters into a colourful and creative toy line. Some other key areas that we’re interested in exploring include Apparel, Home Goods, Board Games, Food & Beverage and BackTo-School, to name a few. However, we are open to other categories that will resonate with our player community and allow them to experience the Stumble Guys IP in new and unexpected ways.

What does Stumble Guys offer licensees – is it the way the content translates to licensed product? The engaged player fanbase? The constantly evolving game?

First and foremost, Stumble Guys has one of the most engaged and loyal player communities in the world. Our players are always looking for new ways to display their love of the franchise, whether creating Stumble Guys videos on TikTok, jumping into in-game events and tournaments, or collecting Stumble Guys trading cards.

After 20 years of experience in entertainment and consumer products, I can say that Stumble Guys is more than ready to expand into the physical world. The immense collectability of the characters, the massive and engaged fan base across the world, and the virality of the content we release each month are just some of the factors that make Stumble Guys so attractive.

Plus, we have more than 500 characters, which is a dream for the collectability factor, as well as 50 maps which give licensees plentiful opportunities to create unique and diverse products.

What is it that makes Scopely a good licensor to work with?

A key part of Scopely’s success is our ability to become a partner of choice and translate globally recognised IP into beloved universes. Many major IP partners (including MrBeast, Paramount, Hasbro and more) continue to trust Scopely’s expertise in creating franchise-based experiences that players want to return to for years on end.

Besides being in the digital landscape for over a dozen years, I have a consumer products and franchisebuilding background, so have the ability to build effective teams that support the entire supply chain, from game production and multi-platform strategy to social/community engagement and physical merchandise retail distribution. I have been a licensee, a licensing agent, a marketeer and a licensor. This 360 degree view allows us to be agile, collaborative and intensely passionate about supporting our licensees. I believe that when working with digital-based IPs, it’s extremely important to work with folks who speak phygital and understand both sides of the same coin.

Finally, what can we expect from Stumble Guys over the next 12 months?

We’re thrilled that the game will soon be available on consoles, starting with Xbox and followed by PlayStation. This will allow our players to experience Stumble Guys like never before, with a controller in-hand. Most of our fans have been dreaming of this moment for months.

Players can now create their own experiences with Stumble Workshop, and we can’t wait to see the levels and challenges they will design in 2024 with the brand-new tools and options we have in store. The initial response has been amazing. We are so inspired by the creativity of our community, and we believe we can expand their imaginations even further with new features and new products, both online and physical. Our team is constantly transforming the game with new ways to play, including partnerships with iconic brands like Barbie, SpongeBob SquarePants, Nerf, and more to come. Readers can follow us on StumbleGuys.com or on our social media channels for all the latest and greatest news from the Stumbleverse.