GSC Game World has expanded the portfolio of investor Maxim Krippa
16.11.2023
News about the acquisition of Ukrainian investor Maxim Krippa has traditionally been in the top stories. Journalists and the public are interested not only in how the decision to buy a particular asset was made, but also in the details of the transactions. Neither the former nor the latter is usually disclosed. And it would seem that everyone understands what an NDA is, but the status of the Non-Disclosure Agreement in the GSC Game World acquisition agreement is not reassuring, but rather tantalizing. We tried to collect all available information for you.
Maxim Krippa investment portfolio can make all eSports and computer game enthusiasts and most serious investors envious, regardless of their field of interest. The fact is that the entrepreneur has managed to collect truly stellar assets that work well on their own, but in synergy can work even better and more efficiently.
The rule of synergy in business states that a group of companies can produce a greater result than the total result of each of them individually. In simple terms, two companies separately produce result “A”, but if these companies work together, their total result “B” will be greater than “A+A”. Maxim Krippa managed to combine three companies in his investment portfolio that can support and develop each other. These are Maincast, an esports broadcast studio, NAVI, an esports organization, and GSC Game World, a computer game developer.
Naturally, Maxim Krippa did not acquire all these companies at once or on the same day. But each deal aroused keen interest, especially the news of the purchase of GSC Game World, which completed the stellar triad of assets.
Buying GSC Game World
The name of the company GSC Game World may not mean something to all people, but S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is another matter. The legendary game that immerses you in the gloomy post-apocalyptic world of the Chernobyl zone is one of the most famous in the world and definitely the best Ukrainian product in its segment. Even those who have never been interested in the topic have heard of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game. Another product of GSC Game World is the Cossacks strategy series, which includes three games and three add-ons.
GSC Game World was founded in 1995 by Sergey Grigorievich, who is currently its CEO together with his brother Yevgeny.
The news that GSC Game World had changed ownership appeared in 2023. At the time, many speculated that the company would not be the same without the Grigorovichs. But later, journalists received official explanations from company representatives.
It turned out that the new owner was Maxim Krippa, who did not come from the street. It turned out that the investor took his first steps towards the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. developer back in 2020 when he became a co-owner of GSC Game World.
In 2023, it was decided that Maxim Krippa would become the beneficial owner. The details, as well as the terms of the deal, are not disclosed. However, it is known that the new investor does not intend to stop the company's work, but rather is interested in the soonest release of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl and the creation of new products.
The first swallow - Maincast
Many people speculate on how Maxim Krippa came to the computer games industry. However, even though the investor avoids giving any explanations and making public statements, the answer to the question of what prompted him is no longer a secret.
In 2018, when the prospects for financial investment in esports were still vague, the founders of Maincast approached the investor. The latter had been established a few months before and had ambitious plans to capture the Ukrainian esports broadcasting market. Looking ahead, the plans were more than realized, not least thanks to Maxim Krippa.
The investor was not entirely familiar with esports, but he agreed to allocate funds and became a shareholder in the company. Thus, the investment in Maincast became the first step in building a full-fledged portfolio. Having been one of the first in Ukraine to understand all the intricacies of the market and the peculiarities of the esports community, Maxim Krippa decided to continue working with the segment.
Acquisition NAVI
The second esports-related asset for Maxim Krippa was the organization Natus Vincere, or NAVI for short.
At the end of 2018, the then owner of NAVI, Oleksandr Kokhanovskyi, entered the market in search of an investor. The funds were needed for the development of the best esports organization in Ukraine and the world-famous “born to win” organization.
And here we need to appreciate the speed and grip of Maxim Krippa. Some six months ago, the owners of Maincast almost explained to the investor what esports was. At least, that's how Vitaly Mikhailovich Volochai, who was the founder of Maincast and a participant in the negotiations, remembers this story. Six months later, Maxim Krippa was so immersed in the topic of esports that he agreed to allocate money and become the majority owner of NAVI.
It took quite a while to become the beneficial owner of NAVI. And although the media reported the deal as an almost impulsive decision, the truth turned out to be more realistic. Around 2020, Maxim Krippa decided to fully develop the asset and buy out the organization. It is not known for certain what the terms of the deal were, but NAVI officially stated that there were quite a few of them, and they were also extended in time.
It took until mid-2022 to fully close all agreements and fulfill the terms and conditions. By the summer, Maxim Krippa became the full owner of NAVI. A year later, as we already know, the investor bought GSC Game World. Now, he owns a computer game company, an organization that creates and develops esports stars, and a studio that covers more than half of esports broadcasts on the Ukrainian market.
