A Cheshire-based mobiles games developer has been sold by WarnerMedia to Electronic Arts in a $1.4bn deal.
Playdemic, which is behind titles such as Golf Clash on Facebook and was founded in 2010, has been snapped up by the California-based giant.
David Haddad, president of Warner Bros. Games, said: "We have enjoyed working with the talented team at Playdemic as they have grown Golf Clash beyond all expectations into a hit mobile game with tremendous longevity.
"While we have great respect for the Playdemic team, our decision to divest is a part of our overall strategy to build games based on Warner Bros. storied franchises."
Andrew Wilson, CEO of Electronic Arts, added: "Playdemic is a team of true innovators, and we’re thrilled to have them join the Electronic Arts family.
"In addition to the ongoing success of Golf Clash, the talent, technology and expertise of Playdemic will be a powerful combination with our teams and IP at Electronic Arts.
"This is the next step building on our strategy to expand our sports portfolio and accelerate our growth in mobile to reach more players around the world with more great games and content."
Paul Gouge, CEO of Wilmslow firm Playdemic, said: "We founded Playdemic with a focus on creating highly engaging and innovative game experiences.
"Our success with Golf Clash has proven our approach and demonstrated the ability of our incredibly talented teams to develop and operate best in class mobile games.
"Joining EA, one of the most successful games companies in the world, is an important next step in our journey and we are excited to continue to develop both Golf Clash and new titles as part of the EA family."
