Disney Interactive Media Group Acquires iPhone Veteran Developer Tapulous

The Walt Disney Company today announced the acquisition of Palo Alto-based Tapulous, Inc., a leading developer of music games for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch. Through a merger agreement, Tapulous is now a wholly owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company reporting into Disney Interactive Media Group (DIMG).

Tapulous is a leading mobile games developer whose flagship title Tap Tap Revenge has been installed by more than 30% of iPhone/iPod touch users and remains one of the most successful gaming franchises on the iPhone platform. The company’s other popular games include the wildly innovative Riddim Ribbon and Tap Tap Radiation, the #1 game on the iPad at launch.

“Tapulous has been on the leading-edge of mobile gaming. By joining Disney, we will be able to continue to excel in this evolving industry and more quickly realize our vision to lead the mobile, social entertainment revolution”

As a part of DIMG’s mobile games group, Tapulous strengthens the company’s portfolio of games and entertainment offerings in the fast-growing mobile arena. Through this deal, Tapulous founders, Bart Decrem and Andrew Lacy, as well as their development team in Palo Alto, CA will be joining DIMG’s mobile content group. Decrem and Lacy, previously CEO and COO of Tapulous, will now take on the leadership roles for the DIMG mobile group with Decrem reporting to DIMG President Steve Wadsworth.

“Mobile gaming is seeing unprecedented growth and this is the right time to invest to strengthen our position in the mobile business,” said Wadsworth. “In a short time, Bart and Andrew have built Tapulous into a successful and accomplished mobile games developer that’s emerged as one of the most successful companies in the industry. We welcome the Tapulous team to the Disney family and look forward to integrating their popular games into Disney’s offerings.”

In the last year, DIMG has enjoyed many successes in its mobile business counting several “platinum” performing apps with more than 1 million downloads including Disney’s Alice in Wonderland Lite, Fairies Fly Lite and JellyCar 2, which is Disney’s most successful premium game in the app store to date. In addition, DIMG creates and delivers unique mobile content and manages a Disney-branded mobile phone service in Japan in association with Softbank.

“Tapulous has been on the leading-edge of mobile gaming. By joining Disney, we will be able to continue to excel in this evolving industry and more quickly realize our vision to lead the mobile, social entertainment revolution,” said Decrem. “With Disney’s powerful breadth of content and heritage in technological innovation, they are the perfect partner for Tapulous. It is a true honor to join the Disney team.”