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In 2012, Zynga nearly acquired Supercell for $400 million in an all-cash deal agreed upon by Zynga founder Mark Pincus and Supercell CEO and co-founder Ilkka Paananen, according to a recent interview on the Deconstructor of Fun podcast.
However, the acquisition did not proceed because Zynga's board refused to approve further purchases until the company proved it could manage its existing assets. Pincus noted that the failure of OMGPop, a developer Zynga acquired for $180 million that closed less than 18 months later, contributed to the board's resistance.
Pincus chose not to override his board by firing them and replacing them with his own people, deciding instead not to fight Wall Street. A year later, Supercell generated $500 million in net profit.
Reflecting on the missed opportunity and subsequent events, Pincus expressed regret over not having more confidence to go against the grain, stating that the company missed the chance to become the biggest game company in the world.
