Scopely nets Activision Blizzard alum Bobby Loya to oversee external dev partnerships

Mobile developer Scopely has snatched up Bobby Loya to serve as its senior VP and head of studio business development.

Loya first started at Vivendi Games as a business development director in 2006. Following the company's merger with Activision, he stayed on as a senior director of developer acquisitions, then VP of studios and external development.

In recent years, Scopely has bought up developers who've worked on its mobile games, or the games themselves. With Loya on board, he may be able to help scout out third-party talent that could later become Scopely subsidiaries.

Loya's successes and Scopely's future

Scopely's press release specifically highlights Loya as a "key member" of the leadership on Call of Duty Mobile. He's also credited with playing a "crucial role" in netting FromSoftware's Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, along with the acquisitions of Digital Legends and Proletariat.

That longtime experience is what Scopely sees in him, as he's meant to "build transformative game teams and partnerships to further bolster Scopely’s diverse portfolio."

"We aim to bring in industry veterans to further support our ambitious game-making goals at Scopely," said chief revenue officer Tim O'Brien. "His exceptional track record...perfectly aligns with Scopely’s vision for the future."

Loya's hiring comes following news of Scopely's 2023 release, Monopoly Go!. The mobile title hit $2 billion in revenue nearly a full year post-launch, and three months after reaching the $1 billion milestone.

This past January, mobile studio Double Loop closed after four years. Following a deal between it and Scopely last Novemer, most of the Double Loop staff is transferring to Scopely's GSN Games.