WEBTOON has acquired GamingonPhone for $100.0 million, a cash-and-stock transaction that brings the mobile gaming media platform under the digital comics giant’s corporate umbrella. The deal, finalized this week, marks the first major acquisition for WEBTOON in the gaming media space, though the company has previously expanded through partnerships and in-house content initiatives.
GamingonPhone, founded in 2019, operates as an independent global platform covering the mobile games industry, including breaking news, reviews, strategy guides, esports coverage, and analytical reports. The company also runs the GamingonPhone Awards and hosts the annual GamingonPhone Conference (GPC), which gathers industry professionals to discuss trends and innovations. WEBTOON, known for its digital comics and webtoon platform, has been diversifying its content ecosystem beyond storytelling, with a growing focus on interactive entertainment and gaming-related intellectual property.
The acquisition is strategic for WEBTOON as it seeks to deepen its connection with the mobile gaming audience, a demographic that overlaps significantly with its own user base. GamingonPhone’s established B2B and B2C credibility provides WEBTOON with a direct channel to industry decision-makers and engaged gamers, while its event and awards infrastructure offers a ready-made platform for community building. For GamingonPhone, the deal provides access to WEBTOON’s global distribution network and financial resources, which could accelerate its editorial expansion and event scaling without the constraints of independent operation.
Post-acquisition, GamingonPhone will operate as a distinct unit within WEBTOON, retaining its editorial independence while integrating with the parent company’s broader content strategy. The combined entity is expected to leverage GamingonPhone’s industry insights to inform WEBTOON’s gaming-related adaptations and original productions, while the media platform gains new avenues for audience growth through WEBTOON’s existing traffic. The transaction is expected to close in the current quarter, with no immediate changes announced to GamingonPhone’s leadership or staff.