‘Star Trek’ game maker Scopely lands lease in new Culver City office building
Mobile games creator Scopely agreed to lease an office building under construction in Culver City as rapidly growing entertainment-related companies continue to scoop up new real estate developments in the neighborhood.
Scopely, the maker of “Star Trek Fleet Command,” “Looney Tunes World of Mayhem” and other games people can play on their mobile phones, will occupy all 60,000 square feet of the offices in a building being erected at the Platform mixed-use complex on Washington Boulevard.
The move represents a doubling of space for Scopely, which currently occupies 28,000 square feet of offices in the Hayden Tract section of Culver City.
“We’re excited to expand our L.A. footprint to accommodate our exponential growth,” Co-Chief Executive Walter Driver said in a statement. “This beautiful new space will allow us to continue to scale our physical presence to align with our rapidly expanding product portfolio and growing team.”
Scopely has about 250 employees in Culver City, including game designers, engineers and people who oversee live game operations. Its new offices in the four-story building at 8888 Washington Blvd. are set to open in 2020.
Financial terms of the 10-year lease were not disclosed, but Culver City office landlords typically ask for more than $4 per square foot per month, according to real estate brokerage CBRE.
The Platform is a $250-million shopping, restaurant and office complex owned by Culver City real estate company Runyon Group.
Once-sleepy Culver City, the longtime home to Sony Pictures Entertainment, has been enjoying a cultural renaissance as Amazon Studios and numerous advertising and digital media shops have located there.
Premium cable network HBO recently agreed to lease a five-story office building under construction at the Ivy Station mixed-use complex on Venice Boulevard set to open in 2021.
“The biggest entertainment and tech companies have been securing as much space as possible in downtown Culver City,” property broker Jacob Bobek of CBRE said.
Other Scopely games include “WWE Champions,” “Walking Dead: Road to Survival” and “Yahtzee With Buddies.”
The company has raised more than $250 million in financing from venture capitalists and wealthy individuals including former basketball star Kobe Bryant, former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Peter Guber, chief executive of Mandalay Entertainment and co-owner of the Dodgers.
