Dots

Dots was a New York City mobile game developer known for minimalist casual puzzle games. Founded in 2013 by Patrick Moberg and Paul Murphy, the company originated within Betaworks and developed games combining accessible mechanics, restrained visual design and soothing audio.

Its debut, Dots: A Game About Connecting, launched on iOS in April 2013. The game established the studio’s approach to simple interactions and carefully considered presentation. Its successor, Two Dots, arrived in May 2014, expanding the format with map progression, narrative elements and collectible scavenger hunts.

The team spun out from Betaworks in late 2014 as an independent company. It continued developing its puzzle portfolio with Dots & Co: A Puzzle Adventure, released in July 2016. Its capabilities included mobile game development using Unity and C#, alongside free-to-play live operations and advertising mediation optimization.

Acquisition and closure

Take-Two Interactive announced an agreement to acquire the company in August 2020, completing the transaction in September. Under Take-Two, the studio also released Garden Tails: Match & Grow for Apple Arcade, extending its portfolio of approachable puzzle games.

Following Take-Two’s acquisition of Zynga in May 2022 and restructuring of its mobile gaming business, Take-Two announced the permanent closure of the studio in October 2022. Ongoing development and live-service maintenance of Two Dots moved to a studio within Zynga. The game’s continued operation therefore followed a transfer of responsibility after Dots ceased operating as a game development studio.