Griffin Gaming Partners has acquired 12,889,171 shares in tinyBuild, giving the venture capital firm a 3.24% stake in the publisher of Hello Neighbor, Potion Craft and The King is Watching.

Regulatory filings show the share count matches exactly the stake NetEase held as of December 2025, indicating Griffin bought out the Chinese company's position outright. The move fits NetEase's broader pattern of shedding Western assets with increasing regularity.

The price was not disclosed. Based on the 9.25 pence (12.2 cents) share price on the day the deal closed, the purchase can be roughly estimated at around £1.19 million ($1.57 million), though the parties may have agreed on different terms.

What does the deal mean for tinyBuild?

For the publisher behind the Hello Neighbor franchise — with Hello Neighbor 3 in the pipeline — the change brings in a gaming-focused investor with a public commitment to the indie segment.

Frankie Zhu, partner at Griffin Gaming Partners, said: "Indie games remain one of the most attractive segments of the industry, with enduring franchises continuing to emerge. TinyBuild has developed a unique portfolio of intellectual property with significant long-term potential, and we are excited to become shareholders in the company and participate in its further development."

The statement signals Griffin views tinyBuild's IP catalog as the core asset rather than any single release — a relevant framing for a company whose valuation has long rested on franchise longevity.

CEO nearly doubles down to 57.97%

The deal did not happen in isolation. Over a few days last week, tinyBuild CEO Alex Nichiporchik bought 200,000 shares for £18,500 ($24,500), raising his stake in the company to 57.97%.

He made the purchases following the success of the publisher's new PvP action game, SAND: Raiders of Sophie. The insider buying, coming alongside Griffin's entry, gives tinyBuild two shareholder signals in the same window: an institutional investor taking a position from a departing NetEase, and the chief executive consolidating majority control past the 57% mark.

Why does NetEase's exit matter?

NetEase has been divesting its Western holdings with increasing regularity, and tinyBuild is now part of that pattern. For studios and publishers with Chinese strategic investors on their cap tables, the transaction is another data point suggesting those positions are rotating — in this case toward Western venture capital rather than disappearing entirely.

Whether Griffin increases its stake beyond 3.24% or stays a passive minority holder is the open question for tinyBuild's shareholder register in the months ahead.