Voodoo, a prominent publisher of mobile apps and games based in France, has officially acquired the social media company BeReal for a total of €500 million. This acquisition comes at a crucial time as BeReal, despite having garnered a user base exceeding 40 million active users, faced difficulties in sustaining growth and was actively seeking a buyer due to financial constraints.
BeReal, launched in 2019, emerged as a counter-narrative to the highly curated and aesthetically driven content of platforms like Instagram. It distinguished itself by encouraging users to share spontaneous, unfiltered moments through a unique feature: daily notifications prompting users to post real-time photos within a two-minute window. This model, which avoids traditional social media metrics like ‘likes’ and ‘followers’, aims to foster more authentic social interactions.
Alexis Barreyat, co-founder and CEO of BeReal, will depart the company following a transitional phase. Leadership will be handed over to Aymeric Roffé, who is currently the CEO of Wizz, one of Voodoo’s existing social media applications. Roffé’s upcoming role at BeReal will leverage his experience in managing social media platforms under the Voodoo umbrella.
Voodoo’s Plans for BeReal
Voodoo plans to infuse BeReal with new features and focus on enhancing the platform’s growth through a mix of organic and paid marketing strategies across various markets. This strategy is not new to Voodoo, known for its success in developing and scaling mobile applications such as Helix Jump, Mob Control, and Block Jam 3D. The acquisition also includes integrating the teams to capitalize on Voodoo’s technological prowess and innovative approaches.
In a statement, Alexandre Yazdi, co-founder and CEO of Voodoo, expressed enthusiasm about the acquisition, noting that BeReal has demonstrated significant user loyalty and growth, which aligns with their vision to expand into the social media space. Yazdi highlighted the potential to transform BeReal into an iconic network for authenticity, utilizing Voodoo’s established capabilities in mobile technology.
Despite its initial premise and the addition of several new features over the past year—including groups, mentions, multiple posts per day, pinned posts, and a ‘friends of friends’ feed—BeReal struggled to maintain its growth momentum. Voodoo’s acquisition is seen as an opportunity to reinvigorate BeReal’s operational and developmental pathways.
Moreover, Voodoo pointed out that BeReal has solidified its position as a popular social network in its three main markets: the United States, Japan, and France, with half of its users in these regions engaging with the app at least six days a week.
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