Next Games Corporation Company Release April 20, 2022 at 9:30 a.m. (EEST)
NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO AUSTRALIA, CANADA, HONG KONG, JAPAN, NEW ZEALAND OR SOUTH AFRICA OR IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE TENDER OFFER WOULD BE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW
On April 13, 2022, Netflix, Inc. (“Netflix” or the “Offeror) announced that it will complete the voluntary recommended public cash tender offer to acquire all issued and outstanding shares (the “Shares”) and stock options (the “Stock Options”) in Next Games Corporation (“Next Games” or the “Company”) that are not held by the Company or its subsidiary (the “Tender Offer”).
The Offeror has today published the following information:
The Offeror has through the completion trades concerning Next Games’ Shares tendered in the Tender Offer acquired 28,238,787 Shares, resulting in the Offeror holding in total 28,238,787 Shares, corresponding to approximately 93.9 percent of all of the Shares and voting rights carried by the Shares. The Offeror holds more than 90 percent of all the Shares and voting rights carried by the Shares, and the Offeror therefore has the right and the obligation under Chapter 18, Section 1 of the Finnish Companies Act to redeem the Shares held by the other shareholders of Next Games at a fair price.
The Offeror has decided to exercise its redemption right pursuant to the Finnish Companies Act and to redeem all the Shares held by any other remaining shareholders of Next Games. To implement the redemption of the remaining Shares, the Offeror will initiate arbitration proceedings as soon as possible as provided in the Finnish Companies Act. In such redemption proceedings, the Offeror will demand that the redemption price for the remaining Shares is set to EUR 2.10 per Share, which corresponds to the consideration paid by the Offeror for the Shares in the Tender Offer in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Tender Offer.
The Offeror will apply for the shares in Next Games to be delisted from First North Growth Market Finland maintained by Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd (“First North”) as soon as permitted and reasonably practicable under applicable laws and regulations and the rules of First North. To the extent permissible under applicable laws and regulations, the Offeror has reserved the right to acquire Shares and/or Stock Options in public trading on First North or otherwise.
Additional information:
Netflix
Media: pr@netflix.com
Investor relations: ir@netflix.com
Next Games
Saara Bergström, Chief Communications Officer
+358 (0) 40 588 3167
Media: press@nextgames.com
Investor relations: investors@nextgames.com
Certified Adviser: Aktia Alexander Corporate Finance Oy, tel. +358 (0) 50 520 4098
About Netflix
Netflix is the world’s leading streaming entertainment service with 222 million paid memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, documentaries, feature films and mobile games across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on any Internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials or commitments.
About Next Games
Next Games is the first publicly listed mobile game developer and publisher in Finland, specializing in games based on entertainment franchises, such as movies, TV series or books. The developers of the critically acclaimed The Walking Dead games redefine the way franchise entertainment transforms into highly engaging service-based mobile games. Next Games works on multiple new games based on beloved global IPs. The Company’s latest game, Stranger Things: Puzzle Tales, is based on Netflix’s hit 80s horror drama series.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
THIS RELEASE MAY NOT BE RELEASED OR OTHERWISE DISTRIBUTED, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, HONG KONG, JAPAN, NEW ZEALAND OR SOUTH AFRICA OR IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE TENDER OFFER WOULD BE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW.
THIS RELEASE IS NOT A TENDER OFFER DOCUMENT AND AS SUCH DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OR INVITATION TO MAKE A SALES OFFER. IN PARTICULAR, THIS RELEASE IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY ANY SECURITIES DESCRIBED HEREIN, AND IS NOT AN EXTENSION OF THE TENDER OFFER, IN, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, HONG KONG, JAPAN, NEW ZEALAND OR SOUTH AFRICA. INVESTORS SHALL ACCEPT THE TENDER OFFER FOR THE SHARES ONLY ON THE BASIS OF THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN A TENDER OFFER DOCUMENT. OFFERS WILL NOT BE MADE DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE EITHER AN OFFER OR PARTICIPATION THEREIN IS PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW OR WHERE ANY TENDER OFFER DOCUMENT OR REGISTRATION OR OTHER REQUIREMENTS WOULD APPLY IN ADDITION TO THOSE UNDERTAKEN IN FINLAND.
THE TENDER OFFER IS NOT BEING MADE DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW AND, WHEN PUBLISHED, THE TENDER OFFER DOCUMENT AND RELATED ACCEPTANCE FORMS WILL NOT AND MAY NOT BE DISTRIBUTED, FORWARDED OR TRANSMITTED INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAWS OR REGULATIONS. IN PARTICULAR, THE TENDER OFFER IS NOT BEING MADE, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO, OR BY USE OF THE POSTAL SERVICE OF, OR BY ANY MEANS OR INSTRUMENTALITY (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, FACSIMILE TRANSMISSION, TELEX, TELEPHONE OR THE INTERNET) OF INTERSTATE OR FOREIGN COMMERCE OF, OR ANY FACILITIES OF A NATIONAL SECURITIES EXCHANGE OF, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, HONG KONG, JAPAN, NEW ZEALAND OR SOUTH AFRICA. THE TENDER OFFER CANNOT BE ACCEPTED, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, BY ANY SUCH USE, MEANS OR INSTRUMENTALITY OR FROM WITHIN, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, HONG KONG, JAPAN, NEW ZEALAND OR SOUTH AFRICA AND ANY PURPORTED ACCEPTANCE OF THE TENDER OFFER RESULTING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY FROM A VIOLATION OF THESE RESTRICTIONS WILL BE INVALID.
THIS COMPANY RELEASE HAS BEEN PREPARED IN COMPLIANCE WITH FINNISH LAW, THE RULES OF FIRST NORTH AND THE HELSINKI TAKEOVER CODE AND THE INFORMATION DISCLOSED MAY NOT BE THE SAME AS THAT WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN DISCLOSED IF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT HAD BEEN PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF JURISDICTIONS OUTSIDE OF FINLAND.
Information for shareholders and holders of Stock Options in the United States
Shareholders and holders of Stock Options in the United States are advised that the Shares are not listed on a U.S. securities exchange and that Next Games is not subject to the periodic reporting requirements of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and is not required to, and does not, file any reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) thereunder.
The Tender Offer is made for the issued and outstanding shares and stock options of Next Games, which is domiciled in Finland, and is subject to Finnish disclosure and procedural requirements. The Tender Offer is made in the United States pursuant to Section 14(e) and Regulation 14E under the Exchange Act, subject to the exemption provided by Rule 14d-1(d) (“Tier II Exemption”) under the Exchange Act, and otherwise in accordance with the disclosure and procedural requirements of Finnish law, including with respect to the Tender Offer settlement procedures, withdrawal and timing of payments, which are different from those of the United States. In particular, the financial information included in this announcement has been prepared in accordance with applicable accounting standards in Finland, which may not be comparable to the financial statements or financial information of U.S. companies. The Tender Offer is made to the shareholders and holders of Stock Options resident in the United States on the same terms and conditions as those made to all other shareholders and holders of Stock Options to whom an offer is made. Any informational documents, including this announcement, are being disseminated to U.S. shareholders and holders of Stock Options on a basis comparable to the method that such documents are provided to other shareholders or holders of Stock Options.
The Offeror, its affiliates and affiliates of its financial adviser may purchase or arrange to purchase securities of Next Games in compliance with Finnish law if certain conditions are satisfied. These restrictions include the following, among others: (i) such purchases cannot occur in the U.S., (ii) to the extent information about such purchases or arrangements to purchase is made public in Finland, such information must be disclosed by means of a press release or other means reasonably calculated to inform U.S. shareholders of Next Games and holders of Stock Options of such information, and (iii) the consideration in the Tender Offer must be increased to match any consideration paid outside of the Tender Offer.
Neither the SEC nor any U.S. state securities commission has approved or disapproved the Tender Offer, passed upon the merits or fairness of the Tender Offer, or passed any comment upon the adequacy, accuracy or completeness of the disclosure in relation to the Tender Offer. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offence in the United States.
The receipt of cash pursuant to the Tender Offer by a U.S. shareholder or holder of Stock Options may be a taxable transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes and under applicable U.S. state and local, as well as foreign and other, tax laws. Each shareholder or holder of Stock Options is urged to consult its independent professional advisers immediately regarding the tax consequences of accepting the Tender Offer.
It may be difficult for shareholders or holders of Stock Options to enforce their rights and any claims they may have arising under the U.S. federal securities laws, since Next Games is located in a non-U.S. jurisdiction and some or all of its respective officers and directors may be residents of non-U.S. jurisdictions. Shareholders or holders of Stock Options may not be able to sue Next Games or its respective officers or directors in a non-U.S. court for violations of the U.S. federal securities laws. It may be difficult to compel Next Games and its respective affiliates to subject themselves to a U.S. court’s judgment.
Disclaimer
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC is acting exclusively for the Offeror and no one else in relation to the Tender Offer or the matters referred to in this document, will not regard any other person than the Offeror as its client in relation to the Tender Offer and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Offeror for providing the protections afforded to its clients nor for providing advice in relation to the Tender Offer or any other transaction or arrangement referred to in this document.
Danske Bank A/S, Finland Branch is acting exclusively for the Offeror and no one else in relation to the Tender Offer or the matters referred to in this document, will not regard any other person than the Offeror as its client in relation to the Tender Offer and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Offeror for providing the protections afforded to its clients nor for providing advice in relation to the Tender Offer or any other transaction or arrangement referred to in this document.
