As a longtime follower and admirer of the dynamic world of video games, I must say that the recent acquisition of Certain Affinity by Keywords Studios has left me quite intrigued. Having witnessed the evolution of various studios over the years, it’s fascinating to see how the industry continues to consolidate, with giants like Keywords emerging as major players.
In a recent development, the gaming industry’s collaborative projects powerhouse, Certain Affinity, renowned for its work on franchises like Call of Duty, Halo, and Hogwarts Legacy, has been acquired by Keywords Studios. While you might not be familiar with Dublin-based Keywords, it’s a colossal entity, owning over 50 companies worldwide, many of which are intertwined with the video game industry in various capacities.
Keywords acquired Certain Affinity for an undisclosed amount, and in the transaction, Max Hoberman, CEO, and Paul Sams, president, will remain with the company. Keywords expressed enthusiasm about Certain Affinity’s future, which boasts a robust collection of promising projects. One such project is the game Exodus, starring Academy Award-winner Matthew McConaughey. It’s worth noting that Certain Affinity collaborates on this project with Archetype Entertainment, a division within Wizards of the Coast.
In simpler terms, CEO Bertrand Bodson expressed great admiration for Certain Affinity, while Hoberman was delighted to transfer ownership to Keywords Studios during a challenging market period. He noted that this deal provides Certain Affinity and its over 180 employees with a sense of security and a nurturing environment.
Over the last couple of years, the video game sector has been grappling with a significant number of layoffs. Recently, ex-PlayStation head Shawn Layden delivered a speech advocating for a fundamental overhaul of the gaming industry’s business practices. He cautioned that if current trends continue, the state of the industry could be fatal.
In 2024, Keywords made its second significant acquisition, this time with Certain Affinity, having previously bought out Wushu Studios in August.
Keywords, in addition to its own holdings, encompasses Heavy Iron Studios (responsible for Marvel’s Avengers), Deep Silver Dambuster Studios (known for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt), and Tantalus Media (behind Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD). Furthermore, it owns PR and creative service agencies such as Fortyseven Communications and Big Farmer. Over the period from 2016 to 2023, Keywords is said to have acquired at least four companies annually, culminating in a workforce of over 13,000 employees by the end of 2023, as reported by IGN.
Regarding Certain Affinity, the company traces its roots back to 2006 when it was established by Hoberman and other ex-developers from Bungie. Alongside assisting other studios with their projects, Certain Affinity debuted its first original game, titled Age of Booty, in the year 2008. More recently, headlines started buzzing about this studio when it was discovered they were developing a battle royale mode for Halo Infinite; however, this project was ultimately scrapped.
Come March 2024, Certain Affinity made the tough decision to part ways with approximately 25 staff members, marking their initial major reductions in workforce over almost two decades of business.
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2024-10-18 21:39