[Nieuws] Geschreven door Johannes op 2007-11-06 17:55:37

Ubisoft lijft Japans gamestudio in

Het Franse Ubisoft is vanaf vandaag uitgebreid met een Japanse gamestudio dat 'gespecialiseerd' is in Nintendo DS games. Ubisoft heeft altijd al wat met ze laatste letter van het alfabet gehad: z. In veel games van dit bedrijf duikt de letter op in de plaats van de s: Catz, Dogz, Hamsterz, Horsez et cetera. Het is een wonder dat de multiplatform game Assassin's Creed niet aan dit lot is overgelaten. Tevens is er nog geen Zorro game gemaakt door Ubi waardoor de z slechts kan worden toegerekend aan het 'hippe taalgebruik van tegenwoordig'. De Japanse gamestudio Digital Kids (hé, geen z op het eind!) achter deze z-games werkt al langer samen met de gigant, maar behoort vanaf vandaag pas officieel bij Ubisoft. Dit zal ongetwijfeld voor meer projecten zorgen. Deze heugelijke gebeurtenis werd wereldkundig gemaakt door onderstaand persbericht.

Ubisoft Acquires Japanese Video Game Development Studio Digital Kids

SAN FRANCISCO – November 6, 2007 – Today, Ubisoft, one of the world's largest video game publishers, announces that it has concluded an agreement to acquire the Japanese video game development studio Digital Kids.

Established in 1996, with offices in Nagoya and Osaka, Digital Kids currently has a team of 20 developers specialized in games for the Nintendo DS™. The studio has worked regularly for a number of Japanese publishers and has developed several successful titles for Ubisoft's Petz® line of games, including Hamsterz™ Life.

"When it comes to Nintendo DS games, Digital Kids has demonstrated a leading knowledge that has resulted in creative animal simulation titles that appeal to Japanese and Western audiences alike, which is quite rare," declared Yves Guillemot, chief executive officer of Ubisoft. "This acquisition attests to Ubisoft's capacity to establish successful partnerships in new territories and reinforces its advance on casual games."

"It is an honor to become part of Ubisoft, one of the world’s leading video game publishers," declared Masahito Hasegawa, president of Digital Kids. "I am truly looking forward to using our experience to develop games that will be enjoyed by players all over the globe."

The operation is subject to normal closing conditions and is expected to close during the third quarter of the 2007-08 fiscal year.