Keywords Studios acquires US developer Hardsuit Labs
Seattle-based studio has previously supported development on Call of Duty, Gears of War and Fortnite
Hardsuit Labs is the latest acquisition by the ever-growing Keywords Studios.
The services empire today announced it had added the Seattle-based developer to its portfolio for an undisclosed sum. Hardsuit will be part of its 'Create' services line and continue to provide co-development and porting for other games first.
Founded in 2015, Hardsuit has previously worked on various Call of Duty and Gears of War titles, as well as games such as State of Decay and Crash Bandicoot 4, providing services such as design and engineering support. It is currently working with Epic Games on Fortnite and Fortnite Creative.
The team previously began development of Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, but was dropped in Feburary 2021. It has also produced its own title, free-to-play shooter Blacklight: Retribution.
Andy Kipling and Russell Nelson, the studio's founders, will continue to lead the business and support its 70 employees.
“Hardsuit is a high-quality studio that works on some of the world’s largest franchises, and we are excited to welcome Andy, Russell and their team to Keywords," said CEO Betrand Bodson. "The business is a great fit for our Create service line and strengthens our existing offering for some of the strongest intellectual properties in digital entertainment.
"Hardsuit is our first game development studio in Seattle, growing our presence in a city home to several existing and potential clients, and gives us access to a high-quality talent pool from which to drive future growth. We are looking forward to working with the Hardsuit team and supporting the studio’s continuing growth as part of Keywords."
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