Ubisoft to expand in Montreal with Microids acquisition

French publisher Ubisoft has announced its intention to acquire Microids' Canadian development studio, with the firm's 50 staff set to be integrated into Ubi's rapidly growing studio in Montreal.

MC2-Microids, the Canadian firm which also owns the former Wanadoo development studio in France, would be selling its Canadian studio under the deal, but not any of the intellectual property or projects being worked on by studio.

That would include Still Life, an adventure title currently in development for DreamCatcher Games - another Canadian company - and Syberia II, which was released by DreamCatcher in 2004.

The move follows Ubisoft's announcement that it plans to expand the Montreal studio to 1000 people within the next five years, with the Canadian government weighing in to support the French firm in this venture with a series of large grants.

Ubisoft's terse statement on the matter says that an agreement with MC2-Microids has been entered into, but that the final deal is "subject to requirements to be met by the two parties," with no timetable for the final acquisition given.