Last weekend Halo and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 support studio, Certain Affinity, announced that it has entered into an agreement to be acquired by Keywords Studios for an undisclosed amount.
“Keywords Studios, the international provider of creative and technology-enabled solutions to the global video games and entertainment industries, is delighted to announce that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Certain Affinity, a leading US-based game development studio,” the company said in the announcement published on its website.
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Since its founding in 2006, Certain Affinity has focused on providing co-development services on AAA multiplayer titles. Their track record of success in this niche has endeared them to the best developers and publishers in the industry. Some of their most iconic projects in recent years include Hogwarts Legacy and DOOM.
Certain Affinity has a headcount of over 180 people across the United States and Canada. They have offices in Texas, Austin, and Toronto, Ontario. The teams spread across North America are working closely with clients on both announced and unannounced projects including the upcoming EXODUS from Archetype Entertainment.
“We are thrilled to welcome Certain Affinity to the Keywords Group,” said Keywords CEO Bertrand Bodson.
“We have enormous respect for their business and reputation. They bring a wealth of knowledge, experience, and expertise to our Create division, complementing our existing skills and expanding our presence notably in the US and Canada. We look forward to partnering with Max, Paul, and their team over the coming years to continue to drive growth in our Create division and overall business.”
What will and will not change at Certain Affinity post-acquisition
Although the financial details of the acquisition were not made public at the time of writing, Certain Affinity founder Max Hoberman believes the acquisition will help the company achieve stability in an industry that can presently be described as chaotic.
“At this most difficult time in the market, we’re thrilled to be able to provide stability and a supportive home for our team,” said Hoberman.
“The respect for our talent and culture that Keywords has shown, along with a willingness to invest in our growth, is unparalleled. Paul and I look forward to partnering with them to chart a course for careful expansion of our core co-development activities, refinement of our lead development capabilities, as well as championing the growth of the Create division.”
While the acquisition will most likely lead to remarkable changes within Certain Affinity, a lot of things will remain the same. One of the things that will remain the same is the management structure. Hoberman and his management team, including President and COO Paul Sams will continue to lead the business post-acquisition.
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