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Keywords Studios, a technical and creative services provider to the video games industry, has acquired the Nottingham-based game development studio The Multiplayer Group from Improbable in a deal worth £76.5 million.
The Multiplayer Group (or MPG) currently employs over 360 staff, and has provided both co-development and full game development services to an assortment of big name clients around the world, including Activision Blizzard, Bethesda, Epic Games, 2K and more, since it was founded back in 2018.
MPG was paid for completely in cash, and its leadership team will remain in place to lead the group following the acquisition as the company becomes a part of Keywords’ Create Division.
“We are thrilled to welcome the MPG team to Keywords,” said Bertrand Bodson, CEO of Keywords Studios. “MPG is a business that we have long admired for its high-quality work, blue-chip client base, deep experience in developing AAA multiplayer games and its use of technology and data analytics.
“This is another important step in building out our platform and expanding our offering to encompass specialised multiplayer game development at scale, which is increasingly in demand for live services. We believe that MPG complements our existing high-quality UK and global Create studios and are excited to bring them into the Group. We look forward to working with Andy and the wider talented MPG team over the coming years to continue to drive growth in the business.”
“MPG has found success in the multiplayer space through passion, expertise, and customer driven collaboration,” added Andy Norman, CEO of The Multiplayer Group. “We have seen strong growth over the past few years, working on some of the most complex and successful games in the market, supported by our dedication to a sustainable, people-first culture. With Keywords, we believe we can continue to lead and grow multiplayer innovation, bringing the MPG ethos to more customers and games. We look forward to working closely with Keywords and driving growth both in MPG and across the enlarged Keywords group”.
