Keywords Studios : acquires Tokyo-based development company Wizcorp

Keywords Studios, the international technical services provider to the global video games industry, has acquired development company Wizcorp.

Based in Tokyo, Japan, Wizcorp develops games mainly in the mobile space, with particular expertise in HTML5 and other mobile technologies.

Christopher Kennedy, Regional Managing Director for Keywords Studios in Asia welcomed news of the latest acquisition, saying: 'Japan is one of the world's most significant game development hubs and has a long history in this industry. Keywords is excited at the opportunities Wizcorp will bring the Group and its clients in the Japanese market as it becomes the latest member of our global Engineering service line.'

Established in 2008, Wizcorp has provided game development as a service to Japanese publishers and developers including LINE, Square Enix, Avex and Yahoo Japan.

Kennedy added: 'Wizcorp's HTML5 expertise is a valuable extension to our console, mobile and PC games development skills, which is particularly interesting in the context of Snap's recent launch of its HTML5-based gaming platform.'

The acquisition of Wizcorp for ¥120m (€953,000) from Ankama and Silicon Studio is in keeping with Keywords' plans to increase its Engineering arm, providing a platform for expansion in Japan's games development market and comes after the recent announcement by the Group of a 66% increase in revenue to €250.8m for 2018.

The addition of Wizcorp brings to eight the number of studios within Keywords' Engineering service line, which provides access to software engineering development services and exclusive technology platforms.