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Ubisoft has acquired former Acti Blizz developer Massive Entertainment, along with in-development RTS sequel Soviet Assault.
“Ubisoft is growing at an intense pace and our strategy is to ensure the strength of our global creative teams,” said Christine Burgess-Quemard, Ubisoft’s executive director of worldwide production studios.
“Massive has put together a group of some of the most confirmed and recognized creators in the industry and I know that their talent and innovation will allow them to seamlessly integrate into our worldwide network of production studios.”
Activision put the Swedish development team up for sale last August when it merged with Blizzard.
Press release after the break.
By Mike Bowden
Ubisoft® acquires the Assets of Massive Entertainment®
London, UK – November 10, 2008 – Today Ubisoft announced that it has acquired from Activision Blizzard the assets and all of the personnel of esteemed Malmö, Sweden- based studio Massive Entertainment®, as well as the real time strategy brand World In Conflict®.
Created in 1997, Massive employs over 120 developers and was ranked as one of the top 50 best game studios in the world by Game Developers Research in 2008. The studio is world-renowned for its expertise in the RTS genre and for the quality of its innovative proprietary technologies. World in Conflict® was acclaimed by critics, receiving the Best Strategy Game of E3 2007 award, as well as being named Best Online Multiplayer Game of 2007 by IGN, and Most Innovative Game of 2007 by Gamespot, among many other awards.
“We are delighted to welcome the talented team of creators at Massive into the Ubisoft family,” said Christine Burgess-Quemard, executive director of worldwide production studios at Ubisoft. “Ubisoft is growing at an intense pace and our strategy is to ensure the strength of our global creative teams. Massive has put together a group of some of the most confirmed and recognized creators in the industry and I know that their talent and innovation will allow them to seamlessly integrate into our worldwide network of production studios.”
“Massive’s development team places great importance on its freedom to innovate and create games of the highest quality,” stated Martin Walfisz, president and founder of Massive Entertainment®. “We are fortunate to have found in Ubisoft a publisher who shares the same values and understands our mindset. I have no doubt that our future together will offer significant mutual benefit and synergy.”
Viewing 11 responses
patlike said:
Good. Massive’s a great developer. Good stuff.
morriss said:
Really pleased for them. Met them at SSB and they were a nice, self-effacing bunch.
absolutezero said:
Thank God some goods things are starting to come out of the ActiBlizz shit storm of fail.
Whizzo said:
I hope this means the WiC expansion is getting completed soonish, I was rather looking forward to it.
No_PUDding said:
Bah it’s Ubisoft, they will be working on Catz 12 next week.
Rememeber the days when Ubisoft produced quality…
Ahh…
BG&E
Sands of Time
SC: Chaos Thoery
This generation, nothing but shit, they even killed Double Agent, no Amon Tobin Soundtrack and an awful unresponsive interface. New Prince of Persia looks fake and god damn awful, and there’s been nothing in the claiber of BG&E from Ubisoft at all ths generation.
I think the undeserving Assassins Creed backlash taught Ubisoft peope can’t appreciate good innovative games, so just make some shovelware.
Now EA is taking the reins. Man, I never thought I’d see the day.
This generation has been the generation of immensely unexpected stuff! This generation has been so out there and wild, I will compile a list… One day.
morriss said:
I liked Double Agent. I loved it, in fact. I also think the next PoP will be excellent, just not as mind-blowingly good as first thought.
They have also kind of announced a BG&E sequel, Splinter Cel is getting a complete makeover and more will be revealed early next year as to that game. There’s that Still Alive game, Jade Raymond’s new one (Ass Cred 2) and probably a lot more.
If you can’t find something to look forward to in all of that you’re dead inside…or something.
No_PUDding said:
Forgot about the BG&E 2 announcement, but is Ancel still at Ubisoft?
You must be dead inside to have loved Double Agent, that was a complete piece of shit, I have WAY more faith in Conviction if it gets back on track to normal Splinter Cellery.
Next Pop is nasty as. Homage is good, Homage is nice, Still Alive trailer is basically the ‘Children of Men’ intro and Ubisoft like their homages, but PoP just reeks of taselessly stuffing all the things that have made artistic games artistic into a tired IP, that could have been left to rest in peace.
It’s a travesty, and cel shading is SUCH a fucking cop out.
morriss said:
Ok.
No_PUDding said:
Read it all and acknowledge the emphasis on the swearing
Assassins Creed is awesome, and it worked very well.
rainer said:
Well thats great news, Maasive are a good dev hopefully Ubisoft puts them to good use.
Although I love Massives strategy games they always have amazing tech in their games I really hope they try there hand at something else one day.
jigglybean said:
Great news indeed. World in Conflict was an amazing game.