Keywords Studios, an international provider of creative and technology-enabled solutions to the global video games and entertainment industries, has acquired The Multiplayer Group Ltd (MPG), a multiplayer focused game development studio based in Nottingham, for £76.5 million. The Group has acquired the business from Improbable, the metaverse company, which has owned MPG since 2019.
MPG is one of the largest and most respected developers of AAA multiplayer games and technology for some of the world’s best-known studios and publishers including Activision Blizzard, Bethesda, Zenimax, Epic and 2K. The business provides a range of services including both co-development and full game development to a global client base, and also has functions working on data science, new technology and AI. The business has grown rapidly since its foundation in 2018 and now employs over 360 staff globally.
MPG’s leadership team comprising Andy Norman, Rocco Loscalzo, Vaughan O’Brien and Roger Cheung will continue to lead the business post-acquisition and will participate in a management incentive plan based on ambitious growth targets over the next two years.
Bertrand Bodson, CEO of Keywords Studios, expressed excitement over the acquisition, saying: “We are thrilled to welcome the MPG team to Keywords. 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.”
Andy Norman, CEO of MPG, added: “MPG has found success in the multiplayer space through passion, expertise, and customer driven collaboration. 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.”
