Retail giant buys adds both talent and IP to its growing games operations

Killer Instinct dev Double Helix acquired by Amazon

MCV Staff 6th February 2014 Development News

Double Helix Games has been acquired by Amazon for an undisclosed sum.

TechCrunch reports that the acquisition covers both the studio’s 75 employees and any IP it owns. First word of the acquisition leaked when invites were sent out for a Los Angeles recruiting event hosts by Amazon and Double Helix.

Double Helix was founded in 2007 when two studios, Shiny and The Collective, merged. The result is a back catalogue of nearly 20 years worth of games, such as Shiny creations Earthworm Jim and MDK. The Collective meanwhile was known for licensed games such as Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

Amazon has promised that Double Helix’s current line-up of games – which includes Xbox One launch game Killer Instinct and upcoming PS3 title Strider – will be supported.

Rumours have been circulating that Amazon is working on its own Android games consoles, and speculation suggests the Double Helix acquisition is connected to this project.

Amazon already runs an app development program for its popular Kindle tablets.

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