Heavyweight internet retailer Amazon has acquired the game studio behind the Xbox One's Killer Instinct and upcoming downloadable Strider reboot: Double Helix Games. The news was leaked through an invitation to a joint recruiting event for both companies taking place on 13th Feb. Amazon stated that the deal was "as part of our ongoing commitment to build innovative games for customers." Financial terms have yet to be revealed.
Amazon already runs its own game studio and is also currently hiring in various states in the U.S. TechCrunch has confirmed that the headlining deal will include Double Helix Games staff and intellectual property and the current 75 employees will stay on at its Orange County office, as Amazon staff. The studio said on its website that it is "currently working on other amazing projects that are tightly under wraps" whilst Capcom announced that the studio's modern take on its classic game Strider will be launching on 19th February.
The acquisition follows and adds to earlier speculation and reports of Amazon's plans to launch an Android-powered dedicated games device this year. The device was rumoured to cost less than $300 (not cheap for an Android console) and will allow users to stream and download games, music, movies, and more. Also GameSpot points out that Amazon hired Halo writer Erik Nylund a couple of months back to work on an unspecified project. So gaming plans are definitely brewing.
What about the future of Killer Instinct on Xbox One? A Microsoft spokesperson told Polygon that the firm will be working with a "new development partner" on the project.
"We want all of our loyal fans to know that the Killer Instinct team at Microsoft is not changing and that the franchise will remain with Microsoft Studios. We remain dedicated to delivering a great experience and plan to announce our new development partner soon. We're excited about the future of this popular franchise," added the Microsoft representative.
