Double Helix Games, a gaming studio, was purchased by e-commerce giant Amazon for an undisclosed amount, TechCrunch reported. The acquisition, which was confirmed by Amazon, was done for talent and IP purposes, the report said.
Based in Irvine, California, Double Helix Games was formed in 2007 when The Collective Inc and Shiny Entertainment, two popular game development outfits, merged. The gaming company now has 75 employees who will now become part of the Amazon workforce because of the acquisition. Double Helix will still be operating from their home in Orange County, the report said.
In a statement provided to TechCrunch about the purchase, Amazon said, "Amazon has acquired Double Helix as part of our ongoing commitment to build innovate games for customers."
The purchase of the gaming studio may continue to fuel the speculation that Amazon is readying to roll out its own gaming console in the next few months. As an example, TechCrunch cited a report from VG247.com, a blog for the video game industry, which said that Amazon intends to release an Android-powered "dedicated games and entertainment device this year priced below $300." The report added that the device will be rivaling the offers of Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo. In the summer, rumors were rife that Amazon was preparing to launch a console system based on Qualcomm, the report said.
Amazon has been fairly silent in the gaming front after it launched the social game development arm of Amazon Game Studios in 2012. The firm released the game "Living Classics" shuttered it last October. It has a few other titles now but the acquisition of Double Helix is expected to get more high-profile talent and IP to the e-commerce giant, the report said.
The most popular game in the portfolio Double Helix today is "Killer Instinct." However, it has also launched other well-known titles that include "GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra," "Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters," and "Front Mission Evolved," the report said.
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