DWF, the global provider of integrated legal and business services, has advised Keywords Studios plc on the acquisitions of Climax Studios and Tantalus Media. 

Keywords Studios plc, the international technical and creative services provider to the global video games industry has acquired Climax Studios Ltd, a UK based provider of game development services for a total consideration of up to £43m, and an 85 per cent interest in Tantalus Media Pty Ltd, an Australian based provider of game development services for a total consideration of up to US$46.8m.

These transactions follow a number of acquisitions by Keywords Studios in the past half-year, including Jinglebell Communications SRL (Italy), a provider of audio recording, music production and sound design services to the video games and advertising industries, and Indigo Pearl Ltd (UK), a full-service PR agency specialising in the video games sector, on which DWF also advised.

DWF’s Corporate teams in the UK, Australia and Italy acted for Keywords on the deals, led by Corporate partner, Paddy Eaton, along with Corporate partner Kim O’Reilly and Tax partners Jon Stevens and Tancredi Marino.

Paddy said: “We are hugely proud of our work with Keywords Studios, using our global platform to support such a dynamic business with its international growth. We look forward to seeing these businesses flourish as part of the Keywords family.”

Andrew Kennedy, Head of Legal at Keywords Studios, commented: “We were very pleased with the support provided by Paddy and the rest of the DWF team on these transactions and we look forward to working with them again as we continue to deliver on our growth strategy.”

Keywords Studios is an international technical services provider to the global video games industry.  Established in 1998, and now with over 65 facilities in 22 countries strategically located in Asia, the Americas and Europe, it provides integrated art creation, marketing services, software engineering, testing, localization, audio and customer care services across more than 50 languages and 16 games platforms to a blue-chip client base of over 950 clients across the globe.