The renowned AAA game development studio adds scale and action genre expertise to Keywords’ Create division.

Keywords Studios, the international provider of creative and technology-enabled solutions for the global video games and entertainment industry, is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Certain Affinity, a leading US-based game development studio.

Certain Affinity was founded in 2006 and focused primarily on providing high-quality co-development services for AAA multiplayer titles. It has built an excellent reputation, supporting some of the best-known studios and publishers on their biggest franchises. Notable projects include nearly two dozen assignments supporting the Halo and Call of Duty franchises, as well as Hogwarts Legacy, DOOM and many more.

Certain Affinity employs over 180 people in the US and Canada, based out of their offices in Austin, Texas, and Toronto, Ontario. This includes multiple teams working closely with customers on a range of announced and unannounced projects, including the highly anticipated upcoming game EXODUS from Archetype Entertainment, a division of game developer and publisher Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of Hasbro.

Certain Affinity founder and CEO Max Hoberman and his management team, including President and COO Paul Sams, will continue to lead the company post-acquisition, with expected growth supported by a strong pipeline of high-quality projects.

“We are pleased to welcome Certain Affinity to the Keywords Group,” said Bertrand Bodson, CEO of Keywords. “We have enormous respect for their operations and reputation. They bring a wealth of knowledge, experience and expertise to our Create division, complementing our existing skills and expanding our presence, particularly in the US and Canada. We look forward to working with Max, Paul and their team to continue to drive the growth of our Create division and overall business in the years to come.”

Max Hoberman, founder of Certain Affinity, also commented: “During this most difficult time in the marketplace, we are pleased to provide our team with stability and a supportive home. The respect for our talent and culture that Keywords has shown, along with the willingness to invest in our growth, is unparalleled Paul and I look forward to working with them to chart a course to carefully expand our core co-development activities, refine our lead development capabilities and champion the growth of our business. the Create division.”