Unlikely, known for its metaverse technological innovations, announced the sale of its gaming division, The Multiplayer Group (MPG), to Keywords Studios for £76.5 million ($97.1 million). This movement improves Keywords Studios‘Create’ a division by integrating MPG’s extensive expertise in multiplayer game development. MPG has worked with leading gaming studios and publishers including Activision Blizzard, Bethesda, Epic and 2K.
Growth and Leadership
Born in 2018, MPG has witnessed significant growth, with a global workforce now stretching to over 360 employees. Even after the acquisition, the leadership team of Andy Norman, Rocco Loscalzo, Vaughan O’Brien and Roger Cheung will continue to manage MPG. Their guidance should prove crucial in achieving the growth targets set for the next two years, guided by a management incentive plan.
Bertrand Bodson, CEO of Keywords Studios, said: “We are pleased to welcome the MPG team to Keywords. MPG is a company we have long admired for its high-quality work, stellar customer base, deep experience in developing AAA multiplayer games, and use of technology and data analytics. This acquisition marks an important step in our strategy to enhance our platform and broaden our services, particularly in the area of specialized large-scale multiplayer game development, an area of growing demand in the live services.”
As Keywords Studios expands its reach, Improbable shifts its focus to the booming realm of metaverse development. The company plans to scale up its experimental metaverse events to expand its current capacity.
Digital Revolution: Metaverse and Web3
In their recent yearbook reportImprobable highlights the current relevance of the metaverse and Web3 technologies. The company foresees a shift in gaming that will gradually blur the boundaries between physical and digital reality.
Herman Narula, co-founder and CEO of Improbable, commented: “The metaverse is poised for growth in 2024, fueled by the convergence of gaming, VR/XR and web3 technologies. Headsets like Apple’s Vision Pro and the success of Meta Quest 3 will further fuel the demand for immersive metaverse experiences. Gaming companies will integrate metaverse elements into their offerings, creating new opportunities for brand activation. Consolidation in the gaming and web3 sectors will lead to a stronger, more innovative and resilient startup ecosystem, with companies pooling resources and expertise to develop breakthrough metaverse applications.”
The development of the Web3 ecosystem is on the horizon, bringing with it a scale of maturity and stability not seen in previous phases. Asia is expected to emerge as a key participant, shaping the future across this digital frontier. It is predicted to act as the hub for online communities, digital asset economies and digital events – a testament to the vital nature of the rapidly evolving technology landscape.
