Sony acquires Audiokinetic
PlayStation pick ups Wwise maker, but audio middleware outfit will continue to operate independently, support multiple platforms
Sony Interactive Entertainment is acquiring Audiokinetic, the company announced today. The two have struck a deal expected to close by the end of January that will see the Montreal-based maker of Wwise and other cross-platform audio middleware join the PlayStation family.
"A rich and all-encompassing audio experience is increasingly critical to the overall gameplay experience, further enhancing immersion and emotion for the player," SIE president and CEO John Kodera said. "Audiokinetic is a preeminent provider of audio solutions for the gaming industry, and we are confident that this acquisition will allow us to further grow the PlayStation platform and contribute to the broader gaming industry. It's our goal to support Audiokinetic's efforts to advance its audio technology while maintaining independence and platform neutrality."
While Audiokinetic will continue to operate independently and support its tools on non-Sony platforms, SIE said that having the company on board will add value to the PlayStation ecosystem.
"Joining the SIE family is a win for both Audiokinetic and our partners who use our audio tools and middleware," Audiokinetic president and CEO Martin H. Klein said. "We will remain independent and continue to deliver our suite of audio solutions to developers and platform holders, with even greater resources to continue innovating, expanding our market and enhancing our technology. We are also excited about the opportunity to contribute to SIE at a platform level."
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.