London -- Ubisoft has acquired Hybride Technologies, a Montreal-based studio known for creating visual effects for cinema, television, and advertising.
Created over 15 years ago, Hybride employs 80 team members and boasts work on such innovative films as 300, Frank Miller's Sin City, and the Spy Kids series.
"The recent news that Ubisoft has acquired VFX house Hybride Technologies is less surprising than we would think," says Eric Roth, executive director of the Visual Effects Society. "The line between film and video game visual effects has narrowed considerably and we have seen growing numbers of our membership hold dual careers in both gaming and film. It makes sense for large gaming corporations like Ubisoft to make these acquisitions as the different media mediums merge to cut costs and keep production in house."
Ubisoft will work closely with Hybride to share technology and to develop tools in order to optimize the creation of video games and visual effects and to offer gamers visual experiences that rival those of the cinema. At the same time, Hybride will continue to work with its film partners while bringing its expertise to leverage Ubisoft's intellectual properties for the movie industry.
"The future of our industry depends on our ability to create brands thatcaptivate audiences and to extend those brands to other forms ofentertainment," says Yves Guillemot, chief executive officer at Ubisoft. "The exceptional quality of the team at Hybride and the expertise of our Ubisoft teams will allow us to create one of the best 3D animation studios in the entertainment industry."
"This alliance is a true first for the industry," says Yannis Mallat, chief executive officer of Ubisoft Montreal. "Ubisoft and Hybride share the same vision of entertainment convergence and a common passion for innovation and creativity."
Notes Pierre Raymond, founder and chief executive officer at Hybride Technologies: "The sharing of technological and creative expertise between Ubisoft and Hybride will position the two companies at the head of the pack in an entertainment industry in rapid evolution."
A video montage of both Hybride and Ubisoft projects can be seen at http://uplay.us.ubi.com/