Keywords Acquires Sound Lab and The TrailerFarm

Keywords Studios, the international services provider to the global video games industry, has announced that renowned Hollywood sound designer, Scott Gershin and his Sound Lab team in Burbank, California, have joined Keywords Studios from Technicolor.

Sound Lab is a leader in the video game and immersive entertainment market (VR / AR) and provides sound services for movies and streaming. In support of the Sound Lab team joining, Keywords is investing in new, state-of-the-art production equipment to fit out a sound design studio in Burbank already occupied by Sound Lab. With more than 30 years’ experience in sound design, Scott Gershin and his team have been credited on an extensive list of bestselling video games including the likes of Final Fantasy XV, Resident Evil, Gears of War, Fable and Epic Mickey, and worked on projects for Riot, Capcom, Activision, Infinity Ward, Amazon and a host of others.

Separately, Keywords has also made the acquisition of The TrailerFarm Ltd. Based in Brighton, UK, TrailerFarm produces trailers for the marketing and support of video games, and will continue in producing high impact, cost-effective trailers for a broad range of games.

GetSocial Announces Unity Asset Store Partnership

GetSocial, a social technology provider, will partner with Unity Technologies to make its suite of tools directly available to mobile game developers on the Unity Asset Store. The GetSocial platform offers mobile developers ways to easily inject social functionality into their games and is currently used by millions of daily active users inside games from major publishers including Sega and Ubisoft. The partnership allows players to socially invite other players into games, and has proven to be a highly cost-effective user engagement and retention tool with increases of 50 percent in retention for referred users.

The GetSocial viral platform provides mobile game developers with a feature-rich social layer for their games within a single SDK. The solution has been proven to help developers cost-effectively engage and retain users through app invites and content sharing, giving them the ability to create a bespoke social graph, dynamic activity feeds, and gain actionable insights through audience segmentation and targeting.

“At GetSocial, we know that social behaviour is a key differentiator for successful engagement and retention. Across millions of users, our referral technology is generating hundreds of thousands of viral installs a month, and our customers are seeing incredible increases in retention, sometimes as high as 300 percent,” said Jeroen Bouwman, CEO at GetSocial. “Our recent research showed that players who had installed SEGA Sonic Forces: Speed Battle as a result of receiving a social invite via the GetSocial platform had an average lifetime retention 43 percent longer than regular players. The social media landscape is constantly changing and we want to make sure developers can build on our toolset to create the best social experiences inside their games in the same way they rely on Unity’s platform to build their games.”

“Unity is the leader in mobile game development, with more than 50 percent of all mobile games built on our platform,” said Peter O’Reilly, Head of the Asset Store at Unity Technologies. “We’re excited to work with GetSocial to help mobile developers use social tools to engage and retain users.”

KontrolFreek x PlayStation

KontrolFreek, the leading developer of Performance Gaming Gear, have announced official Sony Interactive Entertainment-licensed Performance Grips for the Dualshock 4 Controller. The Performance Grips are advanced controller grips that use a combination of proprietary materials to maximize grip, keep hands cool and cushion palms while gaming on the PlayStation 4.

Performance Grips incorporate a multi-layer design to improve gamers’ overall gameplay experience:

• Thermosetting Polymer Top Layer: The innovative honeycomb pattern of KontrolFreek’s proprietary polymer surface offers a structurally efficient, moisture-wicking, high-grip outer layer that provides maximum surface friction while increasing airflow. Performance Grips are resistant to oil, grease and water, and are latex, PVC and VOC free.
• Microcellular Foam Cushioning Middle Layer: The memory foam-like middle layer provides the ergonomic backbone of Performance Grips. This material conforms to each player’s hand shape while also resisting germs and bacteria.
• Specialty Adhesive Bottom Layer: High-end adhesive holds Performance Grips tight to controllers while allowing them to be easily re-positioned or removed without peeling or leaving a sticky residue. This allows players to apply Performance Grips and adjust them to their liking with less stress and no mess.

Games Industry Awards 2018

TIGA, the network for video games developers and digital publishers and the trade association representing the video games industry, has announced the list of finalists for the TIGA Games Industry Awards, ahead of the ceremony at Guildhall, London on the evening of November 1 2018. Some of this year’s key nominations are as follows:

Best Action and Adventure Game

1. Curve Digital Publishing Ltd – For The King
2. EightPixelsSquare – Sniper Strike: Special Ops
3. Evil Twin Artworks – Victory at Sea Pacific
4. Polyarc – Moss
5. Rare Ltd – Sea of Thieves
6. Rebellion – Rogue Trooper Redux
7. Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe – God of War
8. Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe – Detroit Become Human
9. Telehorse – Steamburg
10. Toxic Games – Q.U.B.E. 2
11. Unbound Creations – Headliner: NoviNews

Creativity Award

1. BIGUMAKU – Muvimi
2. Bossa Studio – Worlds Adrift
3. CrobbitArts – Day in Dementia
4. Legendary Games – The Island: Survival Challenge
5. Lozange Lab – Swim Out
6. Ninja Theory – Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
7. Payload Studios – TerraTech
8. PlayFusion – Lightseekers
9. Playniac – Insane Robots
10. Rare Ltd – Sea of Thieves
11. Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe/EPOS – WipEout VR

Best Audio Design 

1. Codemasters –ONRUSH
2. Creative Assembly – A Total War Saga: THRONES OF BRITANNIA
3. Curve Digital Publishing Ltd – Human: Fall Flat
4. Ninja Theory – Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
5. Polphony Digital Inc – Grand Turismo Sport
6. Rare Ltd – Sea of Thieves
7. Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe – Detroit Become Human
8. Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe – God of War
9. Supermassive Games – The Inpatient
10. Ubisoft Reflections – Ode
11. Ustwo Games – Monument Valley 2

You can find the full list of the awards being given out here.