External development partner Virtuos has just announced its acquisition of Third Kind Studios, a move that they say will, “bolster Virtuos’ AAA co-development capabilities” in the years to come. In an announcement on its website, the company revealed that the studio will continue to be led by its original co-founders and that it seeks to double its headcount in the coming years in response to growing client demand.
Founded in 2016, Third Kind has co-developed several triple-A games in recent years. Many of them come from Xbox (like the new Fable and Sea of Thieves), and also include Predecessor, Omeda’s revival of Epic Games’ once-defunct MOBA Paragon.
Per CTO Ray Tharanee, this is the first UK venture for its new parent company. On the studio’s end, this will allow it to take on “new and exciting triple-A projects” and continue its own growth, including doubling its staff over the next two years.
“We’re proud to play a pivotal role in expanding [Viruos’] global footprint, and we look forward to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in gaming together,” he wrote.
Over the past year, Virtuos has opened studios in international cities such as Tokyo and Prague. Beyond offering co-developer and engineering services, it still has an apparent desire to make (but not publish) original games of its own.