Keywords Studios has acquired Certain Affinity

Keywords Studios has officially acquired video game developer Certain Affinity, the studio most known for its work on Halo titles along with work on Call of Duty and most recently Gotham Knights and Hogwarts Legacy. The studio was founded in 2006 by a group of former Bungie staff and has been led by CEO Max Hoberman.

The acquisition will not impact any of its management team meaning CEO Max Hoberman and President and COO Paul Sams will remain in their positions. They will oversee its 180 employees across the United States and Canada.

Below is a statement made by the leaders of Certain Affinity via GamesIndustry.biz:

“At this most difficult time in the market, we’re thrilled to be able to provide stability and a supportive home for our team,” said Hoberman in a statement. “The respect for our talent and culture that Keywords has shown, along with a willingness to invest in our growth, is unparalleled.

“Paul and I look forward to partnering with them to chart a course for careful expansion of our core co-development activities, refinement of our lead development capabilities, as well as championing the growth of the Create division.”

This is Keyword Studios’ second acquisition this year as they also acquired Wushu Studios in August.

It has been revealed via an employee’s LinkedIn profile that Certain Affinity was working on a Halo Battle Royale which was apparently a potential game changer for the franchise. The studio didn’t officially confirm this, but all reports indicate that this is true.

This acquisition should not impact the projects Certain Affinity is currently working on. It seems this move will further help the studio grow on top of what they already have.