Ubisoft acquires RedLynx the creator of Trials

Today, Ubisoft announced that it has acquired RedLynx, the Finland-based creator of the renowned digital brand “Trials”.

Founded in 2000, RedLynx developed more than 100 titles for a wide range of digital distribution channels, including PC, consoles, mobile phones, tablets and interactive TV. After initial success on PC with Trials, RedLynx’s flagship brand, has now become one of the best-selling games on Xbox LIVE Arcade, with over two million paid downloads across the main game and both DLCs. Trials Evolution, the next title in the franchise, will be released in the coming months. The recent DrawRace 2 for the iPhone and iPad was lauded by both press and gamers for its innovative physics-based touch-controls and asynchronous multiplayer gameplay. Upon its release, DrawRace2 became the best-selling racing game in both Europe and the United States.

Commenting on the acquisition, Yves Guillemot, chief executive officer at Ubisoft, stated: "The team at RedLynx has developed exceptionally strong digital brands that stand out for their high replay value, their long tail sales and their multiplatform positioning. We are delighted to welcome RedLynx to the Ubisoft family. Their expertise in asynchronous online games and physics-based game mechanics provides us with a great opportunity to bring their powerful brands, most notably Trials, to an even broader range of fast-growing digital platforms."

Previous Ubisoft acquisitions in the online segment:

• November 2008: acquisition of Massive Entertainment, renowned for their specialty in creating multiplayer games. Massive is collaborating on or responsible for the development of several ambitious unannounced projects.
• October 2009: acquisition of Nadeo, creator of cult hit multiplayer driving game, TrackMania. TrackMania 2 Canyon and ManiaPlanet have been recently released.
• November 2010: acquisition of Quazal, a leader in the creation of online technical solutions. Assassin’s Creed implements Quazal technology for its multiplayer mode.
• July 2011: acquisition of free-to-play game developer Owlient. The team at Owlient has extensive expertise in the management of online game-playing communities, and their Howrse brand has almost two million monthly active users.