Keywords snaps up four French audio recording and localization firms

Burgeoning game service provider Keywords Studios has snapped up four french companies that specialize in audio recording and localization. 

The Irish outfit has been splashing the cash lately in an attempt to solidify its position as a one-stop-shop for all manner of technical video game services. 

Its latest additions take the form of La Marque Rose, Asrec, Dune Sound and Around the Word, and are all based in Paris. 

La Marque Rose was founded in 1989 and has been delivering audio services for French game devs ever since. Dune Sound and Around the World specialize in audio recording and localization respectively, and are the largest providers of French language video game localization in the world. 

Asrec is relatively young, having only been established in 2010, but has been successfully providing a variety of companies (including Keywords) with French audio recording options for the past four years. 

Keywords intends to integrate all four companies with its existing recording studio in Paris to support an investment of around €1 million ($1.17 million) in new audio recording studios and offices. It's a move the company says will help it establish a "true destination" for French voice-over recording.

"These acquisitions are an important milestone in the development of our localization and audio services business lines in Europe," said Keyword's European MD, Fulvio Sioli.

"While the trend for game developers and publishers to increasingly source all languages from a single provider is clear, some clients continue to want to transact separately for individual languages. 

"This is still most prevalent for those regarded as pillar languages of which French is probably still the most important. The combination of La Marque Rose, Dune Sound, Around the Word, and Asrec with our existing Keywords studio, gives us a leading share of this games production work."