Activision Acquires B-Boy Developer FreeStyleGames

Activision acquired UK developer FreeStyleGames , as part of the publisher’s stated "commitment to the music-based genre." FreeStyleGames is best known for break-dancing game B-Boy (so far only released in Europe) and two of the Buzz! Junior titles for Sony. The company was formed in 2002 in Leamington Spa, primarily by ex-staff from the nearby Codemasters and Rare studios. FreeStyleGames now employs 55 full-time staff and is currently involved in creating localized downloadable content for Activision’s Guitar Hero: World Tour and an unannounced new intellectual property. Under the terms of the acquisition, FreeStyleGames will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision and the developer's management team has signed long-term employment contracts with the company. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. According to comments on FreeStyleGame’s website, the decision to sell to Activision was in large part driven by their independent studio model. "This means that we retain our name, brand, identity and culture," reads the statement. "Life goes on very much as it was, and everything that people love about FreeStyleGames will stay the same." "Activision Publishing is the undisputed leader in the music-based games and we see tremendous opportunity for continued growth, particularly in Europe," said Mike Griffith, president and CEO of Activision. "An important part of our European growth strategy is to work with local developers and provide music content that resonates with the market. FreeStyleGames has an award-winning team with a history of developing innovative and creative music-based games and they are uniquely positioned to help us expand our leadership in the genre."