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PlayStation to acquire Audiokinetic (provider of cross-platform audio solutions for games)

gofreak

gofreak

Member
Oct 26, 2017
7,736
https://www.sie.com/en/corporate/release/2019/190109.html

A little unexpected...

SAN MATEO, Calif. and MONTREAL – January 8, 2019 – Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) and Audiokinetic, Inc., a leading global provider of cross-platform audio solutions for the gaming and interactive media industries, today announced they have entered into a definitive agreement for SIE to acquire Audiokinetic. With this acquisition, SIE will tap into Audiokinetic's vast audio engineering expertise, adding significant value to the PlayStation® ecosystem. Audiokinetic will continue to operate independently, licensing its multi-platform audio tools and middleware to developers in established and growth markets. The acquisition is expected to close by January 31, 2019.

Based in Montreal, Audiokinetic was founded in 2000 by Martin H. Klein, president and CEO, and a team of veterans from the music, film, and gaming industries. The company's award-winning flagship product, Wwise, is a comprehensive audio middleware solution, featuring an optimized run-time sound engine and an audio authoring application for creating and managing interactive audio content. With more than 500 titles shipped every year on console, mobile, desktop, and AR/VR platforms, as well as Location-Based Entertainment projects, Wwise is the interactive audio solution of choice for thousands of developers, from indies to AAA studios.

"A rich and all-encompassing audio experience is increasingly critical to the overall gameplay experience, further enhancing immersion and emotion for the player," said John Kodera, president and CEO of SIE. "Audiokinetic is a preeminent provider of audio solutions for the gaming industry, and we are confident that this acquisition will allow us to further grow the PlayStation platform and contribute to the broader gaming industry. It's our goal to support Audiokinetic's efforts to advance its audio technology while maintaining independence and platform neutrality."

"Joining the SIE family is a win for both Audiokinetic and our partners who use our audio tools and middleware," Klein said. "We will remain independent and continue to deliver our suite of audio solutions to developers and platform holders, with even greater resources to continue innovating, expanding our market and enhancing our technology. We are also excited about the opportunity to contribute to SIE at a platform level."

Following the close of the acquisition, Audiokinetic will become a wholly owned subsidiary of SIE. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions.
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edit - oops, think this might have lagged the other thread.
 
Flandy

Flandy

Community Resettler
Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,445
From the press release
SAN MATEO, Calif. and MONTREAL – January 8, 2019 – Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) and Audiokinetic, Inc., a leading global provider of cross-platform audio solutions for the gaming and interactive media industries, today announced they have entered into a definitive agreement for SIE to acquire Audiokinetic. With this acquisition, SIE will tap into Audiokinetic's vast audio engineering expertise, adding significant value to the PlayStation® ecosystem. Audiokinetic will continue to operate independently, licensing its multi-platform audio tools and middleware to developers in established and growth markets. The acquisition is expected to close by January 31, 2019.

Based in Montreal, Audiokinetic was founded in 2000 by Martin H. Klein, president and CEO, and a team of veterans from the music, film, and gaming industries. The company's award-winning flagship product, Wwise, is a comprehensive audio middleware solution, featuring an optimized run-time sound engine and an audio authoring application for creating and managing interactive audio content. With more than 500 titles shipped every year on console, mobile, desktop, and AR/VR platforms, as well as Location-Based Entertainment projects, Wwise is the interactive audio solution of choice for thousands of developers, from indies to AAA studios.

"A rich and all-encompassing audio experience is increasingly critical to the overall gameplay experience, further enhancing immersion and emotion for the player," said John Kodera, president and CEO of SIE. "Audiokinetic is a preeminent provider of audio solutions for the gaming industry, and we are confident that this acquisition will allow us to further grow the PlayStation platform and contribute to the broader gaming industry. It's our goal to support Audiokinetic's efforts to advance its audio technology while maintaining independence and platform neutrality."

"Joining the SIE family is a win for both Audiokinetic and our partners who use our audio tools and middleware," Klein said. "We will remain independent and continue to deliver our suite of audio solutions to developers and platform holders, with even greater resources to continue innovating, expanding our market and enhancing our technology. We are also excited about the opportunity to contribute to SIE at a platform level."

Following the close of the acquisition, Audiokinetic will become a wholly owned subsidiary of SIE. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions.
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https://www.sie.com/en/corporate/release/2019/190109.html

Wonder if this is VR related?
 
ILikeFeet

ILikeFeet

DF Deet Master
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
61,987
SAN MATEO, Calif. and MONTREAL – January 8, 2019 –
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Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) and Audiokinetic, Inc., a leading global provider of cross-platform audio solutions for the gaming and interactive media industries, today announced they have entered into a definitive agreement for SIE to acquire Audiokinetic. With this acquisition, SIE will tap into Audiokinetic's vast audio engineering expertise, adding significant value to the PlayStation® ecosystem. Audiokinetic will continue to operate independently, licensing its multi-platform audio tools and middleware to developers in established and growth markets. The acquisition is expected to close by January 31, 2019.
Based in Montreal, Audiokinetic was founded in 2000 by Martin H. Klein, president and CEO, and a team of veterans from the music, film, and gaming industries. The company's award-winning flagship product, Wwise, is a comprehensive audio middleware solution, featuring an optimized run-time sound engine and an audio authoring application for creating and managing interactive audio content. With more than 500 titles shipped every year on console, mobile, desktop, and AR/VR platforms, as well as Location-Based Entertainment projects, Wwise is the interactive audio solution of choice for thousands of developers, from indies to AAA studios.
"A rich and all-encompassing audio experience is increasingly critical to the overall gameplay experience, further enhancing immersion and emotion for the player," said John Kodera, president and CEO of SIE. "Audiokinetic is a preeminent provider of audio solutions for the gaming industry, and we are confident that this acquisition will allow us to further grow the PlayStation platform and contribute to the broader gaming industry. It's our goal to support Audiokinetic's efforts to advance its audio technology while maintaining independence and platform neutrality."
"Joining the SIE family is a win for both Audiokinetic and our partners who use our audio tools and middleware," Klein said. "We will remain independent and continue to deliver our suite of audio solutions to developers and platform holders, with even greater resources to continue innovating, expanding our market and enhancing our technology. We are also excited about the opportunity to contribute to SIE at a platform level."
Following the close of the acquisition, Audiokinetic will become a wholly owned subsidiary of SIE. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions.
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https://www.sie.com/en/corporate/release/2019/190109.html

they won't be going Playstation only (which would be stupid as fuck)
 
Aurc

Aurc

Member
Oct 28, 2017
6,890
somethingisme said:
Was this Wwise of them?
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Mezoly said:
What a wwise decision.
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justiceiro said:
Sony choose wwise.
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nCTlnhZ.png
 
gofreak

gofreak

Member
Oct 26, 2017
7,736
ILikeFeet said:
why? Sony getting into the middleware business?
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Sony has bought tools companies before.

Unlike in some other cases, in this case Audiokinetic will still be offering solutions across platforms.

But I guess for Sony, this might be about research also - VR/AR/robotics springs to mind. And perhaps lending extra expertise to their own game studios. And will ensure their platforms have great audio support I guess! Sony takes audio pretty seriously.
 
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Raide

Raide

Banned
Oct 31, 2017
16,596
Makes sense to get that Middleware solution sorted so you can start getting money from everyone that uses it.
 
kenta

kenta

Member
Oct 25, 2017
857
Peculiar choice of acquisition...

Wonder when (or if) this will make sense...
 
Jarod McChicken

Jarod McChicken

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,073
The good news is Sony still know how to acquire something ! Try with a nice dev studio next time, I believe in you.
 
hibikase

hibikase

User requested ban
Banned
Oct 26, 2017
6,820
A platform holder acquiring a multiplatform middleware is not good news.
 
funky

funky

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
8,527
Is Wwise menu stuff or audio stuff?


Anyway I hope they don't lock it down. I do see it used a lot. Whatever it does.
 
Gerwant

Gerwant

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,042
People were clamoring for acquisitions, and they've got it. Now, don't say that Sony isn't listening to the fans :P
 
Brotherhood93

Brotherhood93

Member
Oct 28, 2017
2,801
Similar to Microsoft buying Havok I guess. Seems like a solid investment that probably won't affect consumers.
 
jts

jts

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Oct 26, 2017
3,018
Sony going 3rd party or just messing with multiplaform development?
 
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