Amazon acquires game studio Double Helix Games
Acquisition comes less than a week after a report that the Internet retailer was planning to launch a game console later this year.
Amazon has acquired independent game studio Double Helix Games, adding to speculation that the Internet retailer is preparing to enter game console space sometime this year.
Representatives for Amazon and Double Helix Games confirmed the acquisition for CNET after an initial report by TechCrunch. Terms of the deal were not revealed.
"Amazon has acquired Double Helix as part of our ongoing commitment to build innovative games for customers," Amazon said in a statement.
Founded in 2007 through the merger of two Foundation 9 studios -- The Collective and Shiny Entertainment.-- the Irvine, Calif.-based company has about 75 employees. The company's pedigree stretches back nearly 20 years, with game titles from the original companies including classics such as Earthworm Jim, Sacrifice, Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
More recently, the company produced fighting game Killer Instinct for Microsoft's Xbox One game console.
Amazon has been rumored to be working on an Android-based console for months. But the acquisition comes a week after a report that Amazon plans to launch a game console later this year that will run on Android and allow for both streaming and downloading games. VG247 reported last week that Amazon has been showing publishers popular Android and iOS games as demos for a console that will launch for less than $300.