Keywords acquires Call of Duty and Fortnite support studio Hardsuit Labs

Keywords has acquired triple-A support studio Hardsuit Labs for an undisclosed fee to bolster its 'Create' services line.

Hardsuit has worked on major projects including Fortnite, Call of Duty: Vanguard, Call of Duty Warzone, Gears of War 4, and Chivalry II.

The U.S. studio offers full external development, co-development, and porting services, and believes the Keywords acquisition will allow it to "do more for our clients and franchises."

Keywords CEO Bertrand Bodson noted that Hardsuit will become the Dublin-based company's first studio in Seattle, allowing it to expand its presence in a city that's home to both existing and potential clients.

Hardsuit co-founders Andy Kipling and Russell Nelson will continue to lead the studio under the Keywords banner, and said the deal marks the "next phase" of the studios growth journey.

The Next Phase of Hardsuit Labs

"We believe Keywords has a very similar people-focused and tech-savvy entrepreneurial culture and are excited to get started on delivering against our future growth opportunities," added the pair in a press release.

Keywords has been expanding steadily for years, and in the past few months acquired PR agency FortySeven to bolster its marketing business.

Prior to that, it purchased integrated PR and communications agency LabCom, which has previously worked with companies including Riot and Bethesda, and nabbed digital support platform Helpshift for up to $75 million.

The company has also looked to branch out globally, and In October last year opened a pair of development studios in Brisbane and Adelaide to increase its presence in Australia.