Village Gamer

Ubisoft has officially announced what most of us knew yesterday – that the corporation has acquised THQ Montreal as well as the publishing rights for the upcoming South Park: The Stick of Truth video game, being developed externally by Obsidian. In addition to the team at THQ Montreal, Ubisoft also acquired a new, yet-to-be announced IP in development at the studio.  THQ Montreal will join Ubisoft’s development teams, already the second-largest in-house development staff in the world with 26 studios in 19 countries and more than 6,250 people dedicated to video game production. Read the rest of this entry »

Online combat strategy game developer Kixeye announced yesterday that it is expanding to Canada, and will be opening a new game development studio based in Victoria. This marks the third office for Kixeye, and second international studio opened this year, previously announcing its expansion to Brisbane, Australia. Kixeye Canada is actively staffing up to begin work on new special projects. Read the rest of this entry »

Digital Domain Media Group, Inc. announced earlier today that it has initiated a strategic realignment that will enable it to focus its resources on its core business, Digital Domain Productions, Inc., a company focused on creating digital visual effects, CG animation and digital production for the entertainment and advertising industries. As a key part of this strategic realignment, DDMG has begun the cessation of its Port St. Lucie operations by reducing virtually its entire Port St. Lucie workforce, retaining approximately 20 employees who will remain as part of the wind-down. Read the rest of this entry »

Rainmaker Entertainment Inc. is pleased to announce that the previously announced proposed sale of certain assets comprising substantially all of Rainmaker’s animation studio assets to Rainmaker Studios Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Xing Xing Digital Corporation, was approved by 99.91% of the votes cast in person or by proxy at the special meeting of the Rainmaker’s shareholders held yesterday afternoon. The Transaction, which is expected to close during the fall, remains conditional upon, among other things, the receipt of all required regulatory approvals.

Relic Entertainment^® is celebrating 15 years of innovation in the PC gaming market today. Founded in 1997 on a personal credit card and based out of a 1,600 sq. ft. office above a night club, Relic Entertainment began work on its first title. From these humble beginnings this strategy game went on to become the critically-acclaimed Homeworld^®, which released two years later with an average Metacritic.com Metascore of 93 and winning PC Gamers’ Game of the Year award that year. Read the rest of this entry »

Finalé Post Production and Technicolor Creative Services have entered into a strategic partnership to provide Technicolor “Color Certified” Digital Intermediate (DI) Finishing services in Vancouver. Finalé Post Production will acquire and integrate Technicolor Vancouver’s existing DI Theatre into their newly expanded facility. The transaction includes exclusive certification for Technicolor’s leading color science, as well as ongoing servicing of its film, television and commercial projects finishing in Vancouver. Read the rest of this entry »

Frima Studio announced today that it has teamed up with the acclaimed concept artist and art director Stephan Martiniere to strengthen the art direction and concept art development practice at Volta and Frima FX, divisions of Frima Studio. Read the rest of this entry »

TC Media is proud to announce that it will soon be starting a new television production house to create content for all communication platforms, from TV channels for general consumption to new Internet and mobile media for on-demand delivery. The TC Media production house opens in June 2012 and will be headed by Philippe Lapointe, Senior Vice President, Multiplatform Development Solutions. Read the rest of this entry »

Mission accomplished for the digital entertainment company Frima. One year after the Quebec Ministry of Family established their standards for work-family balance, Frima became the first company to obtain certification from the Bureau de normalisation du Québec (BNQ). Frima is particularly proud to reach this important milestone, demonstrating its leadership and commitment to offering employees an attractive and challenging work environment. Read the rest of this entry »

One of the next big things coming to a theatre near you will be movies shot and projected at rates much faster than currently – a process designed to dramatically improve the overall audience experience, particularly with 3D movies. With directors such as James Cameron and Peter Jackson planning projects that will use this High Frame Rate (HFR) technology, there’s a need to develop international technical standards and to explore how moviemakers can use the new technology most effectively. Read the rest of this entry »