18 September 2018

Keywords Studios plc ("Keywords", "the Group")

Leading sound production team, known as Sound Lab, joins Keywords Studios in Los Angeles

and

Acquisition of The TrailerFarm Ltd ("TrailerFarm") in Brighton to complement the Group's marketing services and games trailer production capability

Keywords Studios, the international services provider to the global video games industry, today announces that renowned Hollywood sound designer, Scott Gershin and his Sound Lab team in Burbank, California, have joined Keywords Studios from Technicolor. Sound Lab at Keywords is a leader in the video game and immersive entertainment market (VR / AR) and provides sound services for movies and streaming (over the top - OTT content). In support of the Sound Lab team joining The Group, Keywords is investing in new, state of the art production equipment to fit out a sound design studio in Burbank already occupied by Sound Lab.

With more than 30 years' experience in sound design, Scott Gershin and his team have been credited on an extensive list of bestselling video games including the likes of Final Fantasy XV, Resident Evil, Gears of War, Fable and Epic Mickey, and worked on projects for Riot, Capcom, Activision, Infinity Ward, Amazon and a host of others.

At Keywords, Gershin will also be continuing his work in the film and broadcast industry having worked on such titles as Nightcrawler, Pacific Rim, American Beauty, Hellboy 2, Chronicles of Riddick, Team America, Blade II, The Strain, Shrek and The Book of Life. Joining Keywords alongside Gershin is a team of five passionate audio professionals, sound designers, mixers, musicians and creative managers.

Separately, Keywords is also announcing the acquisition of The TrailerFarm Ltd.  Based in Brighton, UK, TrailerFarm produces trailers for the marketing and support of video games, and will complement Keywords' recently acquired Fire Without Smoke marketing services business in producing high impact, cost-effective trailers for a broad range of games.

Founded in 2011 by brothers Tony and Dan Porter, TrailerFarm's team of 12 creative directors, video game artists, project managers and motion graphic designers produce trailers for both mobile and console/PC games for use in game launches and ongoing promotional events.

In the year ending 30 June 2018, TrailerFarm posted revenues of £1.0m and adjusted EBITDA of £165k.  Under the terms of the acquisition, Keywords is paying a total consideration of up to £2m. The initial consideration of £1.0m is being satisfied by the payment of £790k in cash and 11,070 new ordinary shares in Keywords, which are to be issued to the sellers on the first anniversary of the acquisition. The remaining consideration of up to £1m is payable in cash, subject to the increase in profit before tax of TrailerFarm over the 12 month period post acquisition.

Andrew Day, CEO of Keywords Studios commented:

"I'm delighted to welcome Scott and his team into the Keywords family. As games become ever more immersive, sound design quality is getting ever closer to that of movies. Our new Sound Lab studio, created around Scott and his team, will be integrated within the Keywords Audio Services Line and will benefit accordingly from our global network of studios and our extensive video game client base around the world. 

"Our presence in audio services continues to grow. In Los Angeles, with our long-established voice-over studio in Burbank, the recently acquired Blindlight LLC, which focuses on Hollywood voice-over production and writing services, and our specialist music services through recent Keywords joiners, Cord and Laced. The sound design services we are adding with this investment help round out the full suite of audio services we are now able to offer to clients in interactive and linear media.

"Trailers are the primary marketing asset for video games and Keywords' ability to produce trailers across the spectrum from cost effective small productions to the very high end trailers for AAA games positions us well in this interesting segment of the games services market. Bringing together art, animation, sound effect, music and voiced audio, trailers can further act as a showcase for our range of services and creative abilities."

Ends

For further information, please contact:

About Keywords Studios (www.keywordsstudios.com)

Keywords Studios is an international technical services provider to the global video games industry. Established in 1998, and now with over 50 facilities in 20 countries strategically located in Asia, the Americas and Europe, it provides integrated art creation, software engineering, testing, localisation, audio and customer care services across more than 50 languages and 16 games platforms to a blue-chip client base of approximately 650 clients across the globe.  It has a strong market position, providing services to 23 of the top 25 most prominent games companies, including Activision Blizzard, Bandai Namco, Bethesda, Electronic Arts, Konami, Riot Games, Sony, Square Enix, Supercell, TakeTwo, Epic Games and Ubisoft. Recent titles worked on include Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, Call of Duty: WWII, Mortal Combat X, Assassin's Creed Origins, Battlefield 1, League of Legends, Fortnite, Clash Royale and Rainbow Six Siege. Keywords Studios is listed on AIM, the London Stock Exchange regulated market (KWS.L).

About TrailerFarm (thetrailerfarm.com)

The TrailerFarm is a creative agency and production house that delivers marketing and development services for video game developers and publishers of all sizes, from indie to AAA.  Founded in 2011 by former game developers, The TrailerFarm's global portfolio of clients includes Rovio, SEGA, ITV, Sony, Namco Bandai, THQ Nordic and Bluehole, the publishers of PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds. The studio is passionate about high quality, authentic storytelling and delighting clients and gamers with the content it produces.