D3PE to acquire Vicious Cycle Software
D3Publisher of Europe Ltd. (D3PE), a publisher and developer of interactive entertainment software, has announced that it has entered into an agreement to purchase North Carolina-based Vicious Cycle Software, Inc.
Upon completion of the transaction, D3P will hold Vicious Cycle Software as a subsidiary through a share acquisition agreement. Vicious Cycle Software is a respected developer of video game titles for all age groups based on both licensed and original intellectual property. The company is also the creator of the Vicious Engine™ development technology for consoles, handhelds and the PC.
“The addition of Vicious Cycle to D3P marks our first acquistion of an internal developer and further strengthens our capabilities in delivering top quality games. Vicious Cycle’s creative spirit and technical leadership are second to none and we’re thrilled to have them join D3P,“ commented Suzanne Sutton, PR and Marketing Manager for D3PE.
D3Publisher of America and Vicious Cycle have long enjoyed a long-standing relationship, with the studio working on a number of games for the publisher including Dead Head Fred™ - a highly-anticipated action-adventure title debuting on PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) later this year - and, under the Monkey Bar Games moniker, the Flushed Away™ game based on the film from DreamWorks Animation and Aardman. The team also oversaw the conversion of Infinite Interactive’s massively success Puzzle Quest to PSP® (PlayStation®Portable).
“Having worked with D3PA for the past few years, we know the company shares our passion for creative excellence and our commitment to quality,” said Eric Peterson, president, Vicious Cycle Software. “We’re thrilled to become a part of D3PA and we look forward to contributing our creative talents to D3PA’s portfolio of innovative games.”
In the new ownership structure, Eric Peterson will remain president and Wayne Harvey will remain vice president of Vicious Cycle Software. The company’s 50-person development team will remain in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Financial terms of the transaction will not be disclosed.
