Ubisoft acquires Trials studio

Ubisoft has bagged some big game. Today, the publisher announced that it has acquired RedLynx, the Finnish development house behind the Trials series of physics-based motorcycle games.

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot explained the motivation for the pickup in a statement, saying, "Their expertise in asynchronous online games and physics-based game mechanics provides us with a great opportunity to bring their powerful brands, most notably Trials, to an even broader range of fast-growing digital platforms."

To date, the Trials series has only appeared on Xbox Live Arcade and the PC, although RedLynx also develops games on WiiWare and the iOS. The studio has also previously worked on the DS, PSP, and mobile phones, including Nokia's N-gage.

Ubisoft has spent years building its expertise in online gaming, in many cases through acquisition. Since 2009, the publisher has acquired TrackMania developer Nadeo, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood multiplayer middleware maker Quazal, and freemium specialist Owlient. The publisher has also committed some of its biggest franchises to the online market, with The Settlers, Might and Magic, and Ghost Recon all being given microtransaction-driven treatments.

For more on RedLynx's current project, check out GameSpot's previous coverage of Trials Evolution.