Amazon acquires Killer Instinct dev Double Helix

Techcrunch is reporting that Amazon has acquired Double Helix Games, developer of Microsoft’s Xbox One exclusive, Killer Instinct.

The deal is for the studio talent and its IP. Amazon says this is part of its “ongoing commitment to build innovative games for customers.”

Double Helix Games has a history stretching back 20 years, being formed by the merger of Shiny Entertainment (Earthworm Jim, MDK, Sacrifice) and The Collective.

Aside from Killer Instinct, the most notable Double Helix games are Silent Hill: Homecoming and Front Mission Evolved. The studio is also known for doing movie tie-ins, such as GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters, and Battleship.

Amazon now seems intent on cracking into the gaming space, and the rumours continue that the company is working on its own Android gaming console.

Amazon has already established its own dev house, Amazon Game Studios, but has not produced anything noteworthy. The Double Helix acquisition could be a strong step in the right gaming direction.