Epic Games, the studio behind Fortnite, has acquired Kamu, a firm that specializes in security and player management in ongoing online games. The cost of the acquisition has yet to be disclosed.
Kamu's services include but are not limited to multiplayer game management, game security, and anti-cheat measures. Twelve years ago, the company developed Easy Anti-Cheat, a proactive anti-cheat client that was used in many Counterstrike tournaments. The Helsinki-based company has worked with Epic and at least 53 other studios, per their website.
To date, the firm has provided its live services to more than 80 online multiplayer games. More than 122 million gamers use these services. Despite the acquisition, Kamu plans to continue working with other companies outside Epic.
The new partnership works both ways. Kamu will continue to provide its anti-cheating technology to Fortnite, which Epic needs considering it's no stranger to cheaters. Contrarily, Epic will provide resources to Kamu, building the firm up as a new base to recruit more talent.
"Building and launching games today is incredibly challenging, and only half the battle," said Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games. "Kamu's tools for managing live games help developers grow and sustain their games successfully after launch."
For Kamu, a company built by people who like to play video games, joining Epic Games is a big step. CEO of Kamu, Simon Allaeys, released the following statement on the partnership.
Joining the Epic family is not only a childhood dream come true, but a huge boost for our mission to help developers create beautiful gaming experiences, battling cheating in games was just the start; today our products also help developers stay competitive by identifying player needs as quickly as they emerge.In more lighthearted Fortnite news, Epic recently had to patch out a bug that caused unintentional breast physics at the start of Season 6.
What are your thoughts on Epic buying out a firm used by other studios to manage multiplayer games? Let us know in the comments below!
