Moore Kingston Smith advises Wushu Studios on sale to Keywords Studios

Moore Kingston Smith Corporate Finance has advised Wushu Studios, a leading video game development company, on its sale to Keywords Studios plc, a technical and creative services provider to the global video games and entertainment industries.

Wushu Studios is a video game development company based in Liverpool. Founded in 2017, initially as an original IP studio before transitioning to a work-for-hire model, Wushu Studios provides a range of services to high-profile publishers and developers on co-development and full-development projects.

Keywords Studios is a Dublin-based company, founded in 1998 that provides services to companies within the global video game industry. These services include producing trailers, voiceovers, sound mixing and visual effects, and translating in-game text. Since their establishment, they have worked with major companies in the industry such as Microsoft and Activision Blizzard.

The Moore Kingston Smith Media Corporate Finance team was led by Paul Winterflood, Partner and Head of Media M&A, and Ryan McCormack, Manager. They were supported by the M&A tax team that included David Coates, Partner, and Sam Talbot, Assistant Manager, who provided tax advice on the deal.

Alan McDermott, CEO and Founder of Wushu Studios says: “I was very impressed with how capable and reliable the team at Moore Kingston Smith was. From the outset, they made us feel like we were their only client. Their commitment to transparency and attention to detail made navigating complex areas of the deal a smooth and manageable experience. They were constantly available and continually went above and beyond to help, which made us feel like we were in safe, capable hands throughout.”

Paul Winterflood, Corporate Finance Partner and Head of Media M&A at Moore Kingston Smith commented: “It has been a pleasure working with Alan and Wushu Studios throughout this deal. They are an innovative company in a very exciting sector and we look forward to seeing Wushu Studios grow as a part of Keywords Studios.”