MUMBAI: Video game publisher Ubisoft has acquired India’s gaming studio called Gameloft, which is based in Pune.

Established end of 2006, the studio has a team of 120 developers and testers who will initially focus on porting titles to handheld consoles and reinforcing Ubisoft’s testing teams. The goal is to become 200-people strong in 12 months time and to reach a team of 500 in the coming years.

"Following on the recent announcement of our new Singapore studio, this acquisition will reinforce Ubisoft’s presence in Asia and the southeast region in particular. India has a promising future in the videogame industry and this is an opportunity for us to establish ourselves in the country," said Ubisoft executive director, worldwide studios Christine Burgess-Quémard.

The operation is subject to normal closing conditions and is expected to close during the first quarter of the 2008-09 fiscal year.