Ubisoft announced today that it has concluded an agreement to acquire the Japanese video game development studio Digital Kids. Digital Kids has worked regularly for a number of Japanese publishers and has developed several successful titles for Ubisoft's Petz line of games, including Hamsterz Life.

"When it comes to Nintendo DS games, Digital Kids has demonstrated a leading knowledge that has resulted in creative animal simulation titles that appeal to Japanese and Western audiences alike, which is quite rare," declared Yves Guillemot, chief executive officer of Ubisoft. "This acquisition attests to Ubisoft's capacity to establish successful partnerships in new territories and reinforces its advance on casual games."

"It is an honor to become part of Ubisoft, one of the world's leading video game publishers," declared Masahito Hasegawa, president of Digital Kids. "I am truly looking forward to using our experience to develop games that will be enjoyed by players all over the globe."