Ubisoft to offer movie-like visual effects

French games publisher Ubisoft has announced plans to feature movie-like visual effects in future releases, revealing it has just taken over Montreal-based studio Hybride Technologies.

Ubisoft claims its buyout of Hybride, the company behind the visual effects seen in movies 300 and Sin City, will allow it to "offer gamers visual experiences that rival those of the cinema".

Discussing the deal, Yves Guillemot, chief executive officer at Ubisoft, said: "The future of our industry depends on our ability to create brands that captivate audiences and to extend those brands to other forms of entertainment.

“The acquisition of Hybride falls directly into the strategy that has already led us to open a digital creation studio in Montreal and to acquire the Tom Clancy brand for video games and ancillary products. The exceptional quality of the team at Hybride and the expertise of our Ubisoft teams will allow us to create one of the best 3D animation studios in the entertainment industry.”

In March, Ubisoft announced plans to produce its own Tom Clancy movies.