Unity, the business behind the game design platform of the same name, has announced its plans to acquire Parsec.
Unity announced the acquisition in a press release yesterday on its website. Parsec is a remote desktop streaming platform that rose to popularity during last year’s coronavirus lockdown. The app allows developers and gamers to remotely access desktops over the internet. Unity will acquire the developer for £231million ($320million), making it the biggest acquisition for the company to date.
EA, Blizzard, Ubisoft and Square Enix all use Parsec, which allows employees to access workstations from home. Game design requires complex PC components, which could be logistically difficult to move into each employee’s home. Parsec allows employees to continue working from home as they normally would.
Parsec initially launched in 2016, focusing on allowing gamers to access their PC from less powerful devices. The software is also commonly used by games who want to play split-screen video games over an internet connection. Parsec emulates a second physical controller through the cloud, allowing players to coop games like Enter The Gungeon and Cuphead over an internet connection.
Unity senior vice president Marc Whitten spoke with TechCrunch earlier this week about the acquisition: “We believe that, more and more, creators will need to be able to work anywhere. They’re going to work in groups that are dispersed by distance, or they’re going to be in a hybrid environment where they might be working in the office sometimes and at home sometimes.”
“I think that’s going to mean that those creators are going to need to have access to the power they need on the glass that they have wherever they are. Parsec is a great example of a company that has just deeply innovated in that space,” added Whitten.
Parsec could just be the start of Unity’s push into streaming services, as Whitten called the acquisition a “foundational block” for the business’ cloud ambitions. As one of the biggest game development platforms in the industry, this push into cloud gaming will further embed Unity as a key part of the video game development industry.
Elsewhere, a new fan-made The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild mod emulates the game at 8K resolution, as well as adding a ray-tracing reshade and better depth of field.
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