Finally, some better news for UK-based developer Free Radical, while Canadian developer Action Pants is also sitting a bit prettier.

After Free Radical (Time Splitters, Haze) went into administration late last year, and was put up for sale and forced to reduce its staff count by 140 people early this year, it’s been revealed that German developer, Crytek (Far Cry, Crysis), has acquired the now 40-employee strong Free Radical.

This would now be the fourth studio Crytek owns, with operations in the Ukraine, Hungary, Bulgaria, not counting their own Frankfurt headquarters.

Additionally in acquisition news, Ubisoft has acquired Action Pants, a 110-employee strong developer based out of Vancounver. With studios in Canada’s Montreal and Quebec provinces, Ubisoft has been eyeing Vancouver for some time, as executive director of worldwide production studios at Ubisoft, Christine Burgess-Quemard, says:

“We have been looking closely at Vancouver for some time, as we wished to set up a presence in what is one of the industry’s biggest talent pools. The creative talent at Action Pants made the decision an easy one, and we are delighted to both establish ourselves in the region as well as welcome a fantastic group of experienced developers who can start exchanging with our other teams worldwide.”

Action Pants co-founder and executive partner, Simon Andrews added; “We are very excited about this opportunity, and how it will benefit our studio. Action Pants and Ubisoft share very similar values and we are confident that this synergy will provide all of our staff with new and exciting opportunities, as well as resources that will benefit all of our future products.”