Amazon is set to buy California-based video game studio Double Helix, fuelling speculation that the online retail titan plans to release its own console for home entertainment.
Amazon did not disclose financial terms of the deal to acquire Southern California-based Double Helix Games, which was born of a merger between Shiny Entertainment and The Collective.
"Amazon has acquired Double Helix as part of our ongoing commitment to build innovative games for customers," a company spokeswoman said in an email.
The studio's history dates back nearly two decades, and it has created titles for play on major video game consoles as well as on personal computers.
"We have a track record for delivering high-profile projects based upon blockbuster franchises," Double Helix said at it website.
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The studio recently announced a Killer Instinct game for play on Microsoft's Xbox One consoles.
By adding a game maker to its studio that already encompasses the production of TV content, Amazon is ramping up talk it will weigh into living rooms with its own console tailored to showcase its content, possibly using the Google Android operating system.
Microsoft and Sony both worked hard with blockbuster game makers to have titles ready to hit the market with their new consoles.
While much is made of rivalry between Microsoft and Sony, the evolution of consoles into digital home entertainment systems means competition from devices such as Roku boxes or even Google's inexpensive Chromecast gadget for easily streaming internet content to television screens.
