AMSTERDAM (REUTERS) - Sony's wholly owned gaming division said on Friday (Dec 10) it had agreed to buy God Of War co-developer Valkyrie Entertainment for an undisclosed amount, as it seeks to add more muscle to its PlayStation Studios.

The deal marks Sony Interactive Entertainment's fifth acquisition this year, following its buying of Nixxes Software, Returnal developer Housemarque, Bluepoint Games and Firesprite.

People had turned to video games for entertainment during last year's lockdowns, sparking a boom that is yet to slow down despite schools reopening and COVID-19 restrictions easing.

Seattle-based Valkyrie, which also makes other popular titles such as Twisted Metal and inFamous and has also worked on the Forza Motorsport franchise, will continue to be run by its current management team.

Mr Hermen Hurst, the head of PlayStation Studios, said in a tweet that Valkyrie would be making "invaluable contributions" to the division's franchises.