Facial animation tech company Image Metrics has acquired Big Stage, creator of the avatar creation platform Portable You. Big Stage's tech lets users translate photos of themselves into 3D animated characters for use in virtual worlds, video clips and online communities. Image Metrics says it'll merge that avatar creation platform into its existing animation tech to create a new product suite to launch in the second half of this year. The company says the merger will help its licensees integrate more realistic avatars into consumer-facing projects. "Their advanced yet easy-to-use avatar creation technology is the perfect platform to package with our facial animation technology for a complete life-like digital solution for both consumers and developers alike," commented Image Metrics CEO Robert Gehorsam. Image Metrics will also sell Portable You separately on a direct-to-consumer basis, it says. Image Metrics specializes in 3D facial animation for film, television and games. It counts Rockstar, 2K Sports, Microsoft, EA, Ubisoft and many more among its clients. It's headquartered in Santa Monica and has a research and development office in Manchester, UK.
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