Business Wire

PTW Announces Business Acquisition of LA-Based Art Powerhouse, 5518 Studios

11.2.2021 17:00:00 EET | Business Wire | Press release

Share

PTW continues on their mission to be the go-to partner for innovation in the games industry with the business acquisition of premier art studio 5518 Studios. The industry-leading video games and tech services outsourcer announced their business acquisition of Los Angeles-based 5518 Studios; PTW is a long-time industry leader with an established and diverse dossier of top-tier clients and nearly 3 decades of experience in the games industry. PTW’s work spans across all platforms and all genres.

5518’s expertise ranges from high-quality concept & illustration art to character modeling & animation, along with everything in-between; PTW’s expansion ensures a greater range of skills, depth of talent, and overall expertise for their partners across the globe. Today’s announcement is an exciting step forward in PTW’s mission to provide full end-to-end co-development services to partners in the growing global games industry.

“Our mission is to revolutionize the digital entertainment sphere; adding 5518 to our team enables us to be one of the top development studios in the world. We will merge our existing game development brand- Orange Rock Studios- with 5518 under one name; our new brand will be perfectly poised to work alongside top-notch developers and publishers, building the best games & digital experiences around the world,” said Kasturi Rangan, Chief Product Officer of PTW. “When it comes to game development, we will now be a one-stop shop for external partnerships,” Rangan concluded.

PTW will be merging both Orange Rock and 5518 under a new name- 1518 Studios. The new brand will have a much stronger offering encompassing art, end-end game development, live ops, porting, product development, and staff augmentation (across Mobile, PC & Console). Michael Casalino, CEO and Co-founder of 5518 Studios added, “Our values and mission align so well with those of PTW; we each believe in strong relationships built on trust, passion, good communication, and high-quality games services.” 5518 COO and CO-founder Maxim Miheyenko concluded, “We are so excited to join the PTW family of brands.”

PTW CEO Deborah Kirkham concluded, “We are happy to welcome 5518 Studios and our new teams in Los Angeles, St. Petersburg, and Moscow to the PTW family. Expanding our global presence in the games industry is an important step in our mission of providing the best talent and the best technology to our partners around the world. Michael, Maxim, and their teams provide a level of expertise and energy which we can’t wait to bring to our partners.”

About PTW

PTW is a leading games, digital entertainment and interactive media solutions provider with 35 offices in 11 countries worldwide. Our range of services include quality assurance, localization, customer experience, engineering and development services, and audio production services. PTW brings nearly 3 decades of experience and the infrastructure to create customized support for projects and clients of all sizes.

PTW, comprised of global subsidiaries, is a UK-based holding company formed in 2016 under the umbrella of Poletowin Pitcrew Holdings, Inc. which is listed on the 1st Section of Tokyo Stock Exchange as 3657. POLE TO WIN is a registered trademark of Pole To Win Co., Ltd. in Japan and other countries. All rights reserved. For more information, visit https://www.ptw.com/

The PTW group includes SIDE, 1518 Studios, Entalize, The Game Dev Show, and OR Esports.

Stay connected with PTW on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.

Contact information

For queries related to PTW, please email:
Media Contacts:
Kaley Hurst
415-521-8709
Kaley.hurst@ptw.com

About Business Wire

For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.

Subscribe to releases from Business Wire

Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Latest releases from Business Wire

ProcureTEX Returns for Its Second Year, Bringing AI and Best-of-Breed Procurement Technology to Amsterdam14.10.2026 19:26:00 EEST | Press release

ProcureTEX, the community-driven event for best-of-breed procurement technology, returns for its second year on November 3, 2026, at Circa in Amsterdam. Following its London debut in 2025, the event sharpens its focus on how AI is reshaping procurement. It will bring together over 250 procurement leaders and digital transformation teams from large enterprises, with vetted best-of-breed technology providers, to see AI agents and interoperable tools working together on real enterprise challenges. Co-founded by Beroe, Keelvar and Zip, the event is built on the belief that the future of procurement isn’t a monolithic all-in-one suite, but an ecosystem of best-of-breed tools working together. It is designed for procurement and enterprise leaders seeking scalable, modern solutions, whether they’re driving transformation, frustrated with outdated tools, or looking to connect with peers solving similar problems and putting AI to work. Renowned technology analyst and former Andreessen Horowitz

eM Client 11 Launches: A European Outlook Alternative Bringing AI Freedom, Digital Sovereignty, and Next-Generation Productivity14.10.2026 19:16:00 EEST | Press release

eM Client, the European developer of the popular email and productivity application used by millions worldwide, today announced the release of eM Client 11, its most significant update yet. The new version introduces advanced AI capabilities, and major productivity improvements, strengthening its position as an independent alternative to Microsoft Outlook. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261014945464/en/ eM Client 11 main window AI Without Vendor Lock-In eM Client 11 introduces a powerful AI Assistant that enables users to search, summarize, organize, and manage emails using natural language. Additional features include personalized AI writing, context-aware quick replies, automatic task and event detection, and AI-powered email rules. Unlike traditional AI integrations, eM Client 11 supports Bring Your Own Key (BYOK), allowing organizations to connect compatible AI providers and models of their choice. The re

iQmetrix and Stratus HR Partner to Give Wireless Retailers a Complete, Outsourced HR Department14.10.2026 18:15:00 EEST | Press release

Stratus HR, a full-service human resources outsourcing provider, today announced a partnership with iQmetrix, the Intelligent Commerce Operating System for telecom. As a Professional Employer Organization (PEO), Stratus HR becomes the complete, outsourced HR partner for wireless retailers on iQmetrix – payroll, benefits, compliance, and on-call HR experts – so retail teams stay focused on selling and serving customers. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261014178512/en/ Fully integrated with iQmetrix, Stratus HR’s custom-built technology connects the employee lifecycle to the store: new hires, terminations, rehires, position moves, and security-role updates flow straight into the point of sale (POS), while hours flow from the retailer’s iQmetrix system into payroll – eliminating double entry and pay errors, so every paycheck is accurate and every new hire hits the floor faster. Frontline teams get enterprise-leve

New Study Brings Ketogenic Therapy for Bipolar Disorder Directly to Rural Alabama Homes14.10.2026 18:00:00 EEST | Press release

Baszucki Group today announced funding for a clinical study to examine the impact of ketogenic therapy on people living with bipolar disorder in rural Central Alabama. This study, led by researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine Montgomery Regional Campus, will partner with Heart of Alabama Food Bank (HAFB), sourcing Alabama-raised meats and produce to introduce metabolic psychiatry to a region characterized by a high prevalence of serious mental illness and severe shortages in psychiatric care. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261014955753/en/ A new study led by Will Rutland of UAB Montgomery and funded by Baszucki Group aims to improve access to psychiatric treatment in rural areas. By partnering with a local food bank, researchers will evaluate both the psychiatric and metabolic effects of ketogenic therapy alongside existing treatment modalities for people with bipol

Ant International Obtains Key Licenses from the Central Bank of the UAE to Support Digital Payments in the AI Era14.10.2026 17:32:00 EEST | Press release

Ant International, a leading global provider of digital payments and financial technology, has secured a Retail Payment Services and Card Schemes (Category II) (RPSCS) license and Stored Value Facilities (SVF) license from the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE), aligning with the UAE’s broader agenda for innovation and digital transformation in the financial sector. “The RPSCS and SVF licenses mark a crucial milestone in Ant International’s efforts to support the UAE’s fintech ecosystem, aligning with the nation’s ‘We are UAE 2031’ digitalisation and fintech strategy,” said Leiming Chen, Chief Sustainability Officer and Senior Vice President of Ant International. “In accordance with the applicable CBUAE regulatory framework, we look forward to launching AI-powered global payment and account solutions to make cross-border payments and financial management more accessible." Obtaining the RPSCS license is an important step towards Antom, a leading merchant payment and digitisation services p

In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.

Visit our pressroom
World GlobeA line styled icon from Orion Icon Library.HiddenA line styled icon from Orion Icon Library.Eye