Razer, a global lifestyle brand for gamers, has acquired the majority of the assets of THX Ltd. and brought onboard the management and employees of the company. THX will continue to operate as an independent entity under its own management and apart from the ongoing business of its parent company. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed, which was announced on October 17, 2016.
The acquisition follows an active growing period for THX, which in recent months expanded its certification program to live entertainment and concert experiences. Under the new ownership, THX will maintain its core mission – to provide quality entertainment experiences in the cinema, in the home and on the go – while simultaneously being propelled into new categories in order to address evolving consumer needs.
THX certification programs are an assurance to consumers of uncompromised quality, as well as best-in-class performance and consistency, in order to truthfully deliver the artist’s vision to audiences around the globe. The THX certification program has since expanded to audio electronics, non-Internet-connected speakers, TVs, projectors, automotive audio systems and live entertainment. Moving forward, THX will focus on the expansion of its current certification program to include new technologies, such as immersive audio and HDR, and the introduction of whole new programs, such as headphone certification and, in the future, Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality experiences and their enabling devices.
“For over 30 years, THX has maintained a proud legacy of being one of the leaders in audio technology and certification worldwide,” said Laurie Fincham, senior vice president of Audio Research and Development at THX. “With their focus on quality, design and innovation, Razer supports our vision to optimize and deliver the best audiovisual experiences to audiences worldwide.”
Razer Co-Founder and CEO Min-Liang Tan said, “Razer has a vision for innovation at every level of entertainment, a vision which THX has championed since its inception more than 30 years ago. This acquisition will allow us to reinforce Razer’s leadership in gaming and extend the brand into broader areas of entertainment, while at the same time empowering THX to develop into a global powerhouse, independently.”
“Our focus has always been on ensuring that anyone can experience high quality entertainment, regardless of their medium of choice. With Razer, we can now continue to strengthen our core lines of business while delivering excellence for our customers’ ever-changing needs,” said Ty Ahmad-Taylor, CEO of THX. “As a standalone company, THX will work with Razer but will primarily continue to service our partners in the industry in order to deliver great products to consumers.”
About THX:
Founded by legendary filmmaker George Lucas in 1983, THX and its partners provide premium entertainment experiences in the cinema, in the home and on the go. Over the past thirty years, THX has expanded its certification categories past studios and cinemas to consumer electronics, content, automotive systems and THX Live!, a live-entertainment certification program that premiered at Beyoncé’s 2016 Formation World Tour. Today, THX continues to redefine entertainment, providing assurance of superior quality and high performance experiences that guarantee an artist’s vision is truthfully delivered to audiences worldwide.
About Razer:
Founded in 2005, Razer is backed by Intel Capital, IDG-Accel and Heliconia Capital Management (Heliconia), a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore investment company Temasek. Razer’s award-winning design and technology include an array of user interface and systems devices, voice-over IP for gamers and a cloud platform for customizing and enhancing gaming devices.
