SIDE to acquire interactive music and sound studio Vibe Avenue for $1.46M

SIDE, a member of the PTW brand family, has agreed to acquire the acclaimed interactive music and sound studio, Vibe Avenue for $1.46 million. The Montreal-based studio will undergo a rebranding as SIDE Montreal, expanding SIDE’s audio service offerings to encompass sound design, music composition, and soundtrack production. 

“At PTW, a key component to our growth strategy is bringing on best-in-class talent and continually expanding our service offerings – this acquisition checks both boxes,” said Deborah Kirkham, CEO of PTW. “Not only does Vibe Avenue have some of the best audio talent in the industry, but we can now offer clients new sound design capabilities we didn’t previously have. I look forward to welcoming everyone from Vibe Avenue into the PTW family as SIDE Montreal.”

As part of the acquisition, the founders Mathieu Lavoie and François-Xavier Dupas will assume roles within SIDE Montreal: Mathieu Lavoie as the Senior Director and François-Xavier Dupas as the Creative Director of Music & Sound. Both will report to Olivier Deslandes, Senior Vice President of Audio and Speech Technology.

Founded in 2013 by Mathieu Lavoie and François-Xavier Dupas, Vibe Avenue currently has a team of 17, including composers, sound designers, voice experts, production specialists, and other talented artists. Over the past decade, the studio has collaboratively engaged with renowned companies like SEGA, Square Enix, Norsfell, Marvel, Wizards of the Coast, and others, contributing its creative expertise to some of the most iconic franchises in the industry.

“We’re thrilled to join an industry leader like PTW and add our talents to their audio division – this match brings together the best of both worlds, resources and scale alongside talent and new services,” said Lavoie. “I’m excited to see what sort of magic we can make together at SIDE for our clients,” continued Dupas.