FremantleMedia (The Price is Right, Family Feud, American Idol) is expanding its entertainment footprint by upping its existing stake in Montreal-based game company Ludia, which will see the IP owner’s stake raised to 80% by the end of the year.

The majority stake agreement won’t have any effect on Ludia’s current managing team or any third-party partnerships, and is also part of Fremantle’s bigger plan to increase its TV business through new entertainment models.

Fremantle had previously owned a 29% stake in the Montreal studio and this recent deal saw the purchase of another 51%. The two have worked together for the last couple of years on a number of titles for console, PC, iPhone and iPad based on Fremantle’s popular game show properties.

“Interactive gaming is an important way for FremantleMedia to diversify and this will increase our expertise and capability in this area, allowing both companies to develop even more successful consumer-facing entertainment across multiple platforms,” said FremantleMedia CEO Tony Cohen in a statement.

Ludia president and founder Alex Thabet adds that the company is looking to build on Fremantle’s global network to expand its client base through new channels.

The move appears to have come on the heels of Endemol UK (Big Brother, Deal or No Deal) announcing last week that it was launching new division Endemol Games to create titles based on its TV properties, along with original IPs.