Activision, the video game publisher responsible for the Call of Duty series, has opened Elsewhere Entertainment Studio based in Poland that will focus on a narrative-based AAA franchise.
The team at the new studio is now hard at work in creating a brand new narrative-based intellectual property. Elsewhere Entertainment is an internal studio owned by Activision, which is part of Activision Blizzard and itself part of Microsoft Xbox.
Activision Opens Elsewhere Entertainment Studio
(Photo : Activision, Elsewhere Entertainment / Screenshot taken from official blog)
While there is not much information on what kind of game the new studio is working on, it was said that it is not part of the Call of Duty universe. The news also comes as Microsoft recently decided to shut down three studios last week and merge a fourth with a different team.
Despite Elsewhere Entertainment Studio being based in Poland, it has additional resources in the United States. Activision said that the new studio is solely focused on creating the brand new narrative-based and genre-defining AAA franchise, according to VentureBeat.
Activision also noted that Elsewhere Entertainment was built from the ground up and is a premier and standalone studio. The company said that it was dedicated to establishing an environment that inspires bold and diverse ideas.
It also noted that the new studio's team has the underlying mission of encouraging everyone to explore and collaborate creatively in order to craft a franchise with an enduring legacy that resonates far beyond just video games.
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The team working at Elsewhere Entertainment Studio consists of various storytelling experts whose credits include The Last of Us, Uncharted, The Witcher, Cyberpunk, Destiny, Tom Clancy's The Division, and Far Cry. Activision has not revealed the founders of the new studio just yet and the team is still hiring new members.
Activision's opening of Elsewhere Entertainment Studio stands out in the gaming industry that has been plagued by layoffs and closures. Activision Blizzard was also affected by recent layoffs in the early part of the year, with Blizzard being affected more, said IGN.
A New Narrative-Based AAA Franchise
Despite the news of the studio's opening and the team members that are included, there is no information on when its game will be released. However, based on existing development timelines, it is highly likely to take a few years before becoming available.
Activision also said that Elsewhere Entertainment Studio will have full access to its resources and tools as it continues to increase production and development.
The company added that the new studio was opening its search for best-in-class talent from across the industry as well as around the world. This is all part of efforts to help create a state-of-the-art and next-generation gaming experience for players to enjoy.
While development of the new game has apparently been underway for quite some time now, the latest news is the first public mention of the new studio and its project. This means that it was most likely unaffected by the recent studio closures that Microsoft conducted.
What it seems to be is just pure coincidence that reflects a rather ugly indifference to the human cost that is the result of a year and a half of brutal cuts and closures. These were supposedly made in pursuit of a marginally better bottom line, according to PCGamer.
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