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[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

A new AAA studio has launched, composed of industry veterans from EA, Sony, Blizzard, Disney, Apple, and Google.

Founded in October 2023, Muddy Robot Games is led by former International Game Developers Association president Chris Hood.

Hood has over three decades of experience in the entertainment and gaming industries, having co-founded Blind Squirrel Games in 2009 and worked as head of digital strategy and innovation at Google from 2018 to March 2023.

"We aim to return to the fun of games, empower developers to take risks, and bring the players along for the ride," said Hood.

"The gaming industry became what it is today because of its willingness to explore new ideas and innovate. We want to reignite that developer passion for creativity."

Muddy Robot is planning a pipeline of original titles, and aims to integrate technology made in-house with its games.

New AAA studio Muddy Robot launches

A new AAA studio has launched, composed of industry veterans from EA, Sony, Blizzard, Disney, Apple, and Google.Founded…

www.gamesindustry.biz

 

[sloppyjoe_gamer]

"Industry Veterans" and Apple, Disney and Google do not belong in the same sentence.

 

[ReBurn]

Hopefully this studio survives.

 

[adamsapple]

Let's hope this isn't another Deviation Games.

 

[Angry_Megalodon]

This joke was funny the first time.

 

[clarky]

Hopefully this studio survives.

When youve got the head of strategy and innovation from Google at the wheel what could go wrong?

 

[MiguelItUp]

I always loved seeing new studios appearing but after the demise of some we've seen over the year or so, that feeling doesn't really linger anymore.

 

[ReBurn]

When youve got the head of strategy and innovation from Google at the wheel what could go wrong?

With the long list of dead innovations in the Google graveyard I have the utmost confidence that this venture will be a rousing success.

 

[Toots]

If i had to board the "new studio with lots of veteran talents of the industry" grift that seems all the rage nowdays, here's what i'd do :
I find a few names to associate to the project (Sony Santa Monica handyman, Obsidian cultural enrichment vp, Nintendo japan toilet attendant, doesn't matter really), find some money laudering hedge fund in need of expenses, get funded for a year or so, do nothing and pay myself handsomely, and when it's time for the yearly appraisal i'll just say i hit a dead end and won't be able to produce any game, close the studio, and do it again a few month later when i need money.

 

[Robb]

A new AAA studio has launched, composed of industry veterans

 

[Holammer]

Have a drink every time you see a new studio with ex Valve or Nintendo people.
You will get thirsty.

 

[Varteras]

Let's hope this isn't another Deviation Games.

Or they don't get bought out and laid off 3 months later.

 

[Chuck Berry]

Nah they'll be fine once they get all that DEI money

Muddy Baby Inc

 

[FoxMcChief]

So they’re a AAA studio with absolutely no catalog?

 

[lh032]

 

[EverydayBeast]

Effective use of a company name generator.

 

[Arsic]

AAA? Why not quadruple!?

 

[Topher]

EA, Sony, Blizzard, Disney, Apple, and Google

 

[Sanepar]

Yeah to close in 2 years

 

[Varteras]

AAA? Why not quadruple!?

Why stop there? Why not quintuple? Or my favorite... sextuple??

 

[Arsic]

Why stop there? Why not quintuple? Or my favorite... sextuple??

 

[R3TRO]

They’ll be gone by two years.

 

[kikkis]

Where is the risk if devs absolutely love their innovative game mechanics they have developed? You would think delivering some stale shit into market would be much riskier.

 

[StereoVsn]

Yeah to close in 2 years

You are being quite optimistic there. 1 year seems to be the ongoing target.

 

[Magic Carpet]

I remember way way way back when The Initiative was formed and speculation just blew up. Then the air just kind of let out with a squeak.

 

[Evolved1]

Will they even show a game before they close?

 

[Audiophile]

Who the hell is naming these new studios popping up?

Branding matters and nearly every new studio I see has the most flaky, forgettable names you could think off. I appreciate a little whimsy but it's like they're just pulling a bunch of random words out of a hat at this point.

 

[Heisenberg007]

Or they don't get bought out and laid off 3 months later.

Or they set out to make a AAAA game and instead end up outsourcing their game to a struggling studio

 

[Varteras]

Or they set out to make a AAAA game and instead end up outsourcing their game to a struggling studio

 

[Laptop1991]

Will it last and will any games be released though. these studios launch all the time, then shut down.

 

[NickFire]

No studio should be calling itself AAA until they have launched a game generally considered AAA.

 

[cireza]

Awesome.

So, what team building events are planned ?

 

[Chuck Berry]

Disney, Apple and Google...

 

[Varteras]

Awesome.

So, what team building events are planned ?

Underwater basket weaving

 

[Werewolf Jones]

More goons for Sweet Baby Inc?

 

[Varteras]

No studio should be calling itself AAA until they have launched a game generally considered AAA.

But then how will they attract talent? I mean, they could make a website that shows nothing but college campus activities and sells merch from a company yet to make a name for itself. Right up the alley of the sea of rejects flooding the talent pool in the industry. Worked wonders for that one studio.

 

[Salty Popsicle]

The studio's Twitter/X posts in the next few months showing how tight the employees are...

 

[SportsFan581]

Eventually one of these new studios will release something great. Sometimes some of the most interesting projects are the ones that get released early on. Every new startup is another chance at that.

 

[Randall365]

Crikey - the people behind the WWE2K18 Switch Port teaming up with the ones who presided over Google Stadium - exciting times.

 

[Švejk]

Sounds like a a horrible colab... Muddy seems appropriate.. sounds like a bunch of ass-pirates using whatever devices, while sweet baby sits in a corner to watch.

 

[CamHostage]

No studio should be calling itself AAA until they have launched a game generally considered AAA.

AAA isn't a matter of being "considered" that designation; it's an industry term for the scale of a production and the technology investment (albeit tech level is a rather useless concept in the days of free engines/tools like Unreal, Unity, Blender, etc, but you still need highly skilled talent to use these tools well.)

AAA (video game industry) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

One could argue that a studio can't call itself capable of AAA production until it has secured the funding to actually produce and operate with staffing at that level, but it's not like we know what seed money and operating cost a start-up is working with anyway. The company stating its intended production scope for its initial production pitch has its purpose in that it outlines the business plan for interested employees and investors, so it does its job. (That said, in this game market, it's never a promise that a start-up will secure the runway to release a product at the level they initially pitch, if they get to launch a product at all as time goes on.)

Either way, "AAA" is not a metric of the final game quality.

 

[SmokedMeat]

Employees from Google, Apple, EA, and Blizzard are going to take us back to when games were fun with original and creative games?

 

[semiconscious]

serious question: what was the last successful 'aaa studio composed of industry veterans'?...

 

[LiquidMetal14]

All this fluff means nothing. Look at the Coalition and see how much hope all the talent has garnered. The answer is zero until further notice.

I hope they do get to make the game they want but I'm not cynical than ever on unproven commodities.

 

[Hudo]

I will laugh my ass off when they announce some sort of multiplayer-focused live-service game.

 

[NickFire]

AAA isn't a matter of being "considered" that designation; it's an industry term for the scale of a production and the technology investment (albeit tech level is a rather useless concept in the days of free engines/tools like Unreal, Unity, Blender, etc, but you still need highly skilled talent to use these tools well.)

AAA (video game industry) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

One could argue that a studio can't call itself capable of AAA production until it has secured the funding to actually produce and operate with staffing at that level, but it's not like we know what seed money and operating cost a start-up is working with anyway. The company stating its intended production scope for its initial production pitch has its purpose in that it outlines the business plan for interested employees and investors, so it does its job. (That said, in this game market, it's never a promise that a start-up will secure the runway to release a product at the level they initially pitch, if they get to launch a product at all as time goes on.)

Either way, "AAA" is not a metric of the final game quality.

I don't care what Wikipedia says. Make a AAA game then call yourself an AAA studio in my book.

 

[CamHostage]

I don't care what Wikipedia says. Make a AAA game then call yourself an AAA studio in my book.

It's not just what Wikipedia says; it's what every videogame producer and venture capitalist would say about a start-up studio of a certain scale and scope.
That's what the term means, in any book which officially defines the term.

...The problem is simply that places like GAF include the term "AAA" when citing posts from industry blogs. We should stop.

These posts aren't intended for us gamers; there's no game to be be played, and won't be for years, AAA or otherwise. These are shop-talk posts. The news itself may be interesting for those of us who like to know about industry trends, so these posts show up here, but even then, "AAA" tells those of us studio-watchers very little about a studio. A tennis or kids game can be "AAA" in production scope. However, "AAA" somehow slipped out into the public back in the Next Gen Mag days as a value gamers could/should care about (back when budget-busters like the Final Fantasies and MGSes and GTAs were redefining the industry,) and it's no good. Gamers like you seeing the term "AAA" triggers a want to know more about this studio and its projects, which only sets you up for disappointment, because they'll have nothing for you for a long time. (if ever.) Instead of screens and trailers, you get jargon pitch statements such as "Muddy Robot Games boasts a vibrant pipeline of original game titles alongside cutting-edge technologies in Artificial Intelligence (AI), User-Generated Content (UGC), and commerce platforms." That's not hype, that's biz.

Just say, "Muddy Robot, a new studio composed of industry veterans from EA, Sony, Blizzard, Disney, Apple, and Google, has launched".

Drop the As, it's easier.

 

[Rat Rage]

"We aim to return to the fun of games, empower developers to take risks, and bring the players along for the ride," said Hood.

Yeah right. How many times have I heard this shit. Show me your games (in a couple of years) and we shall see...

 

[squidilix]

 

[Chuck Berry]

Yeah right. How many times have I heard this shit. Show me your games (in a couple of years) and we shall see...

"That's why we hired a few top rated consultancies to make sure we provide the best product to appeal to all types of people."