A Green North Star – Microsoft Finances Project from Hundred Star Games (Rumor)
Leading up to the launch of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, Rocksteady Games founders left the studio. During this time, they founded a new studio called Hundred Star Games. But who will fund or publish their first project?
Seemingly, it appears Microsoft is up to the task according to a new report.
Xbox Partners with Hundred Star Games
Reported by Exputer, they state the following on the upcoming studio’s first project;
Today, eXputer has learned that the developer is working on its first project: A AAA-standard, single-player, action-adventure game built in Unreal Engine 5.
Unfortunately, not much else is known about this game, but the partnership has already been signed, and Xbox Game Studios is financing the studio’s first project.
Who Are Hundred Star Games?
The studio, founded by Rocksteady Studios founders Sefton Hill and Jamie Walker, is a London development studio. And leading up to the release of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, staff from Rocksteady joined this new studio.
It appears that Hundred Star Games’ founders are bringing some of their colleagues from Rocksteady with them. A handful of lead developers and director-level ex-Rocksteady employees have left the Batman Arkham studio in recent months to join an unannounced studio, according to LinkedIn profiles Polygon has reviewed.
A more detailed description, from Great Place to Work, states the following;
Hundred Star Games is a video game start-up based in East London. Our ethos is of creating a small team of only 100 industry veterans and emerging talents, who are committed to crafting cutting-edge gaming experiences that inspire and captivate players worldwide. With innovation at our core, we’re dedicated to pushing boundaries, embracing diversity, and fostering a vibrant gaming community. Our empowering company culture is unique to the industry which encourages leadership at all levels, accountability, team support, vulnerability, and connection.
What Should We Expect?
Xbox partnering with studios as a publisher is nothing new.
One recent example of this is the Avalanche Studios developed Contraband. And it was reported recently that Xbox Publishing entered a partnership with People Can Fly as well.
The question of what this project could be is an interesting one. Many have longed for Xbox to have a superhero game of their own, not unlike Sony and Insomniac’s Spider-Man series. Considering this new studio’s prior work under WB Games, could they retread old ground?
Could We See This Soon?
The Xbox Games Showcase is mere weeks away as of this writing, it could be likely an announcement will be made sooner rather than later.
Not unlike Elsewhere, a new AAA studio under the Activision branch of Microsoft Gaming, they could reveal this new project during the showcase to encourage new hires.
Closing Thoughts on Hundred Star Games Rumor
As someone who greatly enjoyed the Batman: Arkham series, seeing former talent founding a new studio is exciting. Microsoft seeing such talent and partnering with them, if this report is accurate, is a wise move on their part.
One of the biggest criticisms aimed at Xbox is a lack of an answer to Spider-Man. And while Blade from Arkane Lyon is their current answer to this criticism, another one is welcomed.
But even if a superhero game isn’t what this team is creating with Microsoft, such talent being given the freedom to make what they want should be encouraged.
