There certainly seems to be a lot of notable movement in the industry lately and today we have yet another.
First, Google Stadia is opening a new development studio in Playa Vista, California. According to the blog post announcement by Google, the studio will “…focus on delivering exclusive games, using new gameplay mechanics, creative ways to play together and unique interaction models that we’re just starting to explore.”
That’s good news for Stadia’s future to begin with and they are also hiring veteran talent to lead the group. Shannon Studstill, formally the Studio Head of Sony Santa Monica (God of War), will be taking the role.
Jade Raymond, VP and Head of Stadia Games and Entertainment, had the following to say about Studstill:
I’ve been a fan of Shannon’s for a long time, and have admired her award-winning work leading Sony’s Santa Monica Studio and the industry defining franchises like God of War that have won fans all over the world. She has an extensive background in product development and creative leadership, but most importantly, she’s a visionary who, as the Studio Director, will lead and inspire the Playa Vista teams. We’re thrilled to welcome her to the Stadia family!
Our Take
It’s nice to see some good news from Google on Stadia as so far, their market offering has been generally regarded as lackluster. Studstill is a great pickup and we’ll certainly be watching closely to see what this studio produces in the future!
[…] makes this more surprising, is just nine months ago in March of 2020, Stadia announced it was building a new first-party studio headed up by the likes of Ex-Sony Santa Monica Head Shannon Studstill who oversaw God of War. […]