Paramount is reconstituting its video game operation, launching a new game studio and setting a leadership team for the division.
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| Paramount Games Studio |
Like its media peers, the company has deployed various strategies over the years in the sector, which has historically not been a straightforward process for Hollywood despite all of its established IP. Ramping up in gaming is considered a priority as the company looks to close its pending merger with Warner Bros. Discovery, which has had an up-and-down journey in gaming but remains committed to the space.
Paramount Games Studio encompasses all Paramount and Skydance gaming studios, including Skydance Interactive and Skydance New Media. Last August, Paramount and Skydance closed their $8.4 billion merger.
Initial titles on the studio’s slate include Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin and Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game, the latter of which is slated to launch on Thursday, July 23.
Leading the newly created unit is President Tony Driscoll, a former executive with Epic Games, Warner Bros., AT&T, and Disney. Driscoll will serve concurrently as Executive Vice President (EVP) and head of corporate strategy and development, and will continue to lead integration planning efforts for the WBD transaction. Paramount has said the $110 billion deal will close by the end of September. It still needs approval from a handful of key regulatory agencies and has also drawn scrutiny from lawmakers, activist groups and an industry coalition that includes some prominent actors.
Other key execs in the gaming unit include Dan Prigg, EVP and head of games; Shawn Kittelsen, Senior Vice President (SVP), head of creative and production; Andrea Silvers, SVP, marketing and communications; Kara Bilkiss, SVP, business development and licensing; and Ray Davis, SVP of engineering.
“This division launch marks a meaningful evolution in how we think about games – not as an extension of our business, but as a core pillar of our content strategy alongside film, television, and streaming,” Driscoll said in a statement. “We are committed to creating exceptional games for every type of player, from casual to AAA, and building enduring experiences across our beloved Paramount IP and original worlds that deepen fan engagement and drive long-term growth.”
More from Variety, who first reported the story:
Paramount Skydance Launches New Video Game Studio as ‘Core Pillar’ of Content Strategy Alongside TV, Films and Streaming (EXCLUSIVE)
David Ellison has been moving pieces around the board in reshaping the new Paramount Skydance over the past year. But one key division remained out of play in his master media plan — until now.
On Friday, Paramount Skydance unveiled Paramount Games Studio, a unified gaming studio that combines Skydance’s two existing game studios, Skydance Interactive and Skydance New Media, with Paramount’s intellectual property, as Paramount’s gaming business has largely consisted of licensing IP to third parties.
Variety has confirmed that both of Skydance New Media’s in development projects, “Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra” and an untitled Star Wars game made in collaboration with Lucasfilm, are still in the works. As for its new slate, Paramount Games Studio will make the announcement of its first game, a AAA title, during Summer Game Fest at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles Friday.
To lead its new gaming efforts, Paramount has named Tony Driscoll, the company’s head of corporate strategy and development, as president of Paramount Games Studio. Driscoll is intended to service in both roles concurrently “and will continue to lead our integration planning effort for the Warner Bros. Discovery transaction,” per Paramount.
Paramount Games Studio launches as Paramount Skydance is awaiting regulatory approval on its pending acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. WBD has its own in-house video game studio, which produces titles based on Harry Potter, “Game of Thrones,” the DC Universe and more WBD IP.
Along with Driscoll, the leadership team at Paramount Games Studio includes two top Skydance Games vets: Dan Prigg, who was previously head of Skydance Interactive, is now executive vice president, head of games for Paramount, while Shawn Kittelsen has been set as senior vice president, head of creative & production.
Skydance New Media’s previous leadership team is also experiencing a shakeup with Amy Hennig moving from her role as co-president of Skydance New Media to become Paramount Games Studio’s studio creative director. Julian Beak, who served alongside Hennig as co-president of New Media, has exited the company amid the changes.
Other key roles include Andrea Silvers as Senior Vice President, Marketing and Communications; Kara Bilkiss, Senior Vice President, Business Development & Licensing; and Ray Davis, Senior Vice President of Engineering.
“This division launch marks a meaningful evolution in how we think about games – not as an extension of our business, but as a core pillar of our content strategy alongside film, television, and streaming,” Driscoll said. “We are committed to creating exceptional games for every type of player, from casual to AAA, and building enduring experiences across our beloved Paramount IP and original worlds that deepen fan engagement and drive long-term growth.”
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From Entertainment Weekly:
Stalled Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin video game officially rides again but with a new team
After development was stalled, the newly launched Paramount Games Studio is bringing back the long-anticipated AAA title.
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin video game is officially back on track.
After development stopped, the game reemerges with the Japanese developers at PlatinumGames.
The game will be published by the newly launched Paramount Games Studio.
The much-hyped video game adaptation of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin has officially re-emerged from obscurity and appears to be fully back on track— with a few key differences.
The so-called "Roninverse" introduced a dark alternate future, loosely inspired by Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns, in which Michelangelo is the last surviving member of the Turtles. He returns to avenge the deaths of his brothers Leonardo, Raphael, and Donatello by seeking out the new leader of the Foot Clan, Shredder's grandson.
In March 2023, word broke that the beloved comic book from Kevin Eastman, Peter Laird, and Tom Waltz would be getting a gaming adaptation from the developers at Black Forest, to be published by THQ Nordic. Development stopped before Skydance merged with Paramount, the owners of the IP.
In this new era for the company, updated plans are in the works to finally bring the AAA action-adventure game to the hands of players.
With the launch of Paramount Games Studio — a fresh banner that now encompasses all Paramount and Skydance gaming studios and franchises, including Skydance Interactive and Skydance New Media — comes the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin. Knowing how much fans were anticipating this project, the powers that be revitalized development under PlatinumGames, the Japanese developers behind Ninja Gaiden 4 and the Bayonetta entries.
A teaser accompanied the announcement, which broke out of Summer Games Fest in Los Angeles on Friday. BossLogic also designed art for a limited-edition merchandise collection.
Beyond the game, the Roninverse continues to expand. This past February, Entertainment Weekly revealed the Training Day prequel to the main comics saga, which will eventually continue with a formal TMNT: The Last Ronin — Part 3. Paramount Games is giving fans an early look at the prequel via sign-ups for email alerts on thelastronin.com.
Plans were originally in the works to make an R-rated movie based on the property, as well, but that project was stalled. Eastman is confident that, too, will return at some point.
"Speaking with all the folks at Viacom and Paramount and Nickelodeon who love the Turtles and really have done a fantastic job, whether it be the 2012 series to Mutant Mayhem, I don't think it will not happen," he told EW. "I think it will happen. One of the things that anybody I've talked to at the companies, they know the fans love and support all things Last Ronin, as much as another group of fans love everything Point Grey [Pictures, production company], Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, and everybody has done with the whole Mutant Mayhem series. We're not disheartened at all."
The Paramount Games Studio announcements on Friday also brought an update on Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game.
Described as a "fast-paced, 1v1 fighter" set within the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra, the game will feature "an original canon Story Mode and an emphasis on fluidity, responsiveness, and online integrity," according to a press release.
Hailing from Gameplay Group International and PM Studios, in collaboration with Paramount and Avatar Studios, that title will officially launch this July 23.
"This division launch marks a meaningful evolution in how we think about games — not as an extension of our business, but as a core pillar of our content strategy alongside film, television, and streaming," Tony Driscoll, President of Paramount Games Studio, said in a statement about the new gaming division. "We are committed to creating exceptional games for every type of player, from casual to AAA, and building enduring experiences across our beloved Paramount IP and original worlds that deepen fan engagement and drive long-term growth."
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Original source: Deadline.
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