Xbox’s Activision Opens New Studio To Develop Narrative-Based Triple-A Franchise

Activision, the developer-publisher Microsoft and Xbox purchased for $69 billion last year, has formed a new studio called Elsewhere Entertainment, and it is developing a new “narrative-based and genre-defining AAA franchise.” The studio is based in Warsaw, Poland, and, according to a report from IGN, it is not working on a Call of Duty-related project. 

This studio, which has been formed behind-the-scenes before today’s public unveiling, arrives roughly one week after Xbox closed four Bethesda studios, including Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks and Redfall team Arkane Austin. While the company has yet to publicly address the closures directly, Xbox president Sarah Bond said in an interview that the closures were about keeping the business healthy in the long-term. It’s why news of this new studio might be surprising, given one week ago, the parent company of Activision was closing studios to cut costs. 

“Built from the ground up, Elsewhere Entertainment is a premier and standalone studio dedicated to establishing an environment that inspires bold and diverse ideas,” a blog post reads. “The team’s underlying mission encourages everyone to explore and collaborate creatively to craft a franchise with an enduring legacy that resonates far beyond games. [The] new studio has full access to Activision’s resources and tools as it continues to increase production and development. 

“Elsewhere is opening its search for best-in-class talent from across the industry and around the world to help create a state-of-the-art and next generation gaming experience.” 

Elsewhere is currently made up of developers with experience working on franchises like The Last of Us, Uncharted, The Witcher, Cyberpunk 2077, Destiny, Tom Clancy’s The Division, and Far Cry. 

What kind of game do you hope Elsewhere makes? Let us know in the comments below!