Considered one of Netflix’s most intriguing online game studios is not any extra.
The corporate’s Southern California recreation studio, one among a handful of inner studios assembled by Netflix lately as a part of its growth into video video games, has been shut down, Sport File has realized.
The studio, also called group “Blue,” appeared poised to interrupt the mould of what Netflix is doing in gaming. Early hints in regards to the group’s work instructed it was pursuing a big-budget multi-device technique, signifying the bold fringe of Netflix’s preliminary mobile-focused growth.
As proof of that, Staff Blue had made some splashy hires prior to now two years:
In late 2022, Netflix wooed Overwatch govt producer Chacko Sonny from Blizzard to construct its SoCal studio. (Sonny had stints on Name of Responsibility and Sony Santa Monica earlier than that).
In spring 2023, Netflix’s SoCal studio added Joesph Staten, a longtime artistic lead on Microsoft’s Halo franchise at Bungie and 343 Industries. Staten was exiting the Xbox camp for Netflix to work “as artistic director for a brand-new AAA multiplatform recreation and authentic IP,” he mentioned on the time. That transfer was broadly lined within the gaming press, an indication that Netflix was very severe about this gaming factor.
That very same spring, Staff Blue additionally recruited artwork director Rafael Grassetti, who had almost a decade of expertise at Sony Santa Monica the place he’d most just lately been the God of Battle studio’s general artwork director.
As of October 2024, nonetheless, Netflix has shut down Staff Blue and all three of these huge hires are now not on the firm, an organization rep confirmed to Sport File.
Is Netflix pulling again or sad with the output? Or is there one thing else occurring right here?
