Though theGoogleStadia already has several AAA games confirmed for streaming, includingCyberpunk 2077,Borderlands 3, andMortal Kombat 11, it lacks something even more important: exclusives. While Stadia did have one exclusive on launch (thestealth horror gameGylt), that game was far from being the killer app needed to get gamers to come flocking to Stadia.
It seems Google already has a plan for that, as earlier today the tech company announced its acquisition of AAA game developer Typhoon Studios. As part ofStadia’s first games studio, Stadia Games and Entertainment, it will be up to this Montreal-based studio to develop exclusives for Google Stadia.
RELATED:15 Biggest Game Controversies in 2019
The acquisition is part of Stadia’s plan to fill out it’s gaming library with exclusive content that will entice gamers to move to the Stadia platform. When Stadia launched in November, the cloud gaming service received a number of complaints from critics, such as the service causingChromecasts to overheatandusing up an insane amount of data. Another issue gamers have is the lack of major platform exclusives. Without any exclusive AAA titles, most gamers see no reason to purchase another platform. Jade Raymond, the vice president of Stadia Games and Entertainment, has since sought to remedy the situation, as she has said the goal of Stadia’s first-party group is to create “platform-defining exclusive content.”
Though Typhoon Studios has yet to actually release a game, Stadia still considers it a AAA game developer. That’s because this relatively new studio is made up of seasoned industry veterans. The founders of Typhoon Studios are the former head of production for Warner Bros. Games Montreal Reid Schneider, and Alex Hutchinson, the former creative director forAssassin’s Creed IIIandFar Cry 4.
It seems that the team at Typhoon Studios will be absorbed into the Montreal-based Stadia Games and Entertainment. This studio will be lead by the recently hired Sebastien Puel,who previously worked at Ubisoft as a developing severalAssassin’s Creedgames. Raymond has stated that they are excited to work with the developers from Typhoon since “they’re a team that has done amazing work on amazing games,” listing off titles likeBatman,Assassin’s Creed, and the originalSplinter Cell, which Reid worked as executive producer on.
In the meantime, Typhoon Studios will continue to work on the launch of it’s first game,Journey to the Savage Planet, which is scheduled for release on consoles and PC on January 28th, 2020. It’s a first-person, two-player co-op game set on a world full of alien creatures. While that game looks interesting, Hutchinson has said he’s excited to use Google’s technology and capital to make bigger, more ambitious games onStadia. Given that the game was not included inGoogle’s acquisition, gamers should considerJourney to the Savage Planeta preview of things to come on the Stadia.
