Over the last several years,former Blizzard developers have started multiple new gaming companiesacross the industry. The newest of these isNotorious Studios, co-founded by Chris Kaleiki and Doug Frazer, two system designers who worked onWorld of Warcraft.
Notorious Studios takes its name from theWorld of Warcraftguild the founding members were once a part of. Its a small group so far, but all of the current employees have worked onWorld of Warcraft,Hearthstone, andOverwatch, many of whom worked on battle systems, dungeon and level design, PvP, and class design.
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While Notorious Studios has yet to announce its first project, it has given more than a couple of hints as to its nature. The company’s website states the company’s intention to focus on multiplayer RPGs, multiplayer games, and tight, engaging combat systems. Their first game, which reportedly willrun on Unreal Engine 5, will probably end up being a third-person fantasy MMORPG, or at least MMO-adjacent, likeDestinyorGenshin Impact, with a focus on combat.
Blizzard has lost many big names over the last several years, many of which have gone on to announce gaming companies of their own. Warchief Gaming, a tabletop RPG company created by formerWarcraft 3creative director Chris Metzen; Dreamhaven, a multi-studio company created by former Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime; andLightforge Games, formed by a group of Blizzard and Epic Games developers, are just a couple of the many studios that have shown up in the last few years.
Though it is too early to say for sure, Notorious Studios could be a promising return to what attracted players to MMOs in the first place. If these new studios are somehow able to capture the magic that made games likeWorld of WarcraftandEverquest, both of which defined the MMORPG genre, it could eventually grow a fanbase as dedicated as Blizzard’s once was. Though the golden age of MMOs has passed, thecontinued success of games likeFinal Fantasy 14andNew Worldis proof that there is indeed still a market for them.
Many have concerns over the circumstances surrounding the founding of Notorious Studios, however. Many of the developers involved in the new studio left Blizzard recently–right around the time that the investigations which sparked thelawsuits Activision Blizzard has been mired in since Julywere taking place. While none of the developers in Notorious Studios were specifically named in the allegations, the timing of the events has given critical gamers pause, especially since Riot Games, theLeague of Legendsdeveloper also involved in sexual harassment and discrimination controversies, has invested in the new company.
To make matters more suspect, almost all of the employees listed as developers or consultants are white, and the only female “employee” is a dog. While the homogenous cast at the studio may change in time, the lack of diversity has already givenNotorious Studiosa notorious reputation.
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