Google acquires its first video game studio: Typhoon studio
This acquisition is not a major surprise and confirms Google Stadia strategy to create platform-defining exclusive content. New cloud gaming players will need to invest in content / partnership if they want to differentiate against each others.
Some investors might see this news as a negative for Western publishers as it show Google is accelerating investment behind its own development studio that could translate into increased competition in video game space.
But:
It’s not a huge acquisition; Typhoon only has c.20 employees, and its first game won’t be exclusive to Stadia,
Console manufacturers also built their own studios in past decade and it did not prevent western publishers to maintain their leadership,
Except through the acquisition of a major publishers, it will likely take years for Google Stadia to create a large and competitive video games portfolio.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt reaches all time high concurrent player after Netflix series
This is an interesting news that shows that the combination of high quality video game IP can actually work in movies / series.
This is positive for CD Red Projekt Red but it is also a win for Netflix as The Withcer 3 solid performance shows appetite for the Witcher franchise. A season 2 has been announced.
It is not the first time a game reached all time high concurrent player months or quarters after its initial release. However, most of those games are competitive / multiplayer game, not single player RPG.
Ubisoft is probably looking carefully at The Witcher development.
*I ndeed, it was announced in June 2019 that Netflix has acquired rights to The Division, Ubisoft Motion Pictures’ adaptation of its hit video game Tom Clancy's The Division that has Jessica Chastain and Jake Gyllenhaal attached to star. David Leitch, the filmmaker behind Deadpool 2 is directing.
