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[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

Former Treyarch co-studio head Blundell was one of the lead creators of Call of Duty’s Zombies mode before leaving Activision in 2020 after 13 years. He would then serve as one of the co-founders of Deviation Games.

Deviation Games didn’t get a chance to release its debut project, an original IP that was set to be exclusive to PlayStation platforms.

In an interview with Jeff Gerstmann, Blundell confirmed that the new studio is “staffing up,” and that he would have more to share on the studio’s first project in the future.

“I’ve had the amazing opportunity to create a new studio within PlayStation Studios for Sony,” Blundell said.

“The studio is called Dark Outlaw. We’ve been working away in the shadows for a while, when we’ve got something to talk about we’ll step out into the light.”

“It’s such a privilege to be able to do it with Sony as a new first-party studio, Sony doesn’t start up first-party studios all the time, so to have that privilege is humbling.”

Blundell wouldn’t confirm where the studio is in terms of production schedule, other than that the studio has been going “for a little bit of time.”

“It’s about getting the team to gel,” he continued. “I’m a programmer at heart so let’s test those assumptions, is it working?… You’re trying to hit that escape velocity.”

Blundell also confirmed he will serve as studio head and director for Dark Outlaw Games.

PlayStation has formed new studio Dark Outlaw Games with Call of Duty Zombies lead Jason Blundell | VGC

The new first-party studio comes from one of the minds behind Treyarch’s beloved COD Zombies…

www.videogameschronicle.com

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

So, this was the outcome of the failed Deviation endeavor, right?

 

[hououinkyouma00]

New IP or whatever but I just want Sony to give Resistance or Killzone another chance.

 

[envyzeal]

Ok hear me out:

Killzone vs Resistance

You get Helghan vs Quimeras vs Humans and revive 2 IPs at once

 

[saintjules]

https://www.neogaf.com/threads/rumor-linkedin-ex-deviation-games-employees-set-up-a-new-studio-with-sony-led-by-jason-blundel-new-ip.1670409/

Looks official now I guess.

 

[Little Chicken]

Sony have spoken, their fanbase wants even more FPS games.

 

[Kilau]

See ya in 6 years for the studio closure thread after the gaas bomb.

 

[adamsapple]

See ya in 6 years for the studio closure thread after the gaas bomb.

 

[Schmendrick]

See ya in 6 years for the studio closure thread after the gaas bomb.

sad times when all I can think after reading such a comment is:

 

[Fake]

Hope this is not mean another zombie game.

 

[Nankatsu]

Can't wait for Sony to create a new PS5 blundell with his game.

 

[Lokaum D+]

oh boy, another GAAS incoming

 

[Luipadre]

oh boy, another GAAS incoming

This was my first thought aswell lol

 

[DonkeyPunchJr]

See ya in 6 years for the studio closure thread after the gaas bomb.

I can’t wait to finally see Sony’s “Redfall killer”

 

[Darsxx82]

The title could also be "a new Studio from the co-funder and head of Diviation Games Studios, which closed after the cancellation of its AAA exclusive project for Sony".


Joking aside, I hope it has better luck this time than last.

 

[Angry_Megalodon]

Hope this is not mean another zombie game.

I don't know about the game, but the studio will go Z in 3 years at the latest.

 

[HeisenbergFX4]

See ya in 6 years for the studio closure thread after the gaas bomb.

Screenshot it to remind us of this because you are likely right

 

[Mibu no ookami]

Blundell left in September of 2022. So even assuming he went immediately to Sony, this game would only have been in development for a couple of years now. So it's not surprise that he isn't saying more or showing anything. He's probably at the stage where they need more than confidential hires, so they need to be more open with recruitment. That requires additional transparency.

 

[Pedro Motta]

It is said that this is to compete with COD and Battlefield.

To that I say, good luck.

 

[Sooner]

Welcome to the family.

 

[N0S]

Another bomba incoming

 

[Insanemaelstrom]

Hopefully turns out to be good. More Helldivers 2 rather than concord

 

[Sooner]

Another bomba incoming

 

[Shubh_C63]

So he was unable to make a game for Sony so Sony threw money at him again to make another game for Sony ?

 

[Killjoy-NL]

So, basically a live service studio.

 

[diffusionx]

See ya in 6 years for the studio closure thread after the gaas bomb.

People will still be blaming Jim Ryan when that happens too.

 

[EN250]

See you in 6-8 years with nothing to show for or worse, another Concord situation...

 

[FalsettoVibe]

It is said that this is to compete with COD and Battlefield.

To that I say, good luck.

Where does it say that?

 

[Brigandier]

Incoming Horizon Zombies FPS

 

[Pedro Motta]

Where does it say that?

Alex Smith, a very accurate leaker on X said it.

 

[SweetTooth]

Sony have spoken, their fanbase wants even more FPS games.

We want EVERYTHING.. even games on Xbox lol

 

[Killjoy-NL]

We want EVERYTHING.. even games on Xbox lol

I still want that once rumored online mp Killzone a la BF (Killzone: Breach).

 

[Dr. Samuel Hayden]

See ya in 6 years for the studio closure thread after the gaas bomb.

Pretty much.

 

[tTHANOSs]

This whole thing is confusing. First it was Deviation Games with Blundell. They partnered with playstation for a game. Then playstation pulled funding for it and Blundell left. And now they are back to making a new game again together just under a new studio. What happened with Deviation Games?

 

[vivftp]

This whole thing is confusing. First it was Deviation Games with Blundell. They partnered with playstation for a game. Then playstation pulled funding for it and Blundell left. And now they are back to making a new game again together just under a new studio. What happened with Deviation Games?

Nothing to be confused about. Blundell left Deviation and the game didn't work out there with them, so Sony pulled it while also opening this new internal studio under Blundell. There's a pretty reasonable chance that they're picking up where Deviation left off on that project as a lot of former Deviation staff are working with him in the new studio. Deviation is gone, closed last year.

We will likely never know the finer details about what went wrong with the project at Deviation, but that's none of our business anyways. All we can say based on observation is that it didn't work out.

 

[Topher]

COD killer inbound

 

[tTHANOSs]

Nothing to be confused about. Blundell left Deviation and the game didn't work out there with them, so Sony pulled it while also opening this new internal studio under Blundell. There's a pretty reasonable chance that they're picking up where Deviation left off on that project as a lot of former Deviation staff are working with him in the new studio. Deviation is gone, closed last year.

We will likely never know the finer details about what went wrong with the project at Deviation, but that's none of our business anyways. All we can say based on observation is that it didn't work out.

Blundell was a co founder so not sure why he would leave his own studio. If Deviation games didn't work out not much confidence this one will either unless it's fully playstation owned. Even then who knows.

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

GaaS tells us nothing as to whether to hate it or love it or somewhere in between

if the game has masculine vibes and is fun to play, and brings something interesting to the genre, that’s reason to be excited

And that’s his background so let’s wait and see

 

[Perrott]

So he was unable to make a game for Sony so Sony threw money at him again to make another game for Sony ?

The other founders of Deviation were shitting the bed and running the business to the ground (as confirmed by the studio's technical director on LinkedIn, post-closure), so Sony choose to extract the creative talent of the studio with clinical precision and cut the ties to the rotten, larger organization.

 

[Varteras]

COD killer inbound

 

[Perrott]

Alex Smith, a very accurate leaker on X said it.

Accurate leaker? Don't make me laugh.

 

[vivftp]

Blundell was a co founder so not sure why he would leave his own studio. If Deviation games didn't work out not much confidence this one will either unless it's fully playstation owned. Even then who knows.

Blundell left Deviation in 2022, well before any of the above events occurred. We can't presume anything regarding his departure, the issues that caused Sony to pull the game, or their decision making process to create a new studio around Blundell. We don't know these things. That's SIE's business and their decisions to make.

 

[nial]

Blundell was a co founder so not sure why he would leave his own studio. If Deviation games didn't work out not much confidence this one will either unless it's fully playstation owned. Even then who knows.

Because top management was a mess.

 

[Saber]

I'm ok with that. The zombie mode from Call of Duty games I've played are pretty damn fun, I can see potential there.

 

[rofif]

idk these popular names are always followed by disasters

 

[Pedro Motta]

Accurate leaker? Don't make me laugh.

I don't want to make you laugh. Truth is, he's been on point several times in a row.

 

[Perrott]

I don't want to make you laugh. Truth is, he's been on point several times in a row.

He's been making shit up for years, not my fault for being around long and noticing when something - the claim of him being a reputable source - isn't true.



What's next? Tidux is a reputable source too?

 

[FalsettoVibe]

I don't want to make you laugh. Truth is, he's been on point several times in a row.

Examples and links? Because after google, all I am seeing is garbage from this person.

 

[EN250]

The other founders of Deviation were shitting the bed and running the business to the ground (as confirmed by the studio's technical director on LinkedIn, post-closure), so Sony choose to extract the creative talent of the studio with clinical precision and cut the ties to the rotten, larger organization.

Hmm, why Sony didn't do shit when those who were running business to the ground were in charge?

I mean, they could have interfered before everything imploded, not let them burn cash and then just gtfo like nothing happened

 

[nial]

Hmm, why Sony didn't do shit when those who were running business to the ground were in charge?

I mean, they could have interfered before everything imploded, not let them burn cash and then just gtfo like nothing happened

How can they do anything to a company they do NOT own?