For a while there, it almost looked like Quantic Dream would be working exclusively with Sony for the long haul, between such PlayStation exclusives as Heavy Rain, Beyond: Two Souls and the recently released Detroit: Become Human. But now it’s looking to expand its reach, with a little help from an investment partner.
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Today, the developer confirmed that Chinese company NetEase Games has invested a small stake in it, giving it the opportunity to provide its interactive stories on more platforms. Although specific platforms weren’t announced, this could likely mean that we’ll see titles for the next Xbox and possibly the Nintendo Switch, along with the PlayStation 5.
This is good news for all parties, as NetEase gets another talented studio in its fold, while, according to co-founder David Cage, the studio can now invest in bigger projects and hire on more hands to get them produced.
That said, the studio will continue to operate independently, with direction from Cage and Guillaume de Fondaumiรจre. The company has been thriving on this, making such games as the hits above.
Cage talked with VentureBeat about the investment, explaining, “This investment will allow us to invest in future technologies and games in order to prepare for the next generation of platforms, with the same ambition regarding creativity and innovation.
“Our goal is to develop our studio as a global, multi-franchise company, while remaining an independent studio. We want to keep developing original games in the genre we pioneered, but also expand our audience by being present on all platforms.”
And it’s a decision that took some time to get to, Cage explained. “We talked to many people interested in partnering with us, but we found we were attracted by NetEase’s strategy. We looked at their investments in Bungie or Second Dinner that felt very relevant, we shared thoughts about the respective visions of our companies, and we realized that we had a lot in common. Also importantly, we felt their genuine enthusiasm and passion, which is also extremely important for us.
“They are a massive company listed at the Nasdaq and are the sixth largest video game company in the world, but we quickly had a very close relationship based on trust and respect.”
Congrats to all parties. Now we’ll just have to see what kind of games come from it.
You can check out Detroit: Become Human now for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 4 Pro.
What do you think about the investment deal? Let me know on Twitter at @TheDCD!
