Midsummer Studios Established to Develop Next-Gen Life Sim Game - News
by William D'Angelo , posted on 03 June 2024 / 2,125 Views
A team of veteran developers behind games like Sid Meier’s Civilization, XCOM, and The Sims have announced the establishment of a new video game studio, Midsummer Studios.
The studio has teased its first game will be a next-generation entry in the life simulation genre. It will emphasize player-driven narratives that allow "communities to share memorable moments that grow out of the creativity of players themselves."
Midsummer Studios was founded by Creative Director Jake Solomon and Game Director Will Miller, who both worked at Firaxis Games, and COO/CFO Nelsie Birch, who has 25 years of experience in financial and operations management.
The studio was able to open its doors with $6 million raised from major investors. This includes Transcend Fund, Tirta Ventures, Betaworks Ventures, 1 Up Ventures, F4 Fund, Krafton, and Day Zero Productions.
"The best stories in games are written by the players," said Solomon. "At Midsummer we’re making a life sim focused on the drama of modern life, where our players will write meaningful stories just by playing, and then share those stories with the world."
Transcend founding partner Shanti Bergel added, "Leading the Seed for Midsummer was a natural fit for Transcend. As a producer on The Sims myself nearly twenty years ago, I am well acquainted with the power that meaningful player-driven stories can unlock. I also have an abiding respect for how hard it is to deliver the alchemy of community, systems design, gameplay, and user generated content necessary to do so. The Midsummer founders are industry veterans with the rare experience and design artistry required to deliver against this massive opportunity. I am delighted to join the board and support their journey to redefine the life sim category."
Midsummer Studios has been able to add more veteran talent, including Grant Rodiek, who worked at Maxis Studios for 18 years as a Producer and Director on The Sims.
A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.
