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Former Volition devs form Shapeshifter Games studio

Shapeshifter Games is a co-development studio that wants to partner with AAA developers and publishers on new titles.

TJ Denzer

January 30, 2024 8:07 AM

Image via Shapeshifter Games

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Back in 2023, Volition was one of the studios that closed under Embracer’s restructuring and layoffs, but several that used to work at Volition may be forming something new. A new studio, Shapeshifter Games, was recently announced, and it’s staffed by several veteran developers of the former Volition studio.

Shapeshifter Games announced its opening with a post from the group’s new page on LinkedIn. According to the introduction post, Shapeshifter Games will operate as a co-development studio that assists other studios in publishers in the creation of new games:

Shapeshifter Games is, indeed, staffed by an array of former high-level Volition talent. Matt Madigan is leading things up as the studio head. Meanwhile, Volition Games principal producer Rob Luftus is now Shapeshifter’s studio director, while former Volition Games franchise creative director Brian Traficante is acting as its creative director.

The studio goes on to claim that it has already secured collaboration with a publisher and is working on something new. There was no word on what publisher it was, but Expert Lighting Artist AJ Nelson has just come on board at Shapeshifter as well, and claimed on his own LinkedIn that he’s working on an “Xbox Games Studios project.”

It was back in August 2023 that Volition was closed by Embracer Group amid the parent company’s layoffs and restructuring after a $2 billion deal failed. Hopefully, with the studios veterans having formed Shapeshifter, other talent will find their way over as well. As we wait to see what the studio accomplishes, stay tuned for more news and updates here at Shacknews.

TJ Denzer

Senior News Editor

TJ Denzer is a player and writer with a passion for games that has dominated a lifetime. He found his way to the Shacknews roster in late 2019 and has worked his way to Senior News Editor since. Between news coverage, he also aides notably in livestream projects like the indie game-focused Indie-licious, the Shacknews Stimulus Games, and the Shacknews Dump. You can reach him at tj.denzer@shacknews.com and also find him on Twitter @JohnnyChugs.