Guy Beahm, otherwise known as Dr Disrespect, just formed a new AAA game development studio called Midnight Society. While Midnight Society won't be telling scary stories around a campfire, they will be taking a "community approach to game development."
Midnight Society was formed by Dr Disrespect along with former Call of Duty and Halo developers. Their "community approach" to development means involving players and influencers at all stages of development. So, if you ever wanted to see how a game created by the vocal minority and/or armchair developers turns out, this is your best shot. This could end up being the most beautiful of trainwrecks.
The two-timer is joined by former Infinity Ward community manager Robert "fourzerotwo" Bowling, and former 343 Industries designer Quinn DelHoyo. They're joined by an esports "entrepreneur" and "mentor" Sumit Gupta.
This studio's first foray into the gaming world will be a PvP multiplayer title built using Unreal Engine 5.
Bowling said the following about Midnight Society's approach to community involvement:
Players are the lifeblood of our games, and so often games get designed in a bubble, with few touchpoints for the players to help shape the final product before it’s too late. Our approach is completely open and focused on building experiences that evolve with our players.
(Midnight Society wants to) "make games that defy the one-and-done publishing model and reward all those fans and influencers who make them a success."
I'm personally eagerly awaiting the reveal that their game will feature NFTs and blockchain technologies to help "reward all those fans and influencers."
