Call of Duty Veteran Bret Robbins Leads Team of Seasoned
Developers at Newly Formed Bay Area Studio
SAN RAFAEL, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Today, independent Bay Area game developer, Ascendant Studios, announced
its formation and has secured initial funding to create pioneering,
original games and content. Founded by Bret Robbins, former Creative
Director of Call of Duty, the studio is comprised of industry
veterans from prominent developers, with a shared conviction to create
expansive, triple-A games of the highest quality.
A 20+ year veteran of game development, Robbins’ career has spanned
multiple creative leadership roles for high profile hit games. Robbins
most recently served as Senior Creative Director for the globally
revered Call of Duty franchise. His resume includes the BAFTA
‘Best Action Game’ nominated Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, VES
(Visual Effects Society) Award winner, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare,
and NAVGTR Award-winning Call of Duty: WW2, which surpassed $1
billion in global sales.
Prior to his time at Activision, Robbins served a seven-year tenure at
EA, holding senior creative roles on blockbuster hits including The
Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, which was honored with the
International Press Academy Satellite Award for Best Art Direction, and
IGN’s ‘Best Action Game’ in their ‘Best of E3’ awards. Robbins earned a
BAFTA nomination during this time, as the Creative Director for the
acclaimed survival horror title, Dead Space, which went on to be
honored as ‘Action Game of the Year’ at the 12th annual DICE
Awards. As Founder and CEO of Ascendant Studios, Robbins combines the
principles of triple-A game design with the possibilities of an
independent studio, to extend the entertainment, action, and emotional
impact of innovative game development.
“This is a dream I’ve had for years, and I’m so excited to finally have
the opportunity to start a brand new studio,” stated Founder and CEO of
Ascendant Studios, Bret Robbins. “Our focus is on making high quality,
original games. We are in a rare position where we have the freedom to
do things the right way without outside pressure and make something that
is truly new and exciting. The team we are assembling is fantastic and
already feels like a family.”
Joining Robbins in this venture, the Ascendant Studios founding team
consists of top creative talent, that has contributed to some of the
most critically acclaimed and commercially successful game franchises of
all times, including Call of Duty, The Walking Dead, and Dead
Space. Each member of the leadership team has more than a decade of
industry experience, representing cinematic, technical, design, art, and
storytelling disciplines.
Ascendant Studios is backed by noted entrepreneur and philanthropist,
Brian Sheth. Sheth, is the Co-Founder and President of Vista Equity
Partners, the top U.S. private equity software investor of the past
decade. Vista’s portfolio, with over 60,000 employees and more than $14
billion in revenue, ranks as the fourth-largest enterprise software
company in the world. A first generation Indian American, and Forbes ‘40
Under 40’ inductee, Sheth is also an avid investor for innovative
entertainment companies, and is among the world’s top funders of
conservation impact philanthropy.
“I’m thrilled to have our initial investment backed by Brian, who has
been so supportive of the team and has a history of supporting founders
and CEOs with vision,” said Robbins. “He brings a huge amount of
experience, best practices, and leadership to us. He has given us the
creative freedom to make games that we think players will love. He
clearly wants to build and empower a winning team and deliver innovative
content to a global audience.”
Located in San Rafael, CA, the Ascendant Studios team is currently at
work on a wholly original, triple-A game, that harnesses the creative
heft, narrative skills, and action/shooter expertise of its seasoned
team. The company is also actively hiring across art, engineering, and
animation functions.
For more information visit: www.ascendantstudios.com.
Follow Ascendant Studios on Twitter
and Instagram,
and become a fan on Facebook.
About Ascendant Studios
Ascendant Studios is an independent game developer, dedicated to
creating groundbreaking original games. Based in the Bay Area, the
company is at work on its first title. Visit www.ascendantstudios.com.
Contacts
Dana Whitney [for Ascendant Studios]
info@ascendantstudios.com