NetEase Announces Bad Brain Game Studios To Work On Open-World Game Inspired By ’80s Movies

NetEase Games has announced the founding of a new game studio based in Canada. The studio is headed up by Sean Crooks, a former Ubisoft producer with credits ranging from Just Dance and Driver to the Watch Dogs franchise. Other members of the team include developers who have worked on series like Splinter Cell, Army of Two, Far Cry, and Child of Light.

The team hopes its first project will kickstart a new franchise. The title is an open-world, story-driven action/adventure title that draws inspiration from ’80s action and horror films. Bad Brain is using Unreal Engine 5 to develop its debut title, which will launch across multiple platforms.

“I’m honored to be leading this talented team of developers in Canada,” Crooks said in a press release. “We’re all passionate about creating memorable and meaningful experiences. NetEase Games has given us a warm welcome, with an abundance of support and creative freedom to allow us to do what we do best. Our first game is a passion project that gives us the opportunity to truly free our brains.”

NetEase, which is based in China, views this as an investment in the Canadian game-development industry. “We’re thrilled to welcome Bad Brain Game Studios into our family and enriching our presence in Canada,” NetEase Games president of global investments and partnerships Simon Zhu said in that same release. “With this new studio, NetEase Games continues its commitment to nurturing top-tier talent in Canada and creating games that players love. Canada has a thriving gaming industry, and we’re excited to continue to be a part of it. We believe that our talented teams in Toronto, Montreal, and beyond will create some of the most innovative and exciting games the industry has seen.”

Bad Brain Game Studios will have offices in Toronto, Ontario, and Montreal, Quebec, and will operate using a hybrid work model. To learn more, you can visit the studio’s official website.