Paramount Games Studio Establishment Integrates Skydance Interactive and New Media for Internal AAA Development of Marvel and Star Wars Intellectual Property
Paramount Skydance has reformed its interactive entertainment business with the creation of Paramount Games Studio. This new integrated division brings the company’s two existing developer groups under the company’s umbrella – Skydance Interactive and Skydance New Media. The move is considered a large strategic reorientation from third party licensing of IPs to internal development of key interactive titles. Sources at Variety state that this is to align Paramount’s library of IPs directly with the talent working to create interactive experiences at the integrated studios.
The new leadership structure. Tony Driscoll, the current head of corporate strategy and development, will serve as president of the new division as well as continuing his existing responsibilities as head of corporate strategy and development as well as continuing integration planning for the Warner Bros Discovery transaction. Dan Prigg, executive VP and head of games, previously oversaw Skydance Interactive and will continue in his current role working with Driscoll. Shawn Kittelsen will be appointed as senior VP of creative and production.
Along with the management re alignments, the transition has brought other executive changes. Amy Hennig, who had been co president of Skydance New Media, will now take on a studio creative director position for the new Paramout Games Studio. Her co president Julian Beak will be leaving the company. The new appointments for Paramount Games Studio also include Andrea Silvers as senior VP of marketing and communications, Kara Bilkiss as senior VP of business development and licensing, and Ray Davis as senior VP of engineering.
The existing development work within the studios will continue uninterrupted as a result of the restructuring. They are currently still developing Marvel 1943 Rise of Hydra, and have also been confirmed to be developing an untitled Star Wars game with Lucasfilm. The public will be treated to its first preview of this new line up at Summer Game Fest where the studio will announce its first AAA title.
The establishment of the integrated group indicates a substantial investment into interactive media as a way of creating additional revenue. Tony Driscoll has confirmed this when releasing his statement about the new division.
“This division launch marks a meaningful evolution in how we think about games, not as an extension of our business, but as a core pillar of our content strategy alongside film, television, and streaming,” said Driscoll. “Our vision is to build experiences across Paramount intellectual property and original worlds that further engage fans and drive long term growth.”
