Former IO Interactive Co-founder Launches New Studio with Debut Game

Janos Flösser, who helped create IO Interactive and previously served as Square Enix's chief creative officer, has started a new game development company called Wombo Games in Copenhagen.

The studio has been quietly working on its first game for nearly two years and is now ready to reveal it to the world.

The new game, called "Raiders of Blackveil," combines action roguelite gameplay with elements from MOBA and PvE extraction genres. The game is scheduled to launch on Steam Early Access this summer, according to the announcement.

Flösser, who now serves as CEO of Wombo Games, emphasized that the studio will operate differently from other companies he's worked with in the past. "At Wombo, we make decisions by consensus, and plan to continue that with feedback from our players once we launch in early access later this year," he explained.

The new development team consists of 21 professionals, including veteran developers who have previously worked on popular game series like Tomb Raider, Deus Ex, Just Cause, and Hitman. This brings valuable experience to the new venture as they develop their first title.

Raiders of Blackveil takes place in a dystopian industrial fantasy world where animals are oppressed by humans who have formed a mega-corporation called Blackveil. As described on the game's Steam page, players will "join the animal rebellion as they aim to thwart Blackveil's attempt at enslaving nature and enforcing a mindless consumer society."

The gameplay features MOBA-inspired champions with unique abilities and personalities. Players can choose different roles including Tank, Damage Dealer, or Support as they progress through the game.

"Raiders of Blackveil is our first title so it's very special to us," Flösser said. "It is a blueprint of our studio because every person at Wombo has contributed directly to its development."

Flösser brings significant industry experience to this new venture. His impressive portfolio includes managerial roles on five Hitman games spanning over a decade, from Hitman: Codename 47 in 2000 to Hitman Absolution in 2012. He also worked on other notable titles like Kane & Lynch: Dead Men and Freedom Fighters, and served as producer for the 2007 Hitman film adaptation.

Before founding Wombo Games, Flösser was part of Reto-Moto, another studio formed in 1997 by fellow IO Interactive co-founders. Unfortunately, Reto-Moto went bankrupt in 2022 after selling its free-to-play MMO Heroes & Generals to TLM Games. The game's servers were eventually shut down in May 2023, despite having registered 22 million players throughout its lifetime.

Meanwhile, IO Interactive, Flösser's former studio, is currently developing a new James Bond game. First announced in 2021, the James Bond project is intended to be an origin story and potentially the beginning of a trilogy, though few details have been shared since its initial announcement.

Gamers interested in Raiders of Blackveil can add it to their Steam wishlist now.

Sources: GameIndustry.biz