Distinctive Team-Based Action Game in Development for PlayStation 4,
Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC and Mobile
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. & TROY, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) and Velan Studios, an independent game
developer dedicated to creating new play experiences, announced that EA
Partners will publish Velan’s first original IP for consoles, PC and
mobile. In addition to introducing a unique game world, the title will
pioneer an entirely new and entertaining way to experience team-based
action. To bring their vision to life, Velan Studios also announced that
it will add 40 jobs, doubling its current development team by the end of
the year.
Velan Studios was founded in 2016 by Guha and Karthik Bala, industry
veterans who grew their first company - Vicarious Visions – from a
basement startup to the forefront of AAA console development. The studio
has already attracted world class talent whose credits include Guitar
Hero, Skylanders, Rock Band, Super Mario Maker, Metroid Prime, Destiny
and Uncharted, among others. They’re actively recruiting other seasoned
developers to join the team.
“In EA Partners, we found a team devoted to bringing breakthrough ideas
to players everywhere. They believe in our creative vision and will use
their best-in-class resources to support the success of our game,” said
Guha Bala, President and Co-Founder, Velan Studios. “We started Velan
Studios to make community-centered play experiences that are daring and
distinctive from what’s being played today. We can’t wait to share the
details of our first original game in the future.”
“Exploring the boundaries of play with new technology and play patterns
is what makes us tick,” said Karthik Bala, CEO and Co-Founder of Velan
Studios. “Our plan was always simple: build an awesome team, find the
magic in something new that the team was passionate about and then
enable their success. We are looking forward to introducing their vision
and evolving it along with players for many years to come.”
“Velan’s vision for this new game experience is very inspiring, and when
we played it, we were immediately captured by how engaging and
unexpectedly compelling it was,” said Rob Letts, General Manager of EA
Partners and EA Originals. “Helping discover pioneering talent with
ground-breaking games the world needs to play is what we’re here to do,
and we look forward to partnering with Velan to deliver an experience
that will push the boundaries of original IP and innovation to engage
players in new ways.”
To date, Velan Studios has raised $7 million to provide the resources
for its creative teams to invent, iterate, and arrive at game
experiences that are new and unique. The studio is hiring seasoned
industry talent to turn creative ideas into inspiring, impactful games.
To learn more about Velan Studios and all current career opportunities,
please visit www.velanstudios.com.
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) is a global leader in digital interactive
entertainment. The Company develops and delivers games, content and
online services for Internet-connected consoles, mobile devices and
personal computers. EA has more than 300 million registered players
around the world.
In fiscal year 2018, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $5.15 billion.
Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for a
portfolio of critically acclaimed, high-quality brands such as The
Sims™, Madden NFL, EA SPORTS™ FIFA, Battlefield™, Need for Speed™,
Dragon Age™ and Plants vs. Zombies™. More information about EA is
available at www.ea.com/news.
EA SPORTS, Battlefield, The Sims, Need for Speed, Dragon Age, Unravel,
and Plants vs. Zombies are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. John
Madden, NFL, NBA, UFC, NHL, and FIFA are the property of their
respective owners and used with permission.
About Velan Studios
Velan Studios is a Troy, New York-based game development studio focused
on creating groundbreaking play experiences across established and
emerging platforms. The studio was founded in 2016 by game industry
veterans Guha and Karthik Bala, who previously took their first company,
Vicarious Visions, from their parent’s basement to the forefront of AAA
console development with the introduction of several
multi-billion-dollar franchises. The Velan Studios team is comprised of
talented individuals who have created, developed, and contributed to
some of the most innovative game franchises of the last 20 years
including Guitar Hero, Skylanders, Rock Band, Super Mario Maker, Metroid
Prime, Destiny and Uncharted.
View source version on businesswire.com:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190325005190/en/
Jino Talens
Sr PR Manager
jtalens@ea.com
650-628-9111
Michelle
Schroder
PR for Velan Studios
michelle@thenetworkpr.com
310-402-9333
Source: Electronic Arts Inc.