Wargaming purchases F.E.A.R. 3 studio for $20 million
The new team is working on "an unannounced console title." Could it be a free-to-play game?
World of Tanks creator Wargaming has purchased F.E.A.R. 3 developer Day 1 Studios for $20 million.
The Chicago-based studio handled the lackluster LucasArts shooter Fracture before making the incredibly polished, inventive F.E.A.R. 3, which was a much better game than it had any right to be.
According to the announcement, the newly formed studio will "focus exclusively on the development of an unannounced console title."
This marks a big shift for the Belarusian developer/publisher that previously only worked in the PC market. "The move into console game development is a huge step for Wargaming, as we begin to expand our presence into new platforms," said Wargaming CEO Victor Kislyi. "We are looking forward to sharing the fruits of our labour soon."
"Wargaming is a clear leader in the free-to-play space and helps set the standard on which all other games in the genre strive for," added Denny Thorley, the new head of Wargaming's Chicago-based studio. "Our team is extremely excited to start the first console project for Wargaming."
Currently, Wargaming's massively successful free-to-play MMO World of Tanks has over 45 million players worldwide. It's unclear if the newly acquired Chicago studio's upcoming game will be another free-to-play MMO, but it doesn't seem out of the question and could suggest a new direction for console games in the years to come. We've contacted Wargaming about this and will update if we find out more.