Summary
Stig Asmussen, acclaimed director ofStar Wars Jedi: Fallen OrderandSurvivor, has split from Respawn Entertainment and EA to create his own AAA game studio namedGiant Skull.Star Wars Jedi: Survivorlaunched nearly a year agoto high praise fromStar Warsfans and from gamers in general, going on to become one of the very best titles of the year, and leaving fans yearning for the series' confirmed third installment.
Before directing two of the best AAAStar Warsgames ever made with Respawn Entertainment, Stig Asmussen spent nearly a decade at Sony’s Santa Monica Studio, working on theoriginalGod of Wargames. Beginning as a lead environment artist for 2005’sGod of Wardebut, Asmussen became an art director forGod of War 2,ultimately ending up asGod of War 3’s director. Leaving Santa Monica Studio in 2014, Asmussen joined up with EA’s freshly created Respawn Entertainment, led by industry veteran Vince Zampella, to directStar Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, helping to course correct EA’s mishandling of its exclusiveStar Warsgaming rights after two sourly receivedStar Wars: Battlefrontgames.
Several months after departing Respawn Entertainment in September 2023, Stig Asmussen has unveiled his own brand-new AAA studio based in Los Angeles, named Giant Skull. While still growing, the studio already has an impressive roster of developers, many of whom have worked with Asmussen in the past, either at Santa Monica Studio on theGod of Warseries or at Respawn on theStar Wars Jedigames. Other Giant Skull team members come from Epic Games and Riot Games, having worked on massively popular live service titles likeValorant,Fortnite, andLeague of Legends.
Giant Skull is confirmed to be making a third-person AAA single-player action adventure title, which makes sense considering Asmussen and the team’s prior experience building such games. The studio is also confirmed to be using Unreal Engine 5 for this debut title. Since EA’sStar Warsexclusivity has ended, it’s still possible for Asmussen and Giant Skull towork on a newStar Warstitle, though it certainly wouldn’t have any connection to Respawn’sJedigames.Star Warsor not, it’ll be interesting to see if Giant Skull will self-publish its games or if it’ll team up with a third-party publisher like 505 Games, Private Division, or Epic Games.
When Can Gamers Expect To Learn More About Giant Skull’s Debut Title?
Since the studio is still forming, it will likely be several years before Giant Skull is ready to share what it’s working on, and even longer until the game is ready to release. Fans of theoriginalGod of Wargamesand of the recentStar Wars Jedititles should be looking forward to seeing what Giant Skull has in store over the next several years.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
WHERE TO PLAY
The story of Cal Kestis continues in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor™, a third person galaxy-spanning action-adventure game from Respawn Entertainment, developed in collaboration with Lucasfilm Games. This narratively-driven, single player title picks up five years after the events of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order™ and follows Cal’s increasingly desperate fight as the galaxy descends further into darkness. Pushed to the edges of the galaxy by the Empire, Cal will find himself surrounded by threats new and familiar. As one of the last surviving Jedi Knights, Cal is driven to make a stand during the galaxy’s darkest times - but how far is he willing to go to protect himself, his crew, and the legacy of the Jedi Order?Explore an Untamed Galaxy – Discover new planets and familiar frontiers in the Star Wars galaxy, each with unique biomes, challenges, and enemies. Master new skills, equipment, and abilities that will augment the ways you explore, fight, and roam. With larger areas to explore and more to discover off the beaten path, players who adventure beyond the horizon will find hidden rewards.
