Google Stadia Acquires Journey to the Savage Planet Developer Typhoon Studios
Joey Carr 
Google Stadia has acquired former indie developer Typhoon Studios today, the company announced. Montreal-based Typhoon Studios are currently set to release their debut title Journey to the Savage Planet on Jan. 28, 2020.
Originally touted as an indie developer, Typhoon Studios won’t release their only title as an independent company, as they’re now under Stadia’s umbrella. Journey to the Savage Planet is still on track to launch next month.
When first scouting Typhoon Studios, Stadia was particularly impressed with the experience Typhoon boasts. Reid Schneider, the studio’s co-founder, was a producer for the original Splinter Cell and Batman: Arkham Knight. Alex Hutchinson, another co-founder of Typhoon, was the creative director for Ubisoft hits Assassin’s Creed III and Fary Cry 4.
“[Typhoon has] really assembled a AAA team, and the goal of acquiring the team is that it will really give us a head start in making the system-defining games everyone is waiting for,” Stadia Games and Entertainment head Jade Raymond said in a press statement.
When asked about the possibility of expanding the Typhoon team, Hutchinson said that they plan to “stay relatively agile.” The current team size of Typhoon is 26, which was enough to develop Journey to the Savage Planet.
While some might scoff at Typhoon’s abandonment of the indie genre, Hutchinson stated that the goal of Typhoon Studios was never to be an indie developer. This is a move the studio obviously feels will propel them to bigger and better heights.
This is the first official acquisition for Google Stadia. However, there could be more in the future, according to Raymond. Although, at this current junction, she says Stadia is more focused on building the team they already have.
Typhoon’s Journey to the Savage Planet will still release on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and on the Epic Games Store for PC. Though, any future title from them will likely be exclusive to Google Stadia.
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