Former Id Software devs announce new triple-A studio Emptyvessel
Veterans from the likes of Id Software and Naughty Dog have announced a new triple-A development studio called Emptyvessel.
Based in Austin, Texas, but operating fully remote with its staff located worldwide, the studio is led by CEO and game director Emanuel Palalic and COO and general manager Garrett Young.
Palalic was a senior character artist at Id Software for five years, while Young was general manager of the Doom studio for five years, and also previously served as director of production for The Walt Disney Company.
The studio’s founding team also includes chief technology officer Wei Ning, art director Alex Palma, and animation director Rico Flores.
Palma previously spent seven years as a character artist at Id Software, while Flores worked as an animator on Naughty Dog’s Uncharted 3 and Uncharted 4, and as a lead animator at BioWare.
Powered by Unreal Engine 5, Emptyvessel’s debut game will “leverage their experience in the immersive shooter space” and “is inspired by film, graphic novels, and games set in dystopian sci-fi worlds”.
The independent studio said it’s approach “is to create a space to foster the innovation of a nimble, core team of AAA-level talent while empowering them to create high-quality IPs with more attainable scope”.
It has raised an initial seed funding round led by Sisu Game Ventures, with additional investment from Raptor Group, Tripwire Interactive co-owner Bill Munk and former Treyarch co-studio head Dan Bunting.
“Many game developers like myself began our journey fueled by the dream of one day bringing our worlds to life,” said Palalic. “By prioritizing and aligning with our strengths, we’re confident it’s possible to create AAA-quality games with smaller, focused teams.
“The industry has often overlooked the people who pour their hearts and souls into crafting these worlds. With Emptyvessel, we’re determined to change that narrative and make that dream a reality for as many developers as we can.”
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