Veteran Resident Evil producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi is leading a new NetEase game studio
Capcom veteran Hiroyuki Kobayashi is heading up a new NetEase game development studio called GPTRACK50.
The Japan-based studio intends to create original games that can be adapted to other entertainment mediums including films, novels and manga.
Kobayashi first revealed in August that he had left Capcom after 27 years to join NetEase, which is China’s second largest gaming company behind Tencent.
He began his career as a programmer on the original Resident Evil game before going on to serve as a producer on multiple entries in Capcom’s horror series, a role he also held on Dino Crisis, Devil May Cry and Dragon’s Dogma titles.
Kobayashi worked on the production of Resident Evil live-action and CG animation series too.
NetEase said on Monday that GPTRACK50 has “brought together a group of experienced professionals from both the gaming and film & television industries to develop quality contents for users worldwide”.
It added: “The studio will primarily focus on producing high quality console/PC game contents with a goal of growing into an establishment with a global media portfolio.”
Earlier this year NetEase established another Japanese studio headed by Yakuza creator Toshihiro Nagoshi, and a Seattle, US-based studio led by Xbox veteran Jerry Hook.
In Europe, the company recently agreed to acquire Quantic Dream, the Paris-based studio behind Heavy Rain, Detroit: Become Human and Beyond: Two Souls.
NetEase is also reportedly working on a new Destiny game for mobile in partnership with Bungie, the now Sony-owned studio in which the Chinese company invested $100 million to become a minority shareholder in 2018.
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