Games

Former Star Wars Jedi Director Launches Giant Skull Studio

Stig Asmussen, known for his work on Star Wars Jedi games, embarks on creating a new AAA game studio in Los Angeles.
Former Star Wars Jedi Director Launches Giant Skull Studio

Highlights

  • Stig Asmussen leaves Respawn to establish Giant Skull and develop a new AAA single-player action game using Unreal Engine 5.
  • Giant Skull already houses a skilled team with backgrounds from God of War, Star Wars Jedi, Valorant, and Fortnite.
  • Details about the studio's first game are limited, but fans can expect an exciting adventure in the near future.

Renowned for his directorial role in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Survivor, Stig Asmussen has parted ways with Respawn Entertainment and EA to establish his own AAA game development studio named Giant Skull. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, released almost a year ago, received high acclaim from Star Wars enthusiasts and gamers alike, becoming one of the standout titles of the year and leaving fans eager for the confirmed third installment of the series.

Before his successful endeavors with Respawn Entertainment in creating two exceptional Star Wars games, Stig Asmussen spent close to a decade at Sony's Santa Monica Studio, contributing to the original God of War series. Starting as a lead environment artist for the debut of God of War in 2005, Asmussen progressed to become the art director for God of War 2 and eventually the director for God of War 3. His departure from Santa Monica Studio in 2014 led him to join EA's newly formed Respawn Entertainment, under the leadership of industry veteran Vince Zampella, to direct Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, which helped steer EA's handling of its exclusive Star Wars gaming rights in a more positive direction following the lukewarm reception of the Star Wars: Battlefront games.

A few months post his exit from Respawn Entertainment in September 2023, Stig Asmussen has introduced his brand-new AAA studio, Giant Skull, based in Los Angeles. Although still in the process of expansion, the studio has already attracted a talented group of developers, many of whom have collaborated with Asmussen in the past, either at Santa Monica Studio on the God of War series or at Respawn on the Star Wars Jedi games. Other team members at Giant Skull bring experience from Epic Games and Riot Games, having contributed to highly popular live service titles like Valorant, Fortnite, and League of Legends.

Giant Skull is confirmed to be developing a third-person AAA single-player action-adventure game, aligning with Asmussen and the team's expertise in crafting such experiences. The studio has also confirmed the utilization of Unreal Engine 5 for its inaugural title. With EA's Star Wars exclusivity no longer in place, there remains a possibility for Asmussen and Giant Skull to explore a new Star Wars project, albeit unrelated to Respawn's Jedi games. Whether Star Wars-themed or not, it will be intriguing to observe whether Giant Skull chooses to self-publish its creations or collaborate with third-party publishers like 505 Games, Private Division, or Epic Games.

Anticipating Updates on Giant Skull's First Game

Given the studio's nascent stage, it may take several years before Giant Skull unveils details about its project and even longer before the game hits the market. Enthusiasts of the original God of War series and recent Star Wars Jedi titles can eagerly await the forthcoming developments from Giant Skull in the upcoming years.

Tags:
Share:
Recent News