This new entity, led by Luc Baghadoust acting as the Executive Producer, Michel Koch as Creative Director and other members of the world famous LIFE IS STRANGE™ development team, will work on a brand new IP encouraging every collaborator to weigh in on the creative vision to produce another narrative masterpiece.
Luc Baghadoust says: “I moved to Montréal right after the launch of Life Is Strange 2 and literally fell in love with the city and its culture. From the many indie studios to the big players of the industry, Montréal’s heart is beating from such energy and creativity, it’s an honor for DONTNOD to join the local scene. Pursuing our adventure here with Michel and taking part in the birth of a new team to work on an original project is a true blessing”
“With the formation of a new team on another continent, we are writing a new page of DONTNOD’s history. It’s also a new beginning for new characters and original stories that we hope will touch and inspire many players around the world. Each of our projects taught us more about our creative strength and weaknesses but at the end of the day, our community remains the best reflection of our craft. We want to keep progressing and offer our fans new interactive experiences more inclusive, impactful and filled with empathy”, adds Michel Koch.
"Montréal is recognized as one of the 5 largest video game production centers in the world. We are convinced that the creativity of Montréal talent combined with that of the DONTNOD team will result in remarkable projects," said Stéphane Paquet, President and CEO of Montréal International, who accompanied DONTNOD, in collaboration with Investissement Québec, in its efforts. "The addition of these Montréal enthusiasts confirms the city's power of attraction for French companies. So far in 2020, Montréal International has supported no less than nine French companies that will create more than 1,750 jobs in the region. »
The first hiring wave consists of a dozen positions and begins by the end of 2020. In the wait for a definitive location and while the pandemic is still going, DONTNOD will remain in a temporary office at Fabrik 8, in the heart of the Mile-Ex neighborhood.
The job offers are already live on the studio’s website.
Praised for being a cosmopolitan city and offering to its residents a great quality of life, Montreal became in the past two decades an unmissable north-american hub for video game development with thousands of game developers. DONTNOD is very excited to grow its ranks with local talents.
Establishing a new developer team in Montreal is an important step in DONTNOD’s expansion, now counting 250 employees at the Parisian office. This environment fits perfectly with the values of the independent studio whose goal is to create strong narrative experiences with innovative game mechanics for a wide range of gamers.
Recruiting a Canadian team will bring more diversity to DONTNOD’s creations and allow the company to get closer to its North American players’ community.
Oskar Guilbert, CEO of DONTNOD, says: “We feel very close to the rich and diverse North American culture that already inspired us for the Life is Strange sage and our newest adventure Tell Me Why. Our footprint on the North American continent is as much important as it feels natural for us. It’s in line with our vision: work with new talent to craft projects that are unique, original and inclusive. The values you’ll find in our games are also the ones that drive the way our studios work. We are incredibly excited to start this new adventure!”