New Studio Loric Games Formed of Former Mythic Games Devs & Co-founder

Some of the biggest names in game development have formed a new studio, Loric Games. Several former Mythic Games staff have formed this new studio.

Most recently known for its massive success with “Darkest Dungeon”, Mythic Games has been a prolific name in the videogame industry. The Virginia-based company has focused on crafting brilliantly-designed multiplayer experiences since it was established in the mid-1990s. In a press release provided by Team Critical Hit, it was confirmed that Brian Johnson, Ray Soto, and Mythic's previous co-founder Rob Denton had stepped down from their roles in Mythic to form Loric Games.

You may be able to recognize those names if you're a long-time fan of games like Star Wars: The Old Republic and Warhammer Online. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that these veterans have collaborated on projects that have helped shape the modern gaming experience. And with this announcement, they've set a clear goal to enhance the story-driven adventures we experience in the games they will release.

Loric Games

What other games have they worked on? 

• Call of Duty: Black Ops
• Call of Duty: Cold War
• Destiny 2
• Deadpool
• Doom (1995)
• Mortal Kombat 3
• Mass Effect 3
• Dragon Age II
• Lord of the Rings Online
• Dungeons and Dragons Online
• Ultima Online: Time of Legends
• Dark Age of Camelot

“We all love playing games with heroic stories. Through our long history of developing games, we've bought into the idea that good storytelling can set a game apart. The survival experience can be much more impactful with the right blend of story and open-world gameplay mechanics.”, Johnson stated. Words are passionately spoken from decades of experience.

Loric Games seeks to emphasize the power of storytelling in co-op play set in larger-than-life worlds. They've slated the exciting details for their first game next year and will pour their attention into building their game development team in the meantime. Designers and interested environmental artists are welcome to apply on their website.

Loric Games is growing! We're hiring for several roles across art, engineering, and design. Be a part of our journey. #indiedev #gamedev https://t.co/gbVRZjpd0A pic.twitter.com/92Tl783egA

— LoricGames (@LoricGames) August 10, 2022

Their large impact on the world of digital entertainment has even been felt by their investors. Spike Laurie, a partner from Hiro Capital went on record to express their excitement in their new partnership. “It’s fair to say that I’ve spent far too much time in the worlds that Rob and Brian and their team have created, and we’re confident that their next adventure is going to be even more compelling.”

Hiro Capital is a London-based investment group that backs experienced entrepreneurial start-up companies in technology and video games all over the globe. They have funded indie developers, supported fitness tech, and sponsored esports organizations that compete in some of the largest tournaments in the world. Hiro Capital's forward-thinking mission focuses on investing in the future ideas, with large scaling in mind. Web3, Metaverse, and other innovative ideas are all welcomed by their partners.

This isn't the first case of seasoned game developers leaving big companies to establish new development studios. Creators working on the Yakuza series formed “Nagoshi Studio” under NetEase in January. Ex-CD Projekt Red devs also created “Rebel Wolves” soon after, emphasizing their desire to focus on the dark fantasy RPG. The Chinese gaming giant NetEase also funded “Jar of Sparks”, which boasted big names like Jerry Hook, Halo Infinite's previous head of design. And all of that was just in this year alone.

All of this presents a pattern that gamers like us love to see; big industry nerds getting together and going back to their passionate roots. Starting from scratch to pursue what got them into the world of interactive entertainment in the first place, while also getting away from the industry-standard time crunches reported in a lot of big triple-A companies. It's still too early to tell if Loric Games will be the next big thing, but with all the talent and war-torn experience under the studio's belt, the products they will produce are sure to be of quality.