New Montreal video game studio to hire 150, develop fantasy series

KRAFTON Inc. joins Montreal's video game world KRAFTON Inc. hopes to hire 150 video game developers in its new Montreal studio as they work on a fantasy IP

A new AAA game studio is set to enter the Montreal market.

KRAFTON Inc. said this week that it will open its first Canadian studio in the city that is home to gaming heavyweights Warner Bros. Games, Ubisoft, Gameloft and others.

Former Ubisoft game director Patrik Methe will lead the studio that will hire 150 people in the next three years to work on a game based on Lee Yeongdo's "The Bird That Drinks Tears" fantasy novel series.

"Our team is currently made up of seasoned talents with a proven track record of successful games," said Methe. "We share a common goal: to deliver the finest adaptation of the novel and to provide an exceptional experience to gamers. As a fan of medieval fantasy since my teenage years, I'm excited to bring to life a fantasy masterpiece as an ambitious and memorable game."

KRAFTON is one of a number of new gaming studios in Montreal, looking to tap into the city's established talent in the industry.

Haven opened in 2022 as party fo the PlayStation studios family under CEO Jade Raymond, who helped create the Assassi's Creed and Watch Dogs franchises.

Quantic Dream expanded its operations in 2021 and opened a studio in Montreal.

Cloud Chamber launched its studio in the city in 2019 along with one in San Francisco and is working on developing the BioShock franchise for 2K.

KRAFTON includes a collection of independent game development studios that is behind games PUBG: Battlegrounds, New State Mobile and Thunder: Tier One. The studio has been in pre-development on the fantasy series since 2021.