Former SOE exec starts own game studio

New games are on the way. Raph Koster, the former chief creative officer of Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) and MMO guru, has opened his own studio: Areae (Latin for “areas” – my Latin electives pay off).

According to GamesIndustry.biz, the San Diego company is “dedicated to taking the tired old virtual world and making it into something fresh and new” (no offense meant, but every company says that – and we hope that Areae the best and wish they’ll deliver on that promise).

Apparently the company is working on “new tech that will literally change how virtual worlds are made” and they have “a cool world or two incubating on the back burner.”

As for credentials, they have it: VP of production is John Donham, a former VP of development at SOE. As for Koster, you’ve heard of him: he worked on text MUDs in the 90s (remember those days?) and became creative lead for Ultima Online and later the creative director for Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided.

New games are on the way. Raph Koster, the former chief creative officer of Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) and MMO guru, has opened his own studio: Areae (Latin for “areas” – my Latin electives pay off).

According to GamesIndustry.biz, the San Diego company is “dedicated to taking the tired old virtual world and making it into something fresh and new” (no offense meant, but every company says that – and we hope that Areae the best and wish they’ll deliver on that promise).

Apparently the company is working on “new tech that will literally change how virtual worlds are made” and they have “a cool world or two incubating on the back burner.”

As for credentials, they have it: VP of production is John Donham, a former VP of development at SOE. As for Koster, you’ve heard of him: he worked on text MUDs in the 90s (remember those days?) and became creative lead for Ultima Online and later the creative director for Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided.