A brand new development studio has been set up by ex-CD Projekt RED developers who have worked on animations and cinematic scenes for games such as The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and Cyberpunk 2077. As spotted by IGN, former CDPR devs Pawel Kuleta and Jakub Ben have formed the new Warsaw-based studio, which is currently working on a new ninja-themed title.
Described as an ‘indie’ game development studio on its website, Dark Passenger is also actively recruiting for a number of roles. These include a gameplay programmer, lead animator, character animator and 3D designer, to name a few. It’s clear that the studio will need plenty of talent within its roster, as it’s currently working on an ambitious-sounding project based in feudal Japan.
The game, which will be an online multiplayer, action-based title, will be built using Unreal Engine 5 and will feature a range of dynamic systems for both world traversal and specialised combat. It’s also suggested that the game will feature procedurally-generated solutions in its design, which is intended to keep things interesting for players. There’ll be an interesting arsenal of weaponry on offer, including “katanas, tanto and wakizashi short swords, kusarigama chains, shurikens, kunai throwing knives and much more,” according to the Dark Passenger website.
The game will take place against an old-world Japanese backdrop and will see players taking on “the roles of shinobi and kunoichi,” in a fight against an invading usurper and other unnamed groups of assassins. It’s also hinted that the game will feature stealth mechanics, as players’ main task will be “to remain unnoticed and forever vigilant in the face of the threat that may be lurking on them from all sides.”
It all sounds very mysterious and frankly, pretty exciting as a concept. It’s stated on the game’s website that it’ll be launching on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. While there’s obviously no release date on the table for a game this early in development, we’ll be keeping an eye on this one as it progresses.
