The founder of Focus Home and the ex-director of Arkane found a studio in France

Game News The founder of Focus Home and the ex-director of Arkane found a studio in France

We had already been able hear about ZeDrimeTimsince one of their project, entitled “Poulpy, Darwin’s Paradox”, had been rewarded during the Game Connection Europe x ChinaJoy 2021 Global Game Development Awards. Obviously, this prototype has a future …

Darwin’s Paradox, an octopus story

Indeed, ZeDrimeTim announces Darwin’s Paradox, a game where you play as an octopus, for 2024. There is no doubt that this is an extended and completed version of the project that was awarded last year. In Darwin’s Paradox, you play as an octopus. After being caught in the open seayou embark on a long journey to find your natural habitat. This is a action-adventure game, mixed with platform. The studio announces that it was inspired by Playdead titles like Limbo or Inside, and Tarsier titles like Little Nightmares. Darwin’s Paradox announces a development budget of 2 million euros. Developed on Unreal Engine 5 for PC and consoles, and announced for 2024, it should take advantage of the know-how of the developers but also of the cinema special effects animators from the studio.

A studio formed by big names in France

ZeDrimeTim is therefore officially created in 2022, and based in Paris according to the French Agency for Video Games. The studio has the particularity of bring together veterans of the video game and cinema industry. Indeed, ZeDrimeTim brings together at its head executives such as Romuald Capron, former director of Arkane Studio, Cédric Lagarrigue, founder and former boss of Focus Home Interactiveand Mike Tanguyknown to have supervised the special effects many films such as The Ghost Writer, JCVD, Asterix and Obelix at the Olympic Games or Taxi 4, and Gilles Aujard, screenwriter and producer, also special effects specialist At the movie theater.

After an already busy career in video games, today I wanted to get involved in a project on a human scale. I was immediately taken with the art direction and gameplay mechanics of Darwin’s Paradox and I’m really excited to help the team at ZeDrimeTim turn that vision into a game with a strong identity.

Romuald Capron, executive producer

I had the good fortune in my career to discover and accompany studios on games, which despite their limited budgets have become great successes. Darwin’s Paradox has the ingredients to fall into this category. The excellent playable prototype and the positioning of the studio convinced me to invest in the project and accompany the team in this exciting adventure.

Cédric Lagarrigue, Chairman of the Strategic Council

Cinema and animation increasingly use video game tools such as the Unreal Engine. The positioning of the ZeDrimeTim studio is unique and original: it brings together film and animation talents and video game talents around original productions.

Mika Tanguy, General Manager

We are in the process of completing the team which will be made up of a dozen people, each member will have a strong impact on the quality of the game, it is for this reason that we want to integrate everyone into this adventure by allowing them access to the capital of the company.

Gilles Aujard, President

Note that the studio is recruiting, and has posted two very specific job offers on the AFHelloSolar.info website : for a Lead Programmer and a Lead Level Designer, still in Paris. Finally, be aware that in order for the studio to hold on financially until its game is released, a fundraiser has been carried out. The four partners and “business angels” have therefore invested, but not only. Bpifrance, via its Tech x Touch program, also participated.

We are enthusiastic to participate in the creation of this new studio carried by a team with proven multiple talents, on an original positioning, crossing the world of cinema with that of video games. This transversality is the one that we wish to promote widely within the different verticals of our Cultural and Creative Industries, it is one of the strong axes of our major Touch plan!

Anne Villette, Senior Investment Director of the Creative Industries Division of Bpifrance

ZeDrimeTim Official Site

Darwin’s Paradox, the first full game from ZeDrimeTim, is expected on PC and consoles in 2024.

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