That’s No Moon, but That Is a New Video Game Developer
From Naughty Dog to Infinity Ward - the newly formed independent AAA video game development company is lead by some of the top developers in the industry.
When you read the headline above, you may wonder, what in the world does a moon have to do with a video game developer? You may only know "That's no moon" as one of the most famous quotes from the entire Star Wars franchise, said by one of the most popular characters, Obi-Wan Kenobi. As of 2021, however, That's No Moon is the title of one of the newest game development studios with some of the top game developers. Most staff members at this studio have a healthy respect for Star Wars, but their focus is on creating the best independent, narrative-driven video games possible.
Introducing That's No Moon. We are a new, independent, AAA development studio founded by industry veterans focused on creating genre-defining, narrative-driven games.
— That's No Moon (@ThatsNoMoonEnt) July 28, 2021
Learn more: https://t.co/I1RCOrsZya pic.twitter.com/hZG3GGYViQ
Team Expertise
The team at That's No Moon involves top developers with diverse experiences across some of the most popular media studios. These include Naughty Dog, EA, PlayStation Studio, Infinity Ward, and so many more. This new development company does not only employ those with video game experience, however, as there are also staff members with all types of creative media experiences, including television and film. The goal of this diverse team is to create the most creative video games using the innovative and unique thought patterns of everyone involved. There are already 40 staff members from these backgrounds, intending to recruit 60 more.
Executive Functions
Executive team members of That's No Moon include:
- CEO: Michael Mumbauer
- Chief Creative Officer: Taylor Kurosaki
- Chief Design Officer: Jacob Minkoff
- COO: Nick Kononelos
- Chief Strategy Officer: Tina Kowalewski
Kurosaki and Minkoff have job-related experiences at Naughty Dog and Infinity Ward. Kononelos has executive experience at EA, while Kowalewski has had a role at Sony Santa Monica. With so much experience already present, Mumbauer believes the development of new games will go much faster. The CEO explains that he is not afraid to recruit new talent either, however. Entry-level staff members will provide new, innovative, and creative perspectives.
Game Releases
The goal of That's No Moon studio is that their single-player video games will have exciting narrative content and impressive visual art. The first release has nothing to do with Star Wars, but it is an action-adventure single-player game. Some of the developers share that it is like nothing released before as it pushes all boundaries. Taylor Kurosaki and Jacob Minkoff are two of the primary staff members on the development team of this game. It will closely follow the narrative presented, as Michael Mumbauer believes this is the best way to build a player-driven experience.
Ethical Development
In the past year, some studios released video games that fans were not happy about and had a production process with low ethical standards. At That's No Moon studio, the goal is to develop their video games with a sense of responsibility to the staff members and gamers. The developers will break down the video game in a development process into sections. These segments receive a ranking of priority, working on those pieces that are most important to start. Following this task schedule will ensure that gamers remain satisfied and that employees do not become burnt out if less important sections are last.
Behind the Name
As mentioned, the goal of That's No Moon is to push limits and boundaries. They also want to make every experience one that any gamer will remember. The name of this independent game development firm had to capture the awe that will come with their releases. In the Star Wars franchise, when Obi-Wan Kenobi says this line, it is a moment that is unforgettable and inspiring. Mumbauer wanted to use that inspiration in his own company to showcase the imagination and surprises with every release.
Follow Along with That's No Moon Studios
That's No Moon does not have an official release date yet of their first video game production. You can follow any updates by searching this Los Angeles and San Diego-based studio on:
Hopefully, more updates come out soon about the excitement that you should expect from That's No Moon first release. It's no wonder this independent, AAA game development company already has more than $100 million in investments, even before their first video game receives an official announcement.
Stay tuned!