The new and mysterious Xbox and Activision studio ‘Elsewhere Entertainment’ has expanded hiring across into Sweden “to craft a franchise with an enduring legacy”

The new and mysterious Xbox and Activision studio 'Elsewhere Entertainment' has expanded hiring across into Sweden "to craft a franchise with an enduring legacy"

What you need to know

  • A few weeks ago, Microsoft and Activision unveiled Elsewhere Entertainment, a new studio based in Poland, tipped to work on a brand new “AAA” narrative-led “genre defining” game. 
  • The studio has been relatively quiet since, but they’re quite clearly cooking up something interesting in the background. 
  • Today, Activision unveiled 20 new positions within Elsewhere, including an expansion to Sweden as well. 
  • Sweden is a global leader in game development, featuring developers like DICE (Battlefield), Ubisoft’s Massive (The Division 2), and Mojang (Minecraft). 
  • Microsoft and Activision also recently boosted its mobile games team within Blizzard, comprised of King veterans. 

As a seasoned tech enthusiast and longtime video game aficionado, I can confidently say that the recent developments surrounding Elsewhere Entertainment have piqued my curiosity to no end. Having closely followed the evolution of the gaming industry for decades, I’ve witnessed firsthand the rise and fall of numerous studios and franchises.


In recent times, the world of video games has experienced remarkable changes, partly fueled by the economic instability that followed the pandemic. The shifting habits of players, tightened budgets, and elevated interest rates have made things tough for this industry. However, if you look closely, there are promising signs of growth and recovery.

Recently, Microsoft’s subsidiary, Activision Blizzard, introduced a new company named Elsewhere Entertainment. To everyone’s surprise, it was announced that this new venture is developing a completely fresh “AAA” narrative-driven video game series, aiming to revolutionize the entire genre.

From the very beginning, Elsewhere Entertainment has been independently established as a leading studio, solely focused on fostering a setting that nurtures daring and varied concepts. The team’s fundamental aim is to stimulate creativity and collaboration among its members, with the ultimate goal of creating a franchise that leaves an indelible mark, transcending the boundaries of games.

As a tech-savvy individual, I can’t help but feel exhilarated by the sheer talent that resides within Elsewhere Entertainment. I’m part of this incredible collective, where we all share a passion for storytelling. Our resume boasts some remarkable titles such as The Last of Us, Uncharted, The Witcher, Cyberpunk, Destiny, Tom Clancy’s The Division, and Far Cry – truly a testament to our mastery in the realm of gaming narratives.

Although the studio has been seemingly silent since its unveiling, it doesn’t necessarily mean they aren’t actively working on something. Recently, Activision posted a variety of new job openings on LinkedIn, specifically aimed at Elsewhere Entertainment. What’s intriguing about this is that Elsewhere Entertainment seems to be broadening its recruitment scope, focusing on Sweden in particular.

The new and mysterious Xbox and Activision studio 'Elsewhere Entertainment' has expanded hiring across into Sweden "to craft a franchise with an enduring legacy"

Sweden stands out as a world powerhouse in video game creation, boasting numerous significant studios and franchises primarily situated in Malmö. For instance, studios such as Frictional Games (SOMA), IO Interactive (Hitman), King (Candy Crush), Ubisoft Massive (The Division), Tarsier (Little Nightmares), and a multitude of others, call Malmö home. In recent times, this city has emerged as a prominent technological center within Sweden. Beyond Malmö, Sweden is also the birthplace of other notable companies like EA DICE and Mojang, creators of Battlefield series and Minecraft respectively, further emphasizing its rich talent pool.

What could Elsewhere Entertainment be working on?

To date, there hasn’t been the slightest whisper about the projects Elsewhere Entertainment might be developing. It’s clear that this new venture will birth a “AAA” franchise, one that doesn’t stem from any of Activision’s established series. The studio won’t be providing backup for popular franchises like Call of Duty, nor are they engaged in mobile game development. This move seems uncharacteristic for Activision given their recent emphasis on service games and mobile platforms. In fact, this shift in focus is likely the reason behind Activision’s record-breaking $72 billion sale to Microsoft last year.

In simpler terms, when Elsewhere Entertainment first introduced their idea, they were not clear about the specific genre of the game they are developing. It could potentially be a narrative adventure game or a “walking sim” similar to Hellblade 2, but there’s also a possibility that it might be a more complex action game with a strong narrative focus, like God of War or Final Fantasy 16.

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2024-09-09 22:09