So remember how Jack Emmert, the former Cryptic Studios boss, had moved over to Daybreak in 2016, where he was heading up Dimensional Ink, which was not only maintaining DC Universe Online but building a Marvel MMO, to the chagrin of some MMO players?
Well, apparently not anymore, as NetEase announced this morning that Emmert is in fact heading up a new studio under its banner called Jackalope Games. We don’t know much about whatever they’re building, just that Emmert’s hire and bone fides sure suggest it’s some sort of MMO.
“NetEase Games, the online games division of NetEase, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTES, HKEX: 9999) announced today its first U.S. studio, Jackalope Games, based in Austin, Texas. Jackalope Games will be creating new and exciting PC and console games as a first party studio of NetEase Games. Jackalope Games is led by industry veteran Jack Emmert, whose credits include City of Heroes, Neverwinter, Star Trek Online, and DC Universe Online. Jack has worked on games based on some of the biggest media franchises in history and brings decades of MMORPG experience to this studio. […] Jackalope Games is NetEase Games’ first first-party studio in the U.S., but it will operate independently and maintain creative autonomy in its game development and publishing. The first project produced by Jackalope Games is being fully funded by NetEase Games.”
Emmert’s even got a quote for the PR. “NetEase Games is the best possible place for me and my team to thrive,” he says. “We share the same passion – to create engaging online universes for gamers worldwide. NetEase Games is providing the support and resources needed to build a great studio and great games.”
It is unclear who is now leading the Dimensional Ink studio for Daybreak now or whether the Marvel MMO, which was announced to investors last year, is still ongoing. Emmert’s Linkedin shows him as the CEO of Dimensional Ink until this past March.
(We’re using a City of Heroes pic in our header!)
