Jake Solomon, the former longtime Firaxis designer who led Marvel’s Midnight Sons and lead designer on XCOM: Enemy Unknown, has announced that he has formed a new company after departing Firaxis last February. Midsummer Studios is a team of experienced Firaxis and Maxis designers.
Midsummer was founded by CEO and Creative Director, Game Director Will Miller (formerly of Firaxis) and COO/CFO Nelsy Burch, Solomon, who serves as a newcomer to games with a 25-year career in finance and operations management. He is joined by executive producer Grant Roddick, an 18-year veteran of Maxis Studios and former producer/director on several entries of The Sims. In addition to him, the small team currently includes six other designers.
The company’s debut game will be a next-gen life sim that, according to a press release, will “emphasize player-driven narratives, allowing communities to share memorable moments that grow from player creativity.”
“Players write the best stories in games,” Solomon said in a press release. “At Midsummer we’re doing a life sim based on the drama of modern life, where our players write meaningful stories through play and then share those stories with the world.”
Midsummer has secured a $6 million investment with several partners and is focused on growing a sustainable studio that values the health and happiness of its employees.