- Studio Ellipsis is the newest venture by the folks at FunPlus, who developed Sea of Conquest
- They’re focusing on producing new cross-media products, like the recent comic book
- I got to sit down with new studio head Alexandre Amancio and find out what we can expect
As a seasoned gaming enthusiast who’s witnessed the evolution of the industry from its humble beginnings to the interconnected, fan-driven universe it is today, I find myself deeply captivated by the story of this new studio in Lisbon. The founder’s decision to move to Portugal and establish Studio Ellipsis was not just a geographical shift but a leap of faith into a creative vortex that mirrors the early days of Montreal’s gaming scene.
You might not find it unexpected that I’ve been jet-setting once more. Despite the enjoyable connotations, let me clarify that there was a substantial amount of work involved during my travels. Specifically, I visited Lisbon to engage in discussions with Studio Ellipsis, a fresh studio established with the support of FunPlus. You might recall our previous coverage of their initial project, the Sea of Conquest comic book series called Cradle of the Gods.
Apart from their current projects, they have quite a few more in the pipeline. I can’t disclose any groundbreaking details, but I did manage to catch a glimpse of what they’re planning. One of the individuals I spoke with was Alexandre Amancio, previously SVP of world-building and IP strategy at FunPlus, now heading Studio Ellipsis. Essentially, his role involves managing all ‘brand’ or ‘franchise’ related matters.
An experienced professional from the gaming world, evident by his graying beard, he’s a rich source of knowledge, having contributed significantly to both the business and artistic aspects of the field. Some of the well-known games he has contributed to might be familiar to you.
Regarding Alexandre, I don’t casually call him a ‘veteran’. He’s earned that title with his past roles as creative director on Assassin’s Creed Revelations and Unity, not forgetting his initial career stint as the creative director for Far Cry 2. Needless to say, he has a lot to be proud of. Luckily, he’s not one to brag, but during our chat in the new Studio Ellipsis office in Lisbon, he had no shortage of stories about what sparked the studio’s creation.
This is a streamlined account of our previous conversation, which might delve into some technical aspects. However, I believe you’ll find it intriguing when you’ve completed reading about the exciting future prospects for Studio Ellipsis and their upcoming ventures.
Can you start off by telling us a bit about yourself and your career, Alex?
In the early stages of my professional journey, I began my career in video games at Ubisoft. It was there where I contributed to the development of Far Cry 2. As an art director, I was not only responsible for the visual aesthetics but also played a key role in designing the graphic pipeline and collaborating with engineers to construct the game engine.
Later on, I transitioned into the role of Creative Direction and joined the Assassin’s Creed franchise. During my tenure, I worked on Assassin’s Creed Revelations as its Creative Director. It was under my leadership that the idea for a pirate game was initiated within Ubisoft, which eventually led to the creation of Black Flag.
After that, I transitioned to Assassin’s Creed Unity, a project with an incredibly tight timeline requiring a creative director. Jumping on board, I did my part to help get it released. Subsequently, I decided to embark on a new journey and founded Reflector Entertainment, a video game company focusing on transmedia projects.
Following the outbreak of COVID-19, our company was acquired by Bandai Namco. I remained with the company briefly to ensure smooth operations and to make certain that all ongoing projects were on track.
Subsequently, I received communication from FunPlus. The founder, Andy, was aiming to propel the company into its next developmental stage. Historically, it had been highly oriented towards mobile platforms. However, Andy envisioned that the subsequent groundbreaking intellectual property, akin to Star Wars or Marvel, would stem from a video game. His strategic plan centered around enhancing world-building aspects. He was on the hunt for an individual with a relevant background in this area.
Initially, I shared the same vision as the company, which is why I accepted the position of Senior Vice President of Worldbuilding and IP Strategy at FunPlus. Later, to be nearer to our Swiss office and Barcelona, I opted for a move to Lisbon, Portugal. As I grew fond of the city and noticed its vibrant creative atmosphere, I discussed this opportunity with FunPlus, resulting in us setting up a studio right here.
That brings me to my next question. Can you tell us a little bit about Studio Ellipsis and what you guys are going to be doing for FunPlus and in general?
Studio Ellipsis operates under two primary areas of focus: worldbuilding and intellectual property (IP) strategy. In essence, this team acts as a resource for all FunPlus projects to establish their IP. This support can take various forms, ranging from providing guidelines to collaborative work, and at times, hands-on involvement.
The main focus of the second Ellipsis project involves designing an exclusive intellectual property (IP) for a computer game initially, which will later be available on mobile devices too. Once established, this unique IP will be expanded across various platforms.
Obviously, FunPlus is mainly focused on mobile. Why do you think that mobile is seen as such a potential for the next big franchise, multimedia, and stuff like that?
Indeed, from the dawn of our time, these three essential elements have been the cornerstone of human survival – a social connection, sustenance, and a safe haven. Simply put, we’ve always yearned for companionship, nourishment, and a place to call home.
In today’s era, mobile devices hold an increasingly significant role in our daily lives. Your phone not only serves as a door key to your house, effectively becoming your shelter, but it also connects you with your social network and functions as a digital wallet, providing you access to food. This underscores the prevalence and centrality of these devices in our modern existence. Essentially, mobile devices have come to fulfill three basic human needs that have been constant since prehistoric times.
These tools are constantly at our side and serve as gateways to endless opportunities. This uniqueness makes them unmatched when it comes to their global reach. The only constraint that a mobile device encounters is its screen, but even screens could become obsolete in the future. However, one thing remains certain – you’ll still be carrying your mobile device (or something similar) with you.
As a devoted enthusiast, my perspective seems to be leaning towards the idea of convergence among these digital platforms. If hypothetical conflicts were to arise between them, I firmly believe it wouldn’t be mobile technology that would suffer the brunt of the impact.
We’ve seen a lot of mobile and mobile adjacent properties like Honor of Kings and their Secret Level segment kind of get in on the cross-mode approach. Has that lit a fire under you guys in terms of getting things done?
As a gamer, I’d put it this way: It’s not just about the game itself, it’s deeply ingrained in our studio’s essence. The way we categorize entertainment today is a holdover from the 20th century. Back then, to reach an audience, you had to distribute your product, and distribution was limited to print, radio, TV, and film. These became the media giants, each with its own distinct art form and audience reach methods. But fast-forward to today, and your phone is a gateway to all these forms of entertainment. It’s fascinating how times have changed!
As a gaming enthusiast, I love immersing myself in various forms of entertainment. Instead of sticking to traditional methods like watching movie series or listening to podcasts, reading books, or even comic books on physical mediums, I find it more engaging and immersive to consume these on my device. The boundaries between these media types are no longer clear-cut; they’re practically evaporating as the digital world seamlessly blends them into an endless pool of entertainment experiences.
In my opinion, our property isn’t just being handed off to a series; rather, I view the series as an integral component within the broader universe. When crafting your universe, it should be considered from the beginning, much like building a mythology. If executed effectively, this approach allows for the creation of various types of media derived from it.
I firmly think it’s exceptionally challenging to convert one form to another while preserving quality, as each medium has its unique strengths. For instance, film is primarily a visual art, so it’s best when we fully exploit its visual elements. In this context, rather than having characters express things verbally, you can utilize subtle gestures or expressions instead. Films excel at this, but they may struggle to delve into a character’s thoughts effectively unless you incorporate something like voiceover narration. However, voiceovers don’t translate well into a visual medium.
But you can’t always translate one medium fully into another, so if you take an amazing book and you turn it into a film, odds are it’s going to be a lesser version. There are some rare examples of it working, but it’s usually going to be lacklustre because you’re taking a masterpiece that uses one medium to its maximum, and then you’re translating it to a different medium that doesn’t have the same qualities.
So I believe that you need to look at each individual product and its medium first and then you tell the story that’s right for that avenue. It needs to complement the other stories, it needs to be part of a whole universe, it needs to add to that overall mythology, but it should also be a different product.
I think for Studio Ellipsis things like series like comic books, podcasts or novels are part of the fundamental DNA we’re building universes with. It starts with a game but the universe then goes on to transcend that medium.
It’s interesting that you talk about transmedia in that way. Because one of my recent pieces talked about the bizarre Japanese game Uma Musume: Pretty Derby, and the idea of production committees which do just that and plain the mythology of a universe from the get-go.
Essentially, transmedia is a progression from a concept called ‘media mix’, which was born in Japan during the 60s or 70s. It involves developing cohesive universes within a single property, and then strategizing their presence and behavior across various types of media.
The concept of media mix has significantly influenced transmedia and our approach, and I believe we’ve reached a pivotal moment due to the intricate interconnectivity of everything. This theory can be pushed further because, in the past, you were merely a consumer who could absorb content across various platforms, but you were still passive.
Now, since it works both ways, you can enjoy the enchantment of these intertwined realms, and involve the fans in the experience. We had considered this idea a few years back, but the concept wasn’t fully developed then. However, I believe that we’re reaching a stage now where the audience has grown with it and the concept is becoming commonplace to them.
To start wrapping up, I must ask why you chose Lisbon as the place to open this new studio?
For my entire life, I’ve resided in Montreal, my spouse hails from France and we’d been pondering a move to Europe, drawn by her family ties. We explored several destinations and eventually found ourselves captivated by Portugal, a country that seemed vibrant and full of energy. However, it never occurred to us as a potential home until now.
Here’s what we did: We moved here, rented a residence for a year so I could work, and I grew to adore this city. It has an energy about it that reminds me of Montreal during the inception of the gaming industry. There’s an electric creativity here, a buzzing vitality, something that had been missing from my life.
Montreal is currently leading the way as one of the world’s premier video game hubs. However, the vibrant creative spirit, reminiscent of an enthusiastic startup environment, that I once experienced there, seems to be missing. To my delight, I discovered a similar atmosphere in Lisbon. As this notion evolved, I shared it with FunPlus and everyone agreed it was an excellent concept.
And to finish, I’ll have to ask what I always tend to ask people, what mobile games are you playing lately?
Allow me to mention that I’m about to pass on an exceptionally captivating game titled “Into the Breach.” The reason for my recommendation is that I find its design to be incredibly refined and elegant. It offers a thrilling challenge that keeps me engaged, along with a level of unpredictability that makes every playthrough unique. Despite its ruthless nature, it also provides a sense of reward, blending aspects of strategy with moments of frustration. In essence, it’s a game with an incredibly tight design that I believe you’ll find intriguing.
Among many games I enjoy, this one stands out as my go-to when I find a spare moment. There’s something about its simplicity that captivates me greatly.
Visit Studio Ellipsis’ official website to access their first significant project, the comic book series Sea of Conquest: Cradle of the Gods, free of charge. Don’t forget to stay tuned for updates on their developing franchise and any related news.
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2024-10-22 23:19