Sony Interactive Entertainment has launched a brand new first-party development studio, Dark Outlaw Games, with former Call of Duty veteran Jason Blundell at the helm.

Blundell boasts extensive experience in the gaming industry, having served as a studio leader at Treyarch, the development team behind the acclaimed Call of Duty series.  He was instrumental in shaping the popular Zombies mode within the franchise.  After a 13-year tenure at Activision, Blundell departed to co-found Deviation Games.

Backed by Sony, Deviation Games was initially tasked with creating a PlayStation 5 exclusive shooter. However, the project encountered difficulties, leading to significant layoffs before the studio ultimately closed its doors in March of last year.

In a recent interview, Blundell confirmed that Dark Outlaw Games is actively recruiting talent, with himself serving as the studio's head and director.

“I'm incredibly privileged to be building a new studio within PlayStation Studios called Dark Outlaw Games,” stated Blundell. “We’ve been working diligently behind the scenes for a while now, and we’re excited to emerge from the shadows when we have something substantial to share. It’s a real honor to collaborate with PlayStation as a new first-party studio.  Sony doesn't establish these partnerships lightly, so I'm humbled by this unique opportunity.”