Life is Strange Developer and Bandai Namco Team Up for New Narrative Adventure IP

Dontnod, the studio behind the acclaimed narrative adventure Life is Strange, may be busy with its sequel, but it looks like they are already working on a new IP in partnership with Bandai Namco Entertainment. Announced by publisher Bandai Namco, the developer will be creating a new narrative adventure IP for players to experience.

Speaking with MCV UK, Bandai Namco said that more details will be announced in 2018, such as platforms, a release date, if it will have retail boxed or digital versions, etc., but the company did reveal concept artwork (seen above) and that the game has been in production since last year. Bandai Namco went on to tease players with what they can expect by stating that the game takes place in a fictional US town and includes “a fair dose of investigation.”

Bandai Namco Vice President of Marketing Hervé Hoerdt said that he believes the location should attract players from a wider audience to the game. “It will be located in a fictional place in the US because we think that today, to establish a new brand with a western audience, it helps to win with the US market, so part of the choice [in setting] is having this global worldwide audience in mind,” he said. “Obviously, the UK benefits from this, which also helps in [broadening the audience, so this is very important. It’s a completely new story, new characters and everything.”

In regards to this partnership, Hoerdt said that the publisher is looking for new IPs to make up 50% of their business, and they achieve that with these long-term partnerships with a few studios. With the success of Life is Strange, they view Dontnod as a “rising star” that has a quality business model and vision. With this new game, players can of course expect an emotional, AAA-quality experience.

The story in this new IP is still being finalized, however Bandai Namco assured that it would not get in the way of Dontnod’s work on Life is Strange 2. This new title is being developed by a separate team of senior developers within the studio.