adminParamount Games Studio is bringing the company’s video game operations together to develop more games based on its entertainment franchises and create new intellectual property. Executive vice president and head of games Dan Prigg says the division plans to work with external studios, explore different game sizes and platforms, and build titles that can stand on their own rather than simply accompany film and television releases.
Image credit: Paramount Games Studio
Paramount Games Studio’s approach to development
The new division combines Paramount’s intellectual property with Skydance’s game studios, including Skydance Interactive and Skydance New Media. The organisation has around 170 employees and brings development, publishing and licensing decisions under one structure. Prigg, who previously worked at Scopely and Aspyr Media, joined Skydance Interactive in 2022.
Before the merger, Paramount’s games activity was primarily focused on licensing, while Skydance operated studios and pursued licensing opportunities of its own. The combined team aims to manage its portfolio together, choose suitable projects and support communities around its brands.
Several projects were already in development when the division was formed. These include Marvel 1943, led by Amy Hennig’s studio, an unannounced Star Wars game from the same studio and the externally developed Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game. Paramount also announced a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles title from PlatinumGames and Star Trek: Shadow Frontier, a horror game from Bloober Team.
Choosing the right development partners
Prigg’s stated principle for selecting collaborators is to match the right intellectual property with the right team and an appropriate project size. A franchise does not automatically need a large-scale production: a carefully made double-A game may suit a property just as well as a triple-A release. This approach also leaves room for smaller studios with a strong idea and relevant experience.
Paramount expects to consider pitches from a range of developers rather than limiting work to a particular studio size. The company has more intellectual property than it can develop internally, making co-development an important part of its plans. Projects may be handled internally, jointly with a partner or through licensing, depending on which arrangement best fits the game and the property.
The strategy also extends beyond PC and console. Paramount already has games on Roblox, including SpongeBob SquarePants and TMNT: Battle Tycoon, and intends to keep reaching audiences on the platform. Prigg says the company is also actively considering mobile games, building on previous partnerships with Scopely and FunPlus.
For readers and players, the range of platforms matters because different generations encounter franchises in different ways. A game can introduce a long-running property to younger players while giving older fans a reason to reconnect with it. Paramount’s aim is to make games that represent the brands well and may encourage audiences to explore their television, film or animation counterparts.
Using Paramount Games Studio’s archive thoughtfully
Paramount has a broad catalogue of film and television properties to consider. Prigg has identified Mission: Impossible as a franchise he would like to explore, alongside Star Trek, SpongeBob SquarePants, Avatar and Nickelodeon properties. However, the company does not plan to make a game simply because a licence is available.
Finding the right developer and concept can take time. Prigg cautions against setting a release date or deciding the game’s format before the right creative partner and idea are in place. A practical lesson for licensed-game development is to begin with the strengths of the property and team, then set a production plan that gives the project room to succeed.
That principle also informs release timing. Paramount says its games will not automatically be scheduled to coincide with a film’s theatrical debut. Although a game may support a broader franchise or fill a gap between screen releases, it should work as a complete experience in its own right. Prigg pointed to IO Interactive’s 007 First Light as an example of a game that can create anticipation for a familiar entertainment universe between film releases.
Image credit: IO Interactive
Creating original properties through games
The division’s plans are not limited to adapting existing films and television series. Skydance Interactive, known for virtual reality games including The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners and the 2024 release Behemoth, is moving beyond a VR-only focus. The studio is developing original intellectual property for PC and console.
Prigg describes the team as a focused group with strong technology and storytelling capabilities. Its work could begin as a game and, if audiences respond to the world and characters, potentially inspire other forms of entertainment. This reflects a broader shift in how franchises can begin: games can originate stories and properties, rather than only adapting ideas first established in film or television.
A measured long-term games strategy
Film companies have previously invested heavily in game development, then returned to licensing when their plans did not deliver. Prigg says Paramount intends to take a measured approach, with senior leadership viewing games as a meaningful medium for its audiences. The company does not want to expand too quickly or acquire studios without a clear business plan.
Instead, Paramount plans to grow according to its slate and available resources, seeking projects that fit both the properties and the developers involved. That means balancing established franchises with original ideas and choosing partners based on the work rather than relying on a single production model.
For players, the central question will be whether each title has a clear identity beyond its licence. Paramount Games Studio’s approach puts fit, creative collaboration and independent release timing at the centre of that challenge. Its plans for Mission: Impossible and other properties will depend on finding the right concept and team, while its original projects will test whether games can also become the starting point for new entertainment brands.
