Paramount Skydance chief David Ellison — a self-professed gamer — has finally hit the restart button on Paramount’s gaming ambitions: His company unveiled Paramount Games Studio and splashy AAA title “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin” as its first project on June 5 during Summer Game Fest in L.A.
The new division, led by president Tony Driscoll (formerly Paramount’s head of corporate strategy and development), combines Skydance’s two game studios with Paramount intellectual property. According to the company, the move elevates games as a core pillar of its entertainment biz.
“Games are no longer an extension of the business; they’re a core driver of storytelling, community and growth across Paramount,” Driscoll says.
Until now, Paramount’s gaming business has largely consisted of licensing IP to third parties —so the bar for a revamp wasn’t too high to clear. But with Skydance’s reputation for quality game titles and Paramount’s vast library, there’s potential to carve out a space in a market that’s crowded to the point of bursting.
Paramount
