Former XCOM developers launch Midsummer Studios, announce next-gen life sim game

Misummer Studios' first life sim game will be created in Unreal Engine 5

Midsummer Studios

Jake Solomon, Will Miller, and other former developers from Firaxis Games have formed a new indie studio. Midsummer Studios has been launched after raising $6 million from major investors including Transcend Fund and PUBG-creator Krafton. That's not all, as the studio is already teasing its first game in the life sim genre.

The new studio has already picked up talented developers with experience in making content from the life sim genre. The team includes Grant Rodiek, a former lead producer on various installments of The Sims, and other developers who have worked at Firaxis.

"The best stories in games are written by the players,” said Jake Solomon, CEO and Creative Director of Midsummer Studios. “At Midsummer we’re making a life sim focused on the drama of modern life, where our players will write meaningful stories just by playing, and then share those stories with the world.”

Midsummer Studios is thrilled to reveal our existence! We are building a story-focused life simulation in Md. We will be quiet as we build and iterate, but keep tabs on us as we will share in-progress work here as we approach Early Access. See you soon! https://t.co/McKhDwyEnv

— MidsummerStudios (@ItsMidsummer) May 14, 2024

"Leading the Seed for Midsummer was a natural fit for Transcend," said Shanti Bergel, Founding Partner at Transcend. "As a Producer on The Sims myself nearly twenty years ago, I am well acquainted with the power that meaningful player-driven stories can unlock. I also have an abiding respect for how hard it is to deliver the alchemy of community, systems design, gameplay, and user generated content necessary to do so. The Midsummer founders are industry veterans with the rare experience and design artistry required to deliver against this massive opportunity. I am delighted to join the board and support their journey to redefine the LifeSim category."

In an interview with Wccftech, Solomon talked more about the new game the team is building. For starters, the game will differentiate itself from previous Firaxis titles by not including any combat mechanics.

"Great stories require strong characters with competing desires," said Solomon. "Our new game won’t feature combat, but conflict and tension will be at the forefront. Life Sims sit at the intersection of game systems and player agency. We’re trying to find that balance between managing relationships to 'play well' (so to speak) and also tell the story you wish to see."

The untitled life sim game, as one would expect, will feature NPCs with a dynamic job system, and a story with no end, and it won't include a game over screen or any mini-games. While it will be a single-player game, the statements made during the studio's announcement suggest that players will be able to create and share user-generated content. The game is being built using Unreal Engine 5, though its NPCs won't be created using Epic's MetaHuman system. While it's early days, Solomon confirmed that it will launch on PC first under an early access program.

Midsummer Studios is currently expanding its team, offering shared equity and unlimited paid time off to potential employees. Firaxis recently laid off multiple employees following Midnight Sun's disappointing sales.