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ArenaNet vet Strain launches new studio Crop Circle Games

ArenaNet vet Strain launches new studio Crop Circle Games

There's now a second studio under Jeff Strain's Prytania Media imprint.

This new developer is Crop Circle Games, a new venture that already has $25 million of backing from Transcend Fund among others. This studio is being headed up by director Jessica Brunelle, a veteran of Sony Santa Monica and Undead Labs.

Crop Circle's leadership team includes creative director Doug Williams, art director Ocala Scott-Bellows, design director Nick Mhley, tech director Braeden Shosa and narrative director Josh Scherr.

Prytania Media was launched in 2021 by ArenaNet co-founder Jeff Strain and his partner Annie Strain, with the aim of creating new IP. Crop Circle's reveal follows the initial launch of developer Possibility Space.

“In a dispiriting political, economic, and environmental time of history, what a pleasure to be part of a team creating a joyful, productive zone of creativity, positivity, and innovation,” Strain said.

“It’s a genuine delight to be using my decades of successfully managing the business behind making games so that developers can focus on the creation of games. Trends come and go in this industry but balancing the non-flashy fundamentals of both game development and managing a business is how you build studios for the long run. I’m really excited to support this world-class team to bring this intriguing and somewhat unconventional title to players.”


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PCGamesInsider Contributing Editor

Alex Calvin is a freelance journalist who writes about the business of games. He started out at UK trade paper MCV in 2013 and left as deputy editor over three years later. In June 2017, he joined Steel Media as the editor for new site PCGamesInsider.biz. In October 2019 he left this full-time position at the company but still contributes to the site on a daily basis. He has also written for GamesIndustry.biz, VGC, Games London, The Observer/Guardian and Esquire UK.