Jake Solomon was a longtime designer and director at studio Firaxis, and he was fairly publicly the figurehead for giant technique video games like XCOM 2 and Marvel’s Midnight Suns. So final month, it was fairly large information to listen to he was leaving Firaxis behind to chase a “new dream.” At the time, it was unclear what that dream was, however due to a podcast interview with My Perfect Console (noticed and transcribed by VGC) we now have an thought of what Solomon will do subsequent. It includes opening a brand new studio and dealing on technique video games, in contrast to those he made at Firaxis.
Specifically, Solomon looks like he’s completed with turn-based technique video games. “After I made Midnight Suns I appeared… and I discovered that I wasn’t that enthusiastic about doing one other turn-based technique sport,” says Solomon. The designer stated, “I felt like I did not have something extra to say in that space.”
So, what does he need to work on? “I’m a artistic director, however the reality is I’m truly a really in-the-weeds methods designer.” Solomon factors to his work on Midnight Suns the place he labored to design particular person heroes, enemies, and their skills, regardless of his official job title as artistic director.
Because of this emphasis and love for system design, Solomon needs to make a “systems-based sport.” Surprisingly, he says “I need to make one thing that’s extra of a life simulator or a simulation-style sport. That’s the plan.” I think about by “life simulator” he doesn’t imply one other Sims rival, however the considered a 99% success price for bowel actions is a humorous one.
Solomon additionally shed some mild on why he determined to go away Firaxis after twenty years. He says “as the corporate was altering, this was my alternative to consider possibly I ought to make a change.” Solomon was additionally impressed by Firaxis’ co-founder and Civilization’s creator Sid Meier, and the way he had “began a number of firms.”
Solomon hasn’t formally based a brand new firm but, though he’s presently searching for funding and in search of to register an official identify for a Baltimore-based studio. “My intention, if anyone provides me the funding for it, is to open my very own studio regionally and make a brand new type of sport,” he says.
Solomon’s final sport at Firaxis – the superhero friend-making sim Midnight Suns – continues to be getting post-launch assist, simply in case you need to maintain onto the dev’s turn-based technique video games for some time longer.
