A TV exec who worked on The Walking Dead and The Boys has launched a new game studio
Sharon Tal Yguado’s Astrid Entertainment is making its “first fantastical interactive world”
A senior media executive previously responsible for helping bring The Walking Dead, The Boys and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power to TV screens has set up a new game studio.
Sharon Tal Yguado has announced that her new studio, Astrid Entertainment, has secured a “high seven-figure pre-seed investment” from a number of investors, including NetEase Games.
Yguado has previously been acknowledged as one of the most influential Hollywood media executives by Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, and has built studio divisions at such media companies as Amazon and Fox.
She partnered with AMC on The Walking Dead series and bought the international rights for the show outside of the US and Canada, then moved to Amazon Studios where she picked up The Boys and later spearheaded The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
Now, with Astrid Entertainment, Yguado has turned her attention to video games and is, according to a statement, “bringing together accomplished worldbuilders and game developers to craft fantastical living worlds that inspire positive, community play”.
The statement adds: “Astrid is building its first fantastical interactive world, grounded in rich lore, environmental worldbuilding and system design to encourage the emergence of multiplayer stories.
“Players will evolve worlds differently based on their actions and choices. They will get to explore the world, go on adventures, meet its fascinating characters, learn new skills, collect and share resources, all whilst building new bonds that grow and evolve over time.”
Yguado stated: ““I love developing rich worlds and watching millions of people engage and build communities around them.
“We are seeing a new generation that wants something different. They enjoy walking into evocative worlds that give them freedom, let them hang out with their friends, explore, discover and create their own stories.
“I am incredibly lucky to have found and partnered with like-minded visionary game developers who are already pushing boundaries in this medium. We can’t wait to announce our incredibly talented gaming leadership team. Soon!”
