What Are Take-Two Interactive Working On… A Look At Their Studios
Take-Two Interactive are honestly best known by one of their sub labels, 2K and if you don’t know that one, then you for sure know Rockstar Games.
2023 saw the usual sports games get their yearly releases, but also saw a new series in Lego 2K Drive make its debut. What does 2024 have in store? Let us take a look and find out.
2K
31st Union
SAN FRANCISCO
Last Game Released: None | Series: None
This studio was founded in 2019 by former Sledgehammer Games co-founder Michael Condrey and then given its current name in early 2020. Since then the studio has not said a word on whatever its first game is going to be and given we are now in the 5th year without anything, that hopefully means things might change.
The studio is still looking to fill a number of roles for a game described as AAA, which does feature elements like ‘immersive environments’. There was a tweet from a few years back that described the game as “an exciting new game universe“ and when the Spain studio was revealed, it was stated the game was a new IP, so take from that what you will. With the studio founder Condrey having directed a few different games over his career, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Dead Space and a personal favourite, James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing, there is really no way of knowing what we are going to get.
SPAIN
Last Game Released: None | Series: None
For the longest time this studio was known by the name elite3d, before being bought up and renamed as 31st Union Valencia, which is the town they are in. The studio was an assist studio that would be hired to work on a number of things from character art to world and props, vehicles and beyond. Basically if you needed some additional support for a project, but didn’t want to hire new staff for the short term, this is who you would go to.
Since they were hired, they have been working on whatever the debut title is for 31st Union, we just have to wait to see what it is.
CAT DADDY GAMES
Last Game Released: NBA 2K Mobile | Series: NBA 2K Mobile series, WWE SuperCard series
The last time that this studio released a new title was back in 2019 and since then, they have just done yearly updates that they call seasons. Both their current games get one massive yearly update and then smaller fix updates throughout the year. Season 6 just went live in October 2023 for NBA 2K Mobile and Season 10 in November 2023 for WWE SuperCard.
Given they seem content to release updates to games that are a few years old, its unlikely that will change this year, but its possible 10 years worth of content for one game might be the time they kick off a new release entirely.
Cloud Chamber
NOVATO
Last Game Released: None | Series: None
Something that is clearly a trend in this group, we have another new-ish studio that has yet to release a game after a number of years. Announced in December 2019, both the studio and their debut project Bioshock next - its actual name is unknown, the studio has been insanely quiet since that reveal. 2022 saw the narrative lead on Ghost of Tsushima Liz Albl make the jump to the studio, but that was the last major news we have on the game.
The studio is actively hiring for a number of positions in both locations, but as we already know the game they are making, there is nothing too revealing within them. For now we just need to wait, as there is no telling how far along the game is in development, rumours of development trouble are swirling, but are of course unconfirmed.
MONTRÉAL
Last Game Released: None | Series: None
Basically take the above text and apply it here. The studio was first announced months after the Novato location was formed and they have been working on the new game, but beyond that, there is nothing much else we can say about them.
FIRAXIS GAMES
Last Game Released: Marvel's Midnight Suns | Series: XCOM series, Civilization series
2023 was looking good for Firaxis, at the end of 2022 they released their latest strategy game, this time packed with well and some less known Marvel characters. But in February 2023, some long time developers left the studio, which followed by layoffs in June 2023. It wasn’t all doom, just partly as Midnight Suns did release on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 as promised, but the often repeated promise of it coming to Switch was broken as that version was cancelled.
What is next for the studio, well it was confirmed at the start of 2023 that Civilization 7 is in development at the studio, with the last original game releasing in 2016, you could say its time. The studio is also providing some insights to the Civilization: Eras & Allies mobile game, though they are not actively developing it. Given that the studio has only had a year on their next game, a reveal is possible this year, but a release is not.
For now enjoy this almost 2 hour concert of the music from Civilization VI.
Hangar 13
NOVATO
Last Game Released: Mafia: Definitive Edition | Series: Mafia series
We are now in the fourth year since the release of the fantastic Mafia: Definitive Edition and in that time the studio tried their hand at another game, but development on that was cancelled. Since then we know they are working on Mafia 4, its full name not known at this stage.
The studio is hiring around a dozen roles right now, across the various locations they work from, most of them in Brighton, which is now considered their head office. Given the length of time 2K take with their games, if development has only been going strong for 18 months or so, which is likely given Volt’s cancellation, there is unlikely to be any news this year.
BRNO
Last Game Released: Mafia: Definitive Edition | Series: Mafia series, Top Spin series
Known as 2K Czech for a number of years, they were brought into the Hangar 13 family, which makes sense given that they were the creators of the Mafia series. This is also the studio that made the last Top Spin game and there are rumours that a new entry is in development, but we shall need to wait and see which game is coming from them.
BRIGHTON
Last Game Released: Mafia: Definitive Edition | Series: Mafia series
When Haden Blackman left Hangar 13, Nick Baynes was given the role at the top and as he is based in the UK, the Brighton branch became the head office. The youngest of the four studios, they were only just coming together when the first game with their name in the credits shipped.
The only rumours for the new game is that it might be developed on Unreal Engine 5, which would be a change from the engine that the studio has used previously. But due to the time it takes them to make a game, as I said before there shouldn’t be any more than a reveal this year, if at all.
PRAGUE
Last Game Released: Mafia: Definitive Edition | Series: Mafia series
A sister studio to the Brno office, they have been assisting with development on Mafia 3 and its DLC. They are developing the next Mafia title.
HB STUDIOS
Last Game Released: PGA Tour 2K23 | Series: PGA Tour 2K23 series, Plenty of sports titles
Having created many sports titles over their time, they kicked off their Golf love in 2014 and after being bought up by 2K, they have released the PGA Tour titles.
Given that they tend to have a 2 year dev cycle and the last one released in 2022, odds are that we are going to get another game this year, likely sometime around late September/Early October. For now there Season 7 just launched and there is likely one more to come before the next game.
VISUAL CONCEPTS
Last Game Released: NBA 2K24 | Series: NBA 2K series, WWE 2K series
2023 was a different year for the studio as they released Lego 2K Drive, their first non-NBA or WWE game since 2013’s Major League Baseball 2K13.
As for 2024, well apart from some DLC for the aforementioned driving game, it is predictable by now that we will get another pair of sports games, well one sport and one acting simulator. The WWE titles tend to get their reveal early in the year and NBA around June/July and that timeline is unlikely to change.
2K VEGAS, 2K CHENGDU, 2K MADRID
These are support studios, they assist others with asset creation, testing and all other aspects of game creation, as such they won’t have their own game this year, or likely any year.
GHOST STORY GAMES
GHOST STORY GAMES
Founded way back in 2017 when Ken Levine gutted his former studio and made this from the ashes, it was December 2022 that we got our first look at what they were creating, Judas. Now 13 months later there has been no word on what is going on with it.
With the game not given any form of release date, ignore people who claim its this year, there is no telling when it will release. Given that Ghost Story Games are running at a much smaller headcount than Irrational Games had, it’s not a surprising thing to imagine them taking longer, but providing any sort of update would be quite welcome.
PRIVATE DIVISION
PRIVATE DIVISION
This group is not actually a developer, but a publisher for other studios works, they initially were set to publish only a game from Roll7 before the studio was bought up. So what does 2024 look like for this group?
Well, we know that Penny’s Big Breakaway and Tales of the Shire are expected in 2024, the first one is listed as early 2024 and the other is just the year. They might have a surprise or two in store as well, as they like to do that, but for the other games, those are bigger unknowns. Project Bloom from Game Freak has no release window, but its expected sometime in the Take-Two fiscal 2026 year. A new deal was struck in December 2023 to have a new horror game come from the folks at Bloober Team, but there are no details for that. The only game with an actual name is No Rest for the Wicked from Moon Studios, the folks behind Ori, it however also has no release date, but it is expected to launch into early access first.
INTERCEPT GAMES
Last Game Released: Kerbal Space Program | Series: Kerbal Space Program series
The start of 2023 saw the group release Kerbal Space Program 2 into Early Access, with updates coming across the year. There is no full release date yet, but expect them to keep working on that in 2024.
ROLL7
Last Game Released: Rollerdrome | Series: OlliOlli series
2022 saw Roll7 release two games, OlliOlli World and then Rollerdrome, with 2023 seeing the latter one make the jump to Xbox, but apart from that the studio was very quiet last year.
Last year did see the studio celebrate 15 years and they are working on something new, there is just no word on what it might be and their current open roles don’t hint at anything either. So for now we just need to wait.
ROCKSTAR GAMES
Honestly, with how much Rockstar makes, ie not a lot, rather than repeating the line each time, it is highly likely that each of the locations below are working on nothing but Grand Theft Auto VI. However, we will still dive into each, so if that is not the case, we will call it out, just know its not likely to be.
DUNDEE
Last Game Released: None | Series: None
The newest studio to join the Rockstars group, they were formally known as Ruffian Games and worked on Crackdown 3 for the Xbox One. Since they joined after Red Dead Redemption 2 released, we are not sure what they have been doing, except likely Grand Theft Auto VI.
NEW ENGLAND
Last Game Released: Red Dead Redemption 2 | Series: Bully: Scholarship Edition
The last game that the studio developed on their own was the enhanced version of Bully, which released way back in 2008. Since then they have been nothing but a co-develop on countless other titles, including GTA and Red Dead series.
INDIA
Last Game Released: Red Dead Redemption 2 | Series: None
Bought up in 2019, this studio has been providing support to Red Dead Redemption 2, however with that game no longer receiving new content, they will be supporting Grand Theft Auto VI as a co-developer.
LEEDS
Last Game Released: Red Dead Redemption 2 | Series: Beaterator
The last original game by the Leeds branch of Rockstar was 2009’s Beaterator for mobile devices. Beyond that they tend to do port work, bringing Rockstar titles to more platforms, or provide support for other games.
LINCOLN
Last Game Released: Red Dead Redemption 2 | Series: None
The Lincoln arm is the companies QA facility, which is where all the bugs and other aspects for each Rockstar game are tested. The studio went through some pains with Red Dead Redemption 2, which appear to have been resolved.
LONDON
Last Game Released: Red Dead Redemption 2 | Series: Manhunt 2
The debut and only original release from this group was Manhunt 2 back in 2007, since then they have been co-developers on other Rockstar titles.
NORTH
Last Game Released: Red Dead Redemption 2 | Series: Grand Theft Auto series
With a series like Lemmings under their belt, swapping to the top down action of the original Grand Theft Auto was a shift no-one saw coming. Of course, the rest as they say is history and the studio has been the lead on every Grand Theft Auto game since, including the upcoming Grand Theft Auto VI.
SAN DIEGO
Last Game Released: Red Dead Redemption 2 | Series: Midnight Club series, Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis
For the longest time the San Diego team were responsible for the Midnight Club series, which had its fans and then after the 2008 release, they were tasked with creating a title called Red Dead Redemption and its follow up in 2018. In between they also provide support for other games being made by the company.
TORONTO
Last Game Released: Red Dead Redemption 2 | Series: Ports
The Toronto studio has mostly been the port house for Rockstar, taking games and bringing them to new platforms, like Grand Theft Auto V to PC. Beyond that its just going to be supporting whatever they are asked to.
T2 MOBILE GAMES
NORDEUS
Last Game Released: Top Eleven Football Manager | Series: Heroic - Magic Duel
The company have been updating Top Eleven for years now, it first released in 2010 for Facebook, it made the jump to mobile in 2011 and then since that release, has seen consistent updates for the series. At the time of publishing this, another update just went live a few days ago. Given they are updating this all the time, something new is unlikely from the team.
SOCIALPOINT
Last Game Released: Word Life | Series: Dragon City, Monster Legends
A studio known for creating titles for mobile devices and Facebook, their games are quite varied. We know that development is on going for both Champions Destiny and League of Dragons, along with support for some of their existing games.
We know they have two games in development, but as they are the same two games they had in development at this time last year, its clear they are not rushing. So for those we will need to wait and see.
ZYNGA
Last year we listed all the studios under the Zynga banner, in order to provide an update on each, but sadly as they are all mobile developers, it boils down to “we won’t know until its done”. For that reason, we have removed them from this years list (you can check out last years for the names), but I do want to call out BossAlien and Natural Motion for not releasing Star Wars Hunters, 3 years after it was first announced.
The game has entered a soft launch phase on mobile and since then they have added new modes, characters and maps, but there is still no firm release date for the full release. The Switch version, which was where the game was first revealed for, has had no updates on its progress in almost 2 years and honestly, by the time they are ready to ship the game, Switch 2 will likely be out.
So there we go, the Take-Two Interactive line up. Will this be a year for them to release more than just sports games? Who knows, there are some studios where they are due to reveal things, so fingers crossed we do get something new.
