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Archetype Entertainment

Archetype Entertainment is an American studio based in , founded in 2019 as a wholly owned division of , a of . The studio specializes in creating narrative-driven, single-player games with a focus on , emphasizing deep , player choice, and innovative mechanics. Established by industry veterans, Archetype Entertainment is led by co-founders , the studio head and former creative director known for titles like , Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, and the series, and Chad Robertson, the vice president and general manager with experience at and other major studios. The team comprises talent from renowned developers such as , , , and , aiming to deliver emotionally resonant experiences in the RPG genre. Archetype's flagship project is , an original sci-fi action-adventure set in a distant future where battles alien threats across generations using advanced technology like . The game, published by , is being co-developed with and is slated for release in 2026 on multiple platforms, marking the studio's debut in delivering its vision of world-class narrative s.

History

Founding

Archetype Entertainment was established as an internal studio by on April 24, 2019, with a primary focus on creating original intellectual properties independent of the company's existing franchises such as Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering. The studio, based in , was positioned as part of Wizards of the Coast's strategy to expand its digital gaming initiatives amid growing demand for interactive entertainment. James Ohlen was appointed as the studio's creative director and head, marking his return to the industry after retiring from BioWare in July 2018 following a 22-year tenure where he led design on acclaimed RPGs including Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Baldur's Gate, and Dragon Age. Ohlen, who had intended to focus on independent publishing through his venture Arcanum Worlds post-retirement, accepted the role due to Wizards' vision for building enduring, story-driven franchises. From its inception, the studio targeted the development of a game as its inaugural project, emphasizing immersive world-building, player agency, and narrative depth in a . Early team formation drew heavily from RPG industry veterans, beginning with Ohlen and expanding to include former colleagues to leverage expertise in crafting emotionally resonant, choice-driven experiences.

Key milestones

Archetype Entertainment was officially named in January 2020 by its parent company, , marking the formal launch of the Austin-based studio focused on narrative-driven games. As part of this announcement, Robertson, a former executive, was appointed as vice president and general manager to lead operations. In February 2020, the studio further bolstered its creative team by hiring , renowned for his work on the series, as lead writer. The studio's first major project reveal came at on December 7, 2023, where unveiled , described as a single-player, third-person sci-fi action featuring in a starring role. To support development, announced a co-development partnership with on February 9, 2024, leveraging the partner's expertise in titles. Expanding the Exodus universe beyond gaming, Archetype released the tie-in novel , written by acclaimed author Peter F. Hamilton, on September 17, 2024. This was followed by a narrative prequel story featured in the "" episode of the Prime Video Secret Level, which premiered on December 17, 2024. In November 2024, announced the Traveler's Handbook, a tabletop set in the universe using a variant of 5th edition rules, with in early 2025 and full release on August 20, 2025. On February 20, 2025, launched Star Heist: An Story, a live-action tabletop adventure series led by , further exploring the franchise's lore. On May 23, 2025, Archetype Entertainment received official recognition from the Governor's Office as a , highlighting its contributions to the state's industry. In October 2025, a sequel to the tie-in novel, : The Helium Sea by Peter F. Hamilton, was announced for release on June 16, 2026.

Corporate structure

Ownership

Archetype Entertainment was established in 2019 as a wholly owned division of , a subsidiary of acquired in 1999 for approximately $325 million, integrating it into its gaming portfolio and providing the financial resources to support Archetype's development of AAA titles. and have committed over $1 billion to their shared ecosystem, enabling Archetype to pursue ambitious projects like the sci-fi EXODUS. As part of this structure, plays a strategic role in of the Coast's expansion into , developing original properties beyond its core tabletop franchises such as and Magic: The Gathering. The studio receives full backing from without independent funding or external investors, ensuring seamless integration into the parent company's entertainment initiatives. This support allows to focus on narrative-driven role-playing games, leveraging Hasbro's resources for high-impact multimedia storytelling.

Operations

Archetype Entertainment maintains its headquarters at 11902 Burnet Road, Suite 200, in , , serving as the central hub for all studio operations since 2019. The studio's team consists of approximately 135 employees, drawn primarily from experienced professionals who are veterans of leading game developers including , , and . This composition fosters a collaborative environment geared toward high-quality game production, with roles spanning creative direction, engineering, art, and production. Archetype's development approach centers on crafting epic, story-driven games that prioritize player agency, cinematic narratives, and cutting-edge gameplay for original intellectual properties. As a division of , the studio leverages extensive corporate resources, including financial and technical support, to build ambitious titles. Ongoing recruitment reflects the studio's growth trajectory, with at least one active job opening for a senior producer role in Austin as of November 2025. Archetype also collaborates with Certain Affinity as a co-development partner to enhance project scalability.

Games and media

Video games

Archetype Entertainment has yet to release any video games as of November 2025, with its sole announced project being the single-player, third-person sci-fi action-adventure RPG Exodus. Set 40,000 years in the future within the Omega Centauri star cluster, the game places players in the role of "The Traveler," a human explorer who ventures across extraordinary alien worlds to scavenge advanced technology and combat the Celestials, god-like alien entities that enforce galactic stagnation and threaten humanity's remnants. Core gameplay emphasizes exploration, third-person combat, and narrative-driven decision-making, where moral choices carry profound consequences amplified by effects from —allowing players to influence events across generations while aging minimally themselves. Themes of , , and legacy underscore the experience, with mechanics including customizable companions, options, side quests, and a transforming weapon system for dynamic encounters against Celestials, bioengineered foes, and rival human factions. Exodus is being co-developed with to enhance its ambitious scope, drawing on the expertise of former and team members at Archetype. The studio has committed to creating original intellectual properties unbound by existing franchises such as , positioning Exodus as the foundation for a new sci-fi universe. Promotional media, including a , extends the narrative as a bridge to the game's interactive elements. Development updates in 2025 have included the Founders Q&A video revealing fresh insights, such as weapon mechanics and companion interactions, alongside new screenshots and cinematic trailers featuring characters like the terrifying Mara Yama, a horror introduced in prior reveals. As of November 2025, remains in active development for , Xbox Series X|S, and PC, with a release window targeted for 2026 but no specific date confirmed.

Tie-in media

Archetype Entertainment has expanded the universe of its flagship title, , through supplementary narrative media designed to enrich the sci-fi lore surrounding themes of interstellar migration, ancient entities, and temporal anomalies. The studio's first major tie-in publication is the : The Archimedes Engine, authored by acclaimed writer Peter F. Hamilton and released on September 17, 2024, by Worlds under a licensing agreement coordinated by Archetype and . This prequel delves into the historical origins of the Archimedes Engine—a pivotal enabling planetary relocation—and the early encounters with the enigmatic , providing foundational backstory that integrates seamlessly with the video game's central plot of humanity's from a doomed solar system. In October 2025, a second novel in the series, Exodus: The Helium Sea, was announced as the conclusion to the Archimedes Engine duology, also by Peter F. Hamilton, with a scheduled release date of June 16, 2026, by Random House Worlds. This book continues the narrative, exploring further conflicts within the Exodus universe. Additionally, Wizards of the Coast released the Exodus tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) on August 20, 2025, featuring a core rulebook, the Traveler's Handbook, and an Encyclopedia to support adventures in the sci-fi setting. The system adapts elements of the fifth edition rules with sci-fi updates, including new classes, subclasses, and origins, allowing players to experience stories of survival against the Celestials through tabletop play. Complementing the literary expansion, contributed to the Secret Level on Prime Video with the "Exodus: Odyssey," which premiered on December 17, 2024. This narrative short, directed as part of the broader series by Tim Miller and , offers a visually striking vignette focusing on the Traveler protagonist's early struggles against Celestial threats and the complexities of mechanics within the universe. The 's stylized and concise storytelling highlight key lore elements, such as the moral dilemmas of interstellar survival, to immerse audiences in the franchise's world-building ahead of the game's launch. These projects serve a strategic role in amplifying anticipation for by deepening its narrative layers and attracting fans of expansive sci-fi storytelling, all while leveraging partnerships with established publishers and streaming platforms under of the Coast's oversight. As of November 2025, further , such as , continues to be explored for the franchise.

Personnel

Leadership

Archetype Entertainment's leadership is headed by co-founders and Chad Robertson, both veterans of with extensive experience in game development. serves as co-founder and studio head ( as of 2025), a role he has held since the studio's establishment in 2019. Prior to joining Archetype, Ohlen was a at for over two decades, where he led the development of acclaimed titles including and . He retired from in 2018 after contributing to projects like , citing a desire to step away from large-scale game production. Ohlen's return to the industry came through , which recruited him to spearhead Archetype's focus on narrative-driven RPGs. Chad Robertson joined as co-founder, vice president, and general manager in 2020, bringing operational expertise from his time at . There, he served as studio director and head of live services for , managing production and ongoing support for major titles over eight years. Robertson's prior roles at other studios further honed his skills in studio management and technical leadership. In their respective positions, Ohlen oversees the creative vision, emphasizing immersive storytelling and player choice in RPGs, while Robertson manages business operations, production pipelines, and studio infrastructure to support Archetype's development goals.

Notable staff

Drew Karpyshyn has served as Narrative Director at Archetype Entertainment since February 2020. A BioWare alumnus, he is credited as the lead writer for Mass Effect 1 and 2, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, and contributions to Baldur's Gate. In this role, Karpyshyn oversees the narrative scripting for the studio's debut title, Exodus, shaping its sci-fi story with themes of time dilation and player-driven choices. Other notable staff include Jesse Sky, who serves as . Archetype Entertainment's creative and technical staff includes veterans from , , and , who bring expertise in design and engineering to drive innovation and engine development for experiences. The studio prioritizes recruiting specialists to enhance story-driven mechanics in Exodus, leveraging their backgrounds in narrative depth and immersive worlds.

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