The South African Director, Neill Blomkamp, who is responsible for the blockbuster sci-fi hits such as District 9, Chappie, and Elysium is officially joining the video game industry. Today, Blomkamp joined the independent German developer, Gunzilla Games, in the role of chief visionary officer. He will be helping the team with their very first project: a AAA multiplayer shooter title. The game has yet to be announced, but the news of this partnership has sparked media attention everywhere. In an exclusive interview with IGN, Blomkamp explained what it actually means to assume the role of the indie studio’s “visionary officer”:
It comes from a place of bringing directorial skills that would be along the lines of the films that I’ve done before to the athestic of the game.
Blomkamp believes that his expertise in filmmaking would help him in the video game industry as he’s used to creating fictional and immersive worlds. By having this background, he aspires to be able to integrate all of his knowledge into the world of gaming, hoping to translate it into compelling storylines and worlds for players to enjoy. In addition, the interview details how important teamwork is to the South African filmmaker, “the difference from [directing a film] is not acting like a single point that guides the creative team. It’s making sure that you’re integrated into the team in a real way,” said Blomkamp. The director wants to make sure that all of his creative decisions are approved by the team as a whole so that his contributions are being beneficial to the game.
Very few details have been released about the upcoming Gunzilla Games project, though Blomkamp seemed to suggest that it will follow in line with a sci-fi theme, his area of expertise. In the interview, Blomkamp detailed that the future science fiction genre is always compelling–visually and from a design point of view.