Industry Veterans Michael Mumbauer and John Garvin have announced the creation of a new AAA gaming and entertainment studio called Liithos. Liithos wants to create a connected entertainment world, revolutionizing the way players experience AAA gaming. Liithos’ first game is called Ashfall which will have players fighting to survive a world scarred by global warming, the ignited volcanic Ring-of-Fire, mysterious and disruptive energy fields, and warring enclaves.
“At Liithos, we want to deliver the next evolution of AAA gaming to the masses in connected ways that have never been experienced before,” said Michael Mumbauer, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Liithos.” The gaming industry is amazing in that it has evolved through a series of innovations, never going backwards. We look forward to continuing that trend, working with partners like the HBAR Foundation in support of the Hedera network, who understand the potential and need for innovation without any harmful impact to the environment.”
Michael Mumbauer pioneered development techniques at PlayStation Visual Arts for 13 years. He was integral to driving innovation for three generations of gaming platforms from PlayStation 3 to PlayStation 5.
John Garvin is a prolific PlayStation creative veteran who has written and directed some of the most popular and successful gaming franchises for Sony for over 25 years. Garvin was the creative director of Days Gone and helped make Uncharted: Golden Abyss the most successful title in the lifespan of the PlayStation Vita. Over the course of his career, Garvin has shipped over a dozen AAA titles.
“Michael and I have worked together creatively for almost two decades and this is our chance to create something really new and exciting. It’s like getting the band back together,” said John Garvin, Vice President, Creative of Liithos. “Our goal is to create a truly next-gen, open-world experience that engages with new technologies to allow user-generated content. As always, our focus is on creating beloved characters, captivating stories and evolutionary gameplay and a world worth exploring, not just in games, but other media as well.”
Ashfall will begin as a connected single-player adventure that will evolve into a multiplayer PVP & PVE cinematic transmedia world. Gamers can choose to play the game leveraging the Hedera network where scavenging, discovery, and exclusivity are the focus for a build, sell, and trade experience.
The team that Michael has assembled at Liithos represents the top minds in AAA game development and the creation of transmedia IP,” said Alex Russman, VP and Head of the Metaverse Fund at The HBAR Foundation. “As Liithos lead the charge in bringing top-tier gaming into the Web3 era, creating richer and more rewarding experiences for their users, we are pleased to partner with them and support the development of Liithos’ games and ecosystem, both on the Hedera network and within the broader gaming industry.”
Currently, Ashfall has partnerships in place with legendary comic book creators, artists and influencers as the story will begin with a digital comic written by John Garvin, featuring cover art by Worldstorm and DC Comics’ Brett Booth.