That’s No Moon said it will focus on creating “narrative-driven” games and has studios in Sawtelle and San Diego.
The company is led by developers who have worked on games such as “The Last of Us,” “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare,” “God of War,” “Fortnite” and “Destiny.”
“We are so proud and honored to be partnering with Smilegate on our first title, a story-driven game that will bring key innovation to the genre,” Michael Mumbauer, chief executive of That’s No Moon, said in a statement. “We have a shared vision of creating world-class games that feature captivating stories and characters that resonate with players around the world.”
That’s No Moon is a triple-A studio, or a mid-sized game company with a relatively high budget for development and marketing, according to the company.
The company’s first project is a single-player, third-person action adventure game that’s in development now and will be available on consoles and PC.
The project is led by Creative Director Taylor Kurosaki and Game Director Jacob Minkoff. Kurosaki formerly served as the studio narrative director at Woodland Hills-based Infinity Ward Inc. and narrative design lead at Santa Monica-based Naughty Dog.
Minkoff was previously the design director of “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare” and lead game designer of “The Last of Us.”
Smilegate’s investment is another step in the company’s work toward international expansion with the goal of cementing its place as a “global IP powerhouse,” the company said.
Founded in 2002, Smilegate is behind the franchises “Lost Ark,” “Epic Seven” and “CrossFire,” which is played in 80 countries by more than 1 billion users, the company said.
“That’s No Moon is a studio with exceptionally talented developers,” Harold Kim, vice president of business development at Smilegate, said in a statement. “I believe Smilegate’s investment will blossom a groundbreaking title that will be something that no one has ever experienced before, capturing the game fans of both East and West.”
