Should new IP be the focus for Respawn Entertainment going forward?

Respawn Entertainment is reportedly working on a new IP, which is exciting news for fans of the developer. This information made waves in the video game community, and much of it stemmed from a job listing shared by Steven Kah Hien Wong, a developer at Respawn.

Want to get in early and help build a new IP from scratch? We're a team of *5* right now looking for our 6th (a coder)! https://t.co/BpfxUBZ71L

— Steven Kah Hien Wong (@gluttyriceball) April 22, 2021

The job listing is for an Incubation Team Software Engineer, and the description states:

"We are looking for a Software Engineer to join a compact incubation team currently developing a brand new IP."

This is massively exciting news for fans of Respawn Entertainment as new IP is always an excellent opportunity for devs to work on creative new ideas and establish new franchises.

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Should new IP be the focus of Respawn Entertainment going forward?

Respawn Entertainment has solidified its place in the industry as one of the most promising developers on the back of games like Titanfall and Apex Legends. With the latter's Season 9 set to drop on May 4th, it seems like the team is firing on all cylinders.

Respawn has also worked on fantastic titles like Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. The organization has proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that it is a studio looking to reinvent itself with each new title.

Whether it is delivering one of the most solid FPS campaigns in Titanfall 2 or revolutionizing the Battle Royale genre with Apex Legends, Respawn is always up to the task. This is why it is fantastic news that, instead of resting on its laurels, the American company is looking to work on a new IP.

At the same time, Respawn is no stranger to working on established IPs, including perhaps the biggest one in entertainment — Star Wars. While an established brand name certainly helps push sales, a fresh IP will always be the stuff fans look forward to the most.

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High-risk, high-reward

Mainly because new IP represents a certain high-risk, high-reward situation that can make-or-break studios. For instance, after having back-to-back success with the Uncharted trilogy, Naughty Dog could easily have gone back to the well.

However, 2013 saw the Sony studio release what is perhaps the most seminal game of the last decade — The Last of Us.

New IPs have always been the lifeblood of the games industry, as that is how new franchises come into existence and studios can thrive. Not much is known yet about the new IP that Respawn is working on, but more news will potentially come through in the coming few months.