Veteran Call of Duty designer David Vonderhaar left Treyarch in 2023 after nearly 20 years at the studio, a stint that took him from Call of Duty 2 to Call of Duty: Black Ops – Cold War. He said at the time that he wasn't ready to talk about what he planned to do next, but now he is: He's running a new NetEase studio called BulletFarm, which is working on “an ambitious new AAA game” and an original one Universe with an emphasis on cooperative gameplay.”
The announcement doesn't specify that BulletFarm's first game is a shooter – in fact, it doesn't use the word “shooter” at all – but it's probably a fair assumption. After all, Vonderhaar has some history with this particular genre:
In addition, BulletFarm is the creative director Chris Cowell, himself a veteran of numerous Call of Duty games. And let's be honest: If you name your studio “BulletFarm”, you are at least making a very clear and obvious statement. Expectations are immediately raised.
Still, Vonderhaar seems to be trying to distance himself from the Call of Duty controversies that have defined his career to date. BulletFarm's debut project aims to “provide a more intimate and relatable experience while offering a new take on first-person gameplay,” and Vonderhaar described it as “something completely new and different” than what he has worked on in the past has worked:
“This is a departure from the games I've worked on, but one that showcases my passion for rich characters, precise mechanics, more intimate storytelling and lots of action.”
So what is it? The BulletFarm The site begins with the words “organically hardcore” in very large capital letters and pledges to avoid battle passes and “annualized releases,” saying that the games are “standalone entertainment designed to play with your friends.” to be played”.
I assume this is an acknowledgment of the current disastrous state of the video game industry, and the website also says that BulletFarm's games are “built in a reasonable amount of time and with a reasonable number of developers.”
There are also a few promotional images: one of a farm, which seems appropriate, and the other of a small, rustic workshop with some dated but very prominently placed video equipment.
Picture 1 from 2
NetEase has enjoyed considerable success in recent years: alongside Vonderhaar's BulletFarm, it has also launched new studios led by high-profile industry veterans, including former Daybreak Games boss Jack Emmert, Control lead designer Paul Ehreth, and former Vice President of Riot Games, Greg Street and Mass Effect writer and creative director Mac Walters.
BulletFarm's first game will be built in Unreal Engine 5, but there is currently no sign of a release target or platforms.
