Yay! Glad I can finally talk about working for this amazing lady @ibjade at EA Motive!
— Kim Swift (@K2theSwift) January 19, 2017
One of Valve’s strongest alumni is about to head over to EA. Portal and Left 4 Dead veteran Kim Swift will be joining EA’s Motive Studios, according to an EA announcement.
While Swift’s work at the studio has yet to be announced, she comes with strong praise from higher-ups. “Kim comes with an impressive resume that extends beyond her work at Valve. She’s been recognized in the Forbes’ “30 Under 30: Games & Apps” list, been named “one of the most recognized women in the industry” and been part of teams that brought home Game Developers Choice Awards for Best Game Design, Best Innovation, and Game of the Year,” Group General Manager Jade Raymond wrote. “Despite all this success, it’s clear from Kim’s passion and talent that her greatest achievements still lie ahead.”
Based in Canada, Motive Studios was founded by Raymond, who previously worked as an executive at Ubisoft. At the moment, the studio is working on a Star Wars title with Visceral Games, as well as a “new IP” that has yet to be announced. Swift expressed excitement in working with the Frostbite engine and prototyping, suggesting that Motive Studios’ work may involve the Frostbite engine on one or more projects. But it’s hard to say for certain at the moment without more information from Raymond, EA or Motive Studios developers.
Swift’s move also comes amidst speculation from Gabe Newell’s Reddit AMA that Valve is working on a new single-player game, although little news was given from Newell beyond that. Team Fortress 2 is receiving another update, but Swift’s work on the Portal and Left 4 Dead franchises have yet to see any further follow-ups since Portal 2 and Left 4 Dead 2. Suffice to say, a change of pace is always welcome in gaming. Check back later as more news comes out about Motive Studios’ work over the coming months ahead.