Dauntless developer Phoenix Labs has established two new studios in Montreal and Los Angeles. These two new studios and new teams in the existing Vancouver and San Mateo locations are all part of Phoenix Labs ongoing efforts to launch new games and continue to expand Dauntless.
In 2020, Phoenix Labs has grown by more than 50 developers and the company expects to reach the 250 employee mark by the end of 2021. The new Montreal team is led by André Roy, a games industry veteran with leadership roots at Ubisoft. Roy is supported by Marie-Andrée Lavoie, lead of talent and culture initiatives, and Guillaume Roy, the studio’s head of technology.
The Los Angeles studio is being led by Product Director Omar Kendall, who led development teams at Riot Games prior to his employment with Phoenix Labs. Kendall will lead the LA studio alongside Phoenix Labs’ Jing Wang, who serves as the studio’s General Manager.
“At Phoenix Labs, we believe people are the ends, not the means. We aspire to bring joy and delight to players for years to come by providing developers with a long-term home to create the world’s most compelling gaming experiences. We believe in empowering our people with high autonomy so they can make broad impacts to their games and the studio,” said Jesse Houston, CEO and co-founder in a statement provided to the press.
“Montreal and Los Angeles are home to vibrant gaming communities that include some of the best talent in the industry, and we’re excited to have them contribute to our mosaic culture. We find inspiration in tackling hard problems that no one else is solving; it’s what motivates everyone on the team to show up each day and do their best work. This ethos isn’t just a corporate value, it’s a virtue.”