Grammy-winning songwriter and producer Michael ‘BloodPop’ Tucker, known for working with artists like Lady Gaga and Beyoncé, has founded and launched a game development studio.
Known as Genpop Interactive, the studio is being set up alongside Aubrey Tennant who was a former executive at DeNA and Bandai Namco. Tucker takes on the role of the CEO while Tennant will be the COO. The studio is building original AAA games that will drive forward the next-gen of music, fashion and gaming culture. It comprises more than 25 developers, who have prior experience in the production, AI, design and development of titles like League of Legends, Halo Infinite, Cyberpunk, Red Dead Redemption II, and The Sims.
Genpop’s first project is an ambitious third person shooter with novel movement and combat mechanics. “At a time when low risk tolerance among established studios has resulted in predictable re-releases capitalising on millennial nostalgia, Gen-Z is eager for new IP that speaks to them and has a long legacy that defines their generation. Major studios have become complacent, relying on giving the Weekend at Bernie’s treatment to their old IP with their publicly traded necromancy. We aren’t just on a mission to create the next great game, but nurture the next generation of popular culture,” said Tucker.
“It’s a serendipitous partnership with Makers Fund, Good Smile Company and 1Up, with each investor uniquely positioned to help us create the absolute best gamer content for audiences around the world. We believe that we are uniquely positioned to change the shooter genre with a layered social world that changes based on feedback from the community. We can’t wait to share it with more people in the coming months,” said Tennant.
“The team at Genpop, led by BloodPop and Aubrey, have created an incredible game world, shaped by players and that expertly blends the best game, music, and pop culture. Genpop is building a cross-media experience with a new IP that will give players the ability to shape the social elements of their favorite game. It will be a destination for the next generation for years to come,” said Makers Fund Andrew Willson.
Genpop recently raised $6.5M in seed funding, led by Makers Fund, with participation from Xbox co-creator Ed Fries’ 1Up Ventures and Good Smile Company, creators of collectible figure lines Nendoroid and Pop Up Parade, and animation company Studio Trigger (Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, KILL la KILL, Promare).