Humankind Developer Amplitude Studios Splits from Sega

Amplitude Studios has announced that it will be splitting from SEGA. The developer of Humankind is based out of Paris, France, and has been under the umbrella of SEGA Europe for eight years. Former Ubisoft employees Romain de Waubert de Genlis and Mathieu Girard established the studio in 2011. While the team’s origins were firmly rooted in the indie space, the developer has progressively taken on bigger and more ambitious projects under the leadership of SEGA.

Amplitude Studios was acquired by SEGA in 2016 and has since published Endless Space 2, Humankind, and Endless Dungeon. Until recently, the studio was best known for turn-based strategy games. However, its most recent release, Endless Dungeon, brought it into the rogue-lite space with a tactical action game. Endless Dungeon was released in 2023 to favorable reviews and sits at a 78 on OpenCritic. The game features solo and co-op play and has players facing off against endless waves of enemies on an abandoned space station.

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On November 8, 2024, Amplitude Studios announced on Twitter its newfound independence from SEGA. While the studio proclaimed excitement about the possibilities ahead, it was also quick to express gratitude towards SEGA. The opportunities afforded to the developer by SEGA allowed the team to learn and grow in “ways we never could have imagined.” According to the tweet, Amplitude Studios and SEGA have parted “on the best of terms.” Earlier this year, SEGA also sold off Relic Entertainment as the companies went separate ways.

Humankind and Endless Dungeon Studio Look Toward a New Beginning

Amplitude Studios is now fully under the ownership and leadership of its internal team, meaning that it won’t be directly answering to a publisher for its next projects. While the company didn’t announce any plans for the future, it did say that it sees this as “a new beginning” for Amplitude Studios. While it’s possible the developer could continue exploring its established franchises, the nod to a new start could mean the team is pursuing an entirely fresh IP, and Amplitude Studios is known for taking community feedback into consideration when choosing new projects.

The newfound independence of Amplitude Studios could mean big things are ahead for its team. Returning to the indie space could allow the studio to pursue riskier endeavors. Whether launching mod support for games like Humankind or changing genres to meet the desires of its fans, many people feel Amplitude Studios cares about the wants and needs of its audience. While it’s possible the developer may pursue an entirely new IP, it could return to the world of Humankind that brought it so much success in the past. The 4X turn-based strategy game made a splash when it first came out, and it would be interesting to see where the company might take such a concept in the future. No matter which direction it chooses, the company’s enthusiasm over its newfound freedom can only mean exciting times are ahead for Amplitude Studios and its fans.

HUMANKIND™ is a historical strategy game, where you’ll be re-writing the entire narrative of human history and combining cultures to create a civilization that’s as unique as you are.CREATE YOUR CIVILIZATIONCombine up to 60 historical cultures as you lead your people from the Ancient to the Modern Age. From humble origins as a Neolithic tribe, transition to the Ancient Era as the Babylonians, become the Classical era Mayans, the Medieval Umayyads, the Early Modern era British, and so on. Each culture will add its own special gameplay layer, leading to near-endless outcomes.MORE THAN HISTORY, IT’S YOUR STORYFace historical events, take impactful moral decisions, and make scientific breakthroughs. Discover the natural wonders of the world or build the most remarkable creations of humankind. Each game element is historically authentic. Combine them to build your own vision of the world.LEAVE YOUR MARK ON THE WORLDThe journey matters more than destination. Fame is a new and unifying victory condition. Every great deed you accomplish, every moral choice you make, every battle won will build your fame and leave a lasting impact on the world. The player with the most fame will win the game. Will you be the one to leave the deepest mark on the world?MASTER TACTICAL BATTLES ON LAND, SEA & AIREach battle in HUMANKIND™ plays out like a mini turn-based board game on top of the actual world map. Unstack your armies and command each of your units, including the emblematic units of your culture and their special abilities. Construct siege weapons to besiege and occupy cities. Fight in large battles spanning multiple turns, and don’t hesitate to bring in reinforcements!CUSTOMIZE YOUR LEADERIn HUMANKIND™, you’ll be playing the leader of your society as an avatar that you create and customize! Your avatar will evolve visually over the course of the game as your civilization develops. You’ll also be able to level up your leader via a meta-progression system to unlock custom looks that you can showoff to strangers and friends alike in multiplayer matches up to 8 players.HOW FAR WILL YOU PUSH HUMANKIND?

Released

August 17, 2021

Developer(s)

Amplitude Studios

Multiplayer

Online Multiplayer

Engine

Unity

ESRB

E10+ For Everyone 10+ due to Alcohol Reference, Mild Language, Mild Violence

OpenCritic Rating

Strong

How Long To Beat

15 Hours

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