Lightspeed LA, a division of LightSpeed Studios, unveiled Last Sentinel, an open world experience set in a futuristic Tokyo.
The game will feature protagonist Hiromi Shoda and an “enthralling narrative steeped in dystopian science fiction lore.” The company showed it games at The Game Awards.
Led by Steve C. Martin, known for his contributions to gaming classics like Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption, Lightspeed LA aims to support innovation and creativity in the gaming realm. The team includes seasoned professionals with a rich background in crafting triple-A titles such as The Last of Us, Jedi: Fallen Order, Uncharted, and more.
“Last Sentinel epitomizes the vision of Lightspeed LA—a commitment to immersive storytelling and player-centric design. We aim to redefine gaming narratives by prioritizing creativity and leveraging our expertise to offer players rich and rewarding experiences,” said Martin, in a statement.
LightSpeed LA is based in Irvine, California, while LightSpeed Studios is based in Shenzhen, China. LightSpeed Studios’ claim to fame is PUBG Mobile, and LightSpeed Studios itself is a division of gaming giant Tencent.
Martin said work on the title began when he joined the company in 2019. The firm is in the thick of production, but he said the company is not yet prepared to give a launch date.
“I was literally hired with the task to build a studio,” he said. “We started an amazing project.”
The exciting part is that it is a new intellectual property, not an existing franchise. It seems that major new studios and game startups are the ones tackling new IP these days, rather than triple-A game publishers who are focused on sequels.
“I think people are looking for something fresh,” he said.
Jerry Chen, president of LightSpeed Studios, said in a statement, “Last Sentinel is a testament to our commitment to innovation in gaming. As an independent studio under our global umbrella, Lightspeed LA encapsulates our dedication to pushing boundaries and captivating gamers worldwide.”
Last Sentinel emphasizes an ambitious living world, sophisticated player-driven gameplay, and mature storytelling. The studio said it is dedicated to diversity, inclusivity, and sustainable work environments which align with its philosophy of crafting engaging and emotive games.
Martin said that the company is quite serious about its investment. The firm has more than 200 people, including 130 or so in Irvine. It’s also building a state-of-the-art motion capture studio in Los Angeles.
Futuristic and dystopian Tokyo
The details of the Tokyo of the future look amazing. Since it occurs 70 years or so after the floodwaters rise because of global warming, parts of Tokyo are below sea level, protected by a wall. That’s the old city of Tokyo that we know today, Martin said. And the upper levels above sea level are the sci-fi buildings, with a kind of Blade Runner-like glow to them.
“Global warming has continued, sadly, and it’s post-environmental disaster,” Martin said. “This is a kind of salvaged Tokyo, with a giant sea wall and a gigantic new city built on top of Tokyo. You have this real juxtaposition. Tokyo as we know it today, and the future Tokyo. It’s old world versus new world.”
In that sense, the game is grounded in realistic views of the future.
“Our expectation is this an immersive world that fans can fall in love with,” Martin said. “It is an open world game and it is also strongly narrative based. We are building out the world to make it believable.”
The main character looks like a kind of Robocop.
Martin said the team is working with Unreal Engine 5 to make the game. The team showed a prerendered trailer, so this revelation doesn’t show any actual gameplay. It reveals the main character, the vibe and the environment to give people a first taste of the world, Martin said.
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