Archetype Entertainment
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video game development |
| Founded | April 2019 |
| Headquarters | Austin, Texas , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | James Ohlen (Studio Head), Chad Robertson (Vice President and General Manager), Drew Karpyshyn (Lead Writer) |
| Parent | Wizards of the Coast |
Archetype Entertainment is a United States-based game development company launched in April 2019 as a branch of Wizards of the Coast, itself owned by Hasbro. Situated in Austin, Texas, this studio was established to create original intellectual properties distinct from Wizards' well-known Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering series. The team notably includes former BioWare professionals, such as Studio Head James Ohlen, recognized for his contributions to Baldur's Gate, alongside Chad Robertson and Drew Karpyshyn.
History
On April 24, 2019, Wizards revealed the formation of their Austin-based studio under the leadership of James Ohlen. After stepping away from BioWare in 2018 and dedicating time to his tabletop RPG venture Arcanum Worlds, Ohlen joined Wizards attracted by the creative liberty and chance to revisit projects similar to his previous work. Wizards president Chris Cocks emphasized Ohlen’s significance in broadening the company’s intellectual property range beyond its flagship franchises. The studio’s early approach focused on organically building new IP without rigid deadlines or assigned platforms.
By January 2020, the studio adopted the name Archetype Entertainment, with Chad Robertson, another BioWare alumnus, appointed as vice president and general manager. Their inaugural project was announced as a science fiction role-playing title. In February 2020, Drew Karpyshyn, also formerly with BioWare, came on board as lead writer, sharing renewed passion for game creation fueled by the studio’s atmosphere.
During The Game Awards 2023 on December 7, Archetype revealed its first game, Exodus, starring actor Matthew McConaughey. Alongside the game, a novel entitled Exodus: The Archimedes Engine by Peter F. Hamilton was published on September 17, 2024, launching the two-part Archimedes Engine series.
A narrative prequel for Exodus was released on December 17, 2024, featured in episode 11 of Secret Level.