From Zombies to Magic Fractals: Jason Blundell’s Third Big Bet on Game Development

Jason Blundell is a name that Call of Duty Zombies fans instantly recognize. After helping turn a quirky bonus mode into one of the most beloved co-op experiences in modern gaming, he left the safety of triple‑A studios to pursue original projects in partnership with PlayStation. Two of those collaborations—Deviation Games and Dark Outlaw Games—shut down before their debut titles ever reached players. Now, barely a week after Sony closed the latest project, Blundell has already unveiled a new independent studio: Magic Fractal Studios.

This article explores how he got here, why his previous PlayStation ventures faltered, and what Magic Fractal could mean for fans of narrative‑driven, co‑op‑focused games.

Who Is Jason Blundell and Why Do Players Care?

Before founding new studios, Blundell was best known as a producer and director on the Call of Duty series, particularly its Zombies mode. Working at Treyarch, he helped evolve Zombies from an unexpected extra in Call of Duty: World at War into a dense universe filled with layered storytelling, Easter eggs, and community‑driven secrets.

• Background: British video game producer and creative director with decades of AAA experience.
• Key franchise: Major creative force behind the Call of Duty: Black Ops Zombies saga.
• Reputation: Known for ambitious co-op experiences and puzzle‑heavy narrative design.

Treyarch itself became one of Activision’s primary Call of Duty studios, co‑developing the blockbuster franchise that releases almost annually.¹ Within that machine, Blundell’s work stood out because it blended arcade‑style survival, intricate storytelling, and persistent community engagement.

Life After Treyarch: Stepping Into Independent Territory

Leaving a massive publisher to launch a new studio is always a risk. For Blundell, the next chapter began with a bold promise: build something original with PlayStation’s backing.

Deviation Games: A Big Promise That Never Reached Players

In 2020, Blundell co‑founded Deviation Games alongside fellow Call of Duty veteran Dave Anthony. The team quickly announced a partnership with Sony to develop a brand‑new IP exclusive to PlayStation platforms.² Hype rose quickly—fans expected a large‑scale, perhaps co‑op‑focused title, informed by the founders’ shooter and Zombies pedigree.

But behind the scenes, conditions were far less stable. Over the following years, Deviation quietly slimmed down through layoffs and restructuring. By early 2024, the studio officially closed its doors without ever revealing its project publicly. The game died as an idea rather than a released product.

For Blundell, Deviation’s demise was the first sign that even well‑funded partnerships can collapse before the public sees a frame of gameplay.

Dark Outlaw Games: A New First‑Party Bet With Sony

Not long after Deviation’s closure, Blundell resurfaced with another collaboration: Dark Outlaw Games, a new studio created within PlayStation Studios and led by him as studio head and director.³ This time, instead of operating as an external partner, Dark Outlaw was a fully integrated first‑party PlayStation team.

In an interview with Jeff Gerstmann, Blundell emphasized a quieter, work‑first approach. Rather than repeat the loud fanfare that surrounded Deviation’s initial announcement, he explained that Dark Outlaw would stay “in the shadows” while it focused on building a strong foundation before stepping into the spotlight.³

Key points about Dark Outlaw:

• First‑party status: Officially part of PlayStation Studios, giving it direct access to Sony’s internal resources.
• Leadership: Blundell served as both studio head and director.
• Unknown project: The game’s genre and scope were never fully detailed, though expectations leaned toward multiplayer or co‑op experiences.

Despite this more measured strategy, Dark Outlaw’s project never reached announcement stage. Sony eventually shut the effort down, ending Blundell’s second consecutive attempt at delivering a PlayStation‑backed original game.

Why New Studios Fail Before Launching a Game

Blundell’s recent history isn’t unique. New AAA studios frequently announce partnerships and ramp up hiring, only to be dismantled mid‑development. The broader industry climate offers some clues as to why.

Rising Budgets, Rising Risk

Modern big‑budget games often cost hundreds of millions of dollars to develop and market. Industry analyses have highlighted how escalating budgets create a “hit‑driven” environment where a handful of massive successes must subsidize many failures.⁴ In that climate, platform holders like Sony are quick to reassess projects that appear risky, delayed, or misaligned with evolving strategies.

Common risk factors include:

• Scope creep: Ambitious vision expanding faster than team capacity.
• Unproven IP: New franchises lack guaranteed sales, making them easier to cut than sequels.
• Market shifts: Changing priorities toward live‑service games, or away from them, can doom in‑progress projects.
• Macroeconomic pressure: Broader cost‑cutting in tech and entertainment can force cancellations regardless of a game’s potential.

Pressure on Platform‑Funded Studios

Studios backed by a single platform holder often gain stability at the cost of flexibility. A change in strategy at the top level—such as shifting investment away from certain genres or formats—can quickly ripple down into cancellations or closures. Sony, for example, has repeatedly emphasized its interest in live‑service titles while also curating prestige single‑player experiences, periodically reshaping its internal portfolio in the process.⁵

In this environment, even a veteran like Blundell is not immune to strategic pivots. Deviation and Dark Outlaw likely became casualties of shifting priorities, escalating costs, and the diminishing tolerance for lengthy, uncertain development cycles.

Magic Fractal Studios: An Indie Reset

After two high‑profile disappointments under Sony’s umbrella, Blundell’s newest move is a sharp turn: going indie. He announced Magic Fractal Studios during a livestream with former Dark Outlaw developer and YouTuber JCbackfire.⁶ Details are deliberately sparse—the public knows the name and logo, but almost nothing about the first game.

What We Know So Far

Based on the announcement and context, here’s what can reasonably be inferred or stated about Magic Fractal:

• Independent structure: Magic Fractal is not a PlayStation first‑party outfit. It appears to be an indie studio, potentially allowing Blundell more creative autonomy and platform flexibility.
• Small but focused: Early reporting suggests a leaner team compared to his previous ventures, likely emphasizing sustainable scope over blockbuster scale.⁶
• Core identity: The studio’s title and branding hint at themes of pattern, mystery, and maybe even abstract or surreal design—ideas that align with Blundell’s love of layered Zombies storytelling.

While fans naturally hope for a spiritual successor to Zombies, Blundell has not publicly committed to any specific genre. However, his track record strongly suggests an interest in:

• Co‑operative or social gameplay.
• Replay‑friendly systems and progression.
• Complex narrative structures, secrets, and Easter eggs.

What Blundell’s Journey Reveals About Modern Game Development

Blundell’s trajectory—from Treyarch to Deviation to Dark Outlaw and now Magic Fractal—offers a snapshot of larger trends impacting developers across the industry.

Resilience in the Face of Repeated Setbacks

Two consecutive closures could have pushed him back into a secure role at a major publisher. Instead, he chose to double down on independence. For developers and players alike, this demonstrates a few key lessons:

• Creative drive outlasts business failures: High‑profile cancellations don’t necessarily signal the end of a creator’s impact.
• Public reputation vs. internal reality: While fans see only the final headlines, most projects live through years of iteration, doubt, and compromise.
• Indie routes offer different risks: Without platform backing, funding becomes a challenge—but so does resisting external pressure to reshape a game mid‑development.

Fans’ Relationship With Developers, Not Just Franchises

In the past, many players followed game brands—Call of Duty, Battlefield, Halo—rather than tracking specific developers. That’s changing. Communities now pay close attention to the individuals who build their favorite experiences, whether that’s directors, writers, or community managers. Blundell is one of many examples of creators whose name carries weight even when they step away from the franchises that made them famous.

This trend has two consequences:

1. New studios can inherit existing fans: Magic Fractal will attract interest simply because of Blundell’s legacy.
2. Expectations become more personal: If the studio’s first game stumbles, criticism may focus on the creator as much as the brand.

What Magic Fractal Could Bring to Players

Because Magic Fractal’s debut project is still under wraps, speculation is inevitable. While it’s too early to say exactly what the studio is building, Blundell’s history offers a few likely themes.

Potential Design Pillars

• Layered storytelling: Expect narrative elements hidden behind puzzles, collectibles, or community‑driven discoveries.
• Co‑operative focus: Given his background with Zombies and multiplayer design, a co‑op or strongly social component seems plausible.
• Replayability: Systems that encourage repeated runs, evolving meta‑strategies, or persistent progression are likely.
• Community engagement: Blundell has historically engaged directly with fans, and an indie studio can lean even more heavily on that connection.

Challenges the Studio Will Need to Overcome

At the same time, Magic Fractal will have to navigate several obstacles:

• Funding and scope: Without the deep pockets of a platform holder, the studio must match its ambition to realistic resources.
• Visibility: The indie market is crowded, and even well‑known developers must compete for attention.
• Balancing nostalgia and novelty: Fans may want another Zombies‑like experience, but the studio will also need to establish its own distinct identity.

What This Means for PlayStation and the Wider Industry

Blundell’s move away from PlayStation‑backed ventures to an independent studio also says something about platform strategies and the future of AAA development.

For PlayStation

Sony’s willingness to partner with Deviation and create Dark Outlaw shows an appetite for external and internal innovation. However, the eventual cancellations underline how ruthless portfolio management has become. Projects that don’t match evolving priorities, timelines, or financial targets may be cut regardless of pedigree.

For players, this may mean:

• Fewer experimental big‑budget titles that lack a clear business model.
• More sequels and safer bets within known franchises.
• Greater dependence on indie studios to fill the gaps with riskier ideas.

For Developers and Indie Studios

Magic Fractal’s creation reinforces a trend: experienced AAA creators increasingly turning to smaller, nimbler teams. This shift can result in more distinctive games, but also exposes creators to the harsh realities of independent funding, marketing, and long‑term sustainability. Nonetheless, the move suggests that for some veterans, creative control is worth the trade‑off in security.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Jason Blundell?

Jason Blundell is a British game producer and director best known for his work on the Call of Duty Zombies mode while at Treyarch. He later founded Deviation Games, led Dark Outlaw Games under PlayStation Studios, and now heads Magic Fractal Studios.

What happened to Deviation Games?

Deviation Games was founded in 2020 and partnered with Sony to create a new PlayStation‑exclusive IP. The studio closed in 2024 without releasing or fully unveiling its debut project, following reported restructuring and changes in direction.²

What was Dark Outlaw Games?

Dark Outlaw Games was a first‑party studio within PlayStation Studios led by Jason Blundell. While it was actively staffing and working on an unannounced title, Sony eventually shut down the project before the game was revealed publicly.³

What is Magic Fractal Studios?

Magic Fractal Studios is Jason Blundell’s new independent studio, announced via livestream. As of now, almost no concrete information about its first game has been shared beyond the studio name and branding.

Will Magic Fractal’s first game be like Call of Duty Zombies?

No official details have been released about genre or gameplay. However, given Blundell’s history, many fans expect elements such as co‑op play, replayable systems, and layered storytelling. Until the studio reveals more, any direct connection remains speculative.

Is Magic Fractal working with PlayStation again?

Public information so far suggests that Magic Fractal is an independent studio rather than a PlayStation first‑party team. That said, future publishing or platform partnerships have not been announced or ruled out.

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Author

medha deb

 

Medha Deb is an editor with a master's degree in Applied Linguistics from the University of Hyderabad. She believes that her qualification has helped her develop a deep understanding of language and its application in various contexts.

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