New Google Stadia studio announced, God of War producer Shannon Studstill to lead

It was recently announced that a brand new Google Stadia studio would be opening in Playa Vista, with ex-God of War executive producer and Sony Santa Monica head Shannon Studstill leading the charge as Studio Director.

The announcement was made from the official Google Stadia Twitter account, and reads as follows:

"New studio unlocked," the post begins. "We've opened a brand new games studio in Playa Vista. The team will be focused on delivering exclusive games with our own special twists for new IPs and experiences." The tweet also links to a blog post from VP and Head of Stadia Games and Entertainment Jade Raymond.

"Today, we’re adding a new Stadia Games and Entertainment studio in Playa Vista, California, which will be led by an industry veteran, Shannon Studstill," Raymond writes.

"I’ve been a fan of Shannon’s for a long time, and have admired her award-winning work leading Sony’s Santa Monica Studio and the industry defining franchises like God of War that have won fans all over the world ... she’s a visionary who, as the Studio Director, will lead and inspire the Playa Vista teams. We’re thrilled to welcome her to the Stadia family," Raymond continues.

Meanwhile, Studstill acknowledged the announcement on her personal Twitter page:

While God of War creative director Cory Barlog responded to the post with a tweet of his own:

Studstill's departure from Sony Santa Monica seems to have come as a surprise to most people, with God of War fans noting that they had no idea she had even left, let alone taken on a new position over on ResetEra.

The move comes at an important time, though. It was recently revealed that the reason Stadia still only has 28 games is because Google isn't offering devs enough money - perhaps the appointment of an industry veteran such as Shannon Studstill could help to nudge Stadia in the right direction down the line.

If you liked God of War, check out our list of the best games of 2018.