Jake Solomon, known for his work as creative director on XCOM 2 and Marvel’s Midnight Suns, has announced the closure of his indie studio, Midsummer Studios. Founded in 2024, the studio aimed to explore new directions in the life simulation genre, culminating in its most ambitious project, Burbank. With the studio’s closure, the game remains unreleased, though Solomon has shared pre-alpha footage and details of its AI-driven mechanics.
A Life Sim Driven by AI
Burbank was designed to let players create and manage their own interactive stories within a television-style format. Solomon described the game as a mix of life simulation and narrative experimentation, offering tools to craft characters and write personalized storylines. The game used AI systems for character memory, reasoning, and speech, allowing players to create dynamic and reactive characters. Importantly, Solomon emphasized that while AI powered character behavior, all visual assets and artwork were created by the studio’s artists, ensuring human creativity remained central to the project.
In shared pre-alpha footage, early builds of the game showcased characters responding to events and maintaining persistent traits, highlighting the studio’s goal of enabling emergent storytelling. The concept was positioned as a way for players to craft stories in which characters could adapt to player-driven narratives, a departure from more traditional scripted life sim mechanics.
Studio History and Team Background
Midsummer Studios began as a small team of 11 employees, including notable designers like co-founder Will Miller, who worked on Sid Meier’s Civilization: Beyond Earth, and Grant Rodiek, a veteran of the The Sims franchise. The studio had plans to expand slightly but ultimately closed before Burbank could be completed. The shutdown reflects a larger trend of indie and mid-size studio closures within the gaming industry.
The announcement coincides with other major studio closures, including Bluepoint Games, which was recently shut down by Sony despite strong critical reception for titles like Demon’s Souls and Shadow of the Colossus. These closures highlight ongoing volatility in the games industry, particularly for smaller development teams.
Reflections from Jake Solomon
Despite the abrupt end of Midsummer Studios, Solomon shared his appreciation for the team and the project. He highlighted moments during development when characters in Burbank appeared to come alive in ways the team had not anticipated. While the game will not be completed, he encouraged the community to view the pre-alpha footage as a window into the studio’s experimental approach to AI-driven storytelling. Solomon framed the project as a personal dream realized in part, emphasizing the studio’s commitment to player creativity and narrative flexibility.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)Make sure to check out our articles about top games to play in 2026:
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What was Burbank?
Burbank was an unreleased life simulation game developed by Midsummer Studios, designed to allow players to create their own stories and interactive TV-style experiences using AI-driven characters.
Who was involved in developing Burbank?
The studio was led by Jake Solomon, with co-founder Will Miller, known for Civilization: Beyond Earth, and Grant Rodiek, a veteran designer from The Sims franchise, among the key team members.
Why did Midsummer Studios close?
No official reason was provided for the closure of Midsummer Studios. The decision comes amid a period of studio shutdowns and layoffs across the games industry.
What role did AI play in Burbank?
AI was used to power character memory, reasoning, and dialogue, enabling players to create dynamic characters and stories. All artwork and visual assets were produced by human artists.
Is there any playable version of Burbank?
Only pre-alpha footage has been shared publicly. The game was never completed and remains unreleased.
Will Midsummer Studios’ team members work on future projects?
With the closure, it is expected that former team members will seek opportunities elsewhere in the industry, though no specific plans have been announced.
