Members of the team that worked on EA's shelved Black Panther game have now joined Wizards of the Coast

In a discussion with GamesIndustry.biz, John Hight, president of Wizards of the Coast, disclosed that former developers from EA's canceled Black Panther game have joined their team to create a new game.

Leading this group is creative director Michael de Plater, recognized for his significant role at Monolith Productions and as the director of the 2014 game, Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor. His past projects include Tom Clancy's EndWar and Rome: Total War.

According to Hight, several developers from Cliffhanger Games, an EA studio that was introduced in 2023 to develop Black Panther, have joined Wizards of the Coast after the project's cancellation and the studio's closure in May.

"We were able to bring Michael and 14 key team members, many from Monolith, to start a new game project with us," Hight mentioned.

He shared that de Plater will be initiating concept work on a fresh project, details of which remain under wraps.

The new game's development is in its initial stages. Hight noted that they intend to give de Plater ample time, with the process involving an extensive exploration of various concepts.

This approach mirrors the process Wizards of the Coast is employing with Stig Asmussen, director of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, as they collaborate with his new studio, Giant Skull, on an undisclosed project.

Hight expressed enthusiasm about de Plater joining, stating that eventually, de Plater will be "rooming with all of us" in Seattle, where Wizards of the Coast is headquartered.