John Woo Launches Game Studio With SEGA Partnership

Face/Off and Mission Impossible 2 movie director John Woo is backing a new video game development studio, and that studio has launched a multi-year partnership with SEGA to work on at least three projects together.

The studio is called Tiger Hill Entertainment, and is based in Santa Monica. According to a press release (via Gamespot), the company's mission "is to redefine the action adventure genre through its innovative approach to development and production."

"This will be the first time a filmmaker and a video game developer will work together on original properties to be developed into video games," writes Gamespot, quoting John Woo as saying, "Interactive entertainment has quickly become a mainstay in the entertainment industry... With games being cinematic by nature, it only makes sense to bridge the gap between filmmaker and game developer to deliver the ultimate action adventure gaming experience.

"The formation of Tiger Hill Entertainment and the company's partnership with video game industry veteran Sega will deliver that experience."

SEGA America's executive vice president of content strategy and business development, Shinobu Toyoda, added, "John Woo's incredible sense for action films and his deep storytelling abilities combined with Sega's innovative approach to game development will help shape the future of action adventure games in this industry." Well, we hope so too.

Here are the three announced games born from this partnership:

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Sinner
You'll assume the role of an assassin who, after being murdered during a contract, is sent to hell. If you're able to escape the 18 levels of what the lead character determines is Buddhist hell, you'll have a chance to avenge your death back on Earth and return to the woman you love.

Burglar
You'll play the estranged son of a world-class thief whose father is ironically killed in his own home by a common burglar. With no experience but a number of tools left behind your father, you turn to thievery and set out to avenge your father's death.

Stranglehold
The game will revolve around two men on opposite sides of the law whose lives become intertwined when the son of a cop is murdered and the blame is laid on an innocent gang leader. It's not yet clear which character or characters you'll get to play as in the game.