Troy Baker Explores Founding His Own Game Studio

Actor and musician Troy Baker—renowned for his iconic performances in The Last of Us and the Uncharted franchises—has revealed he is seriously considering launching his own game development studio. Speaking with Kinda Funny Games, the veteran voice actor expressed a strong desire to “tell my own stories” and to actively participate in game creation alongside a dedicated, trusted team.

A Vision Rooted in Collaboration and Integrity

“I want to build a team. I am excited about building a studio with people that I’ve worked with, that I trust, and going, ‘Here’s my idea. How can you make it better?’” he stated, as reported by GamesRadar.

Baker emphasized that he has no intention of rushing into studio formation—neither tomorrow nor next week. He stressed the importance of avoiding hasty decisions, citing observations of others who “rushed into opportunities” only to face significant challenges. “If I start a studio, I want to do it right,” he affirmed.

He further underscored the weight of responsibility involved: “And especially if I’m going to create a studio where other people are going to be responsible for my choices, I have to make the right ones.”

Industry Precedent—and a Word of Caution

Baker would not be the first prominent gaming actor to found a studio. Abubakar Salim—known for portraying Bayek in Assassin’s Creed Origins and Alyn of Hull in House of the Dragon—established Surgent Studios, which released Tales of Kenzera: Zau in 2024. In response to Baker’s announcement, Salim offered candid advice: “Don’t do it.” He described the current development landscape as “ruthless.”

Learning from Industry Legends

In an interview with Eurogamer, Baker outlined how any future studio would draw directly from decades of collaboration with industry luminaries—including Ken Levine (BioShock), Hideo Kojima (Death Stranding), Neil Druckmann (Naughty Dog), Todd Howard (Bethesda), and the late Vince Zampella (Call of Duty, Battlefield). “These people are paragons of the industry. I’ve worked with these people, and I’ve learned so much from them,” he said.

He elaborated on his creative ambition: “What I am excited about doing is taking those tenets, taking those principles of wildly successful titles—not just in terms of sales and figures, but the stories that have defined the industry—and being able to innovate, replicate, and emulate those processes and practices into the stories that I want to tell.”

A Distinguished and Expanding Portfolio

Baker’s most recent role is Jack Pepper, the lead character in the recently released Mouse: P.I. For Hire. His acclaimed credits also include:

• Booker DeWitt in BioShock Infinite
• Joel Miller in The Last of Us
• The Joker in Batman: Arkham Origins
• Talion in Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
• Jack Mitchell in Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
• Pagan Min in Far Cry 4
• Samuel Drake in Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
• Loki in Marvel Rivals
• Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Looking ahead, Baker is set to star in Naughty Dog’s upcoming new IP, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.

Driven by Opportunity—and Purpose

In conversation with Variety, Baker noted he receives a constant stream of compelling role offers—so many, in fact, that his agent advises him to decline some. While others may assume he should slow down, Baker remains resolute: “The problem is, there’s a lot of amazing studios out there that are making amazing games that I want to be a part of.”