Grace: A Storytelling Company Pivots to Interactive Gaming
Josh Wakely’s production banner, Grace: A Storytelling Company, is moving into the interactive space with the launch of Grace Games. The new label has signed with Creative Artists Agency (CAA) for representation across all areas and is already developing a slate of narrative-driven, single-player titles for console and PC.
A Leadership Team Spanning Hollywood and Silicon Valley
The New York-based studio is spearheaded by a team with experience across both traditional entertainment and the gaming industry. Josh Wakely serves as the lead for the label. He is joined by chief operating officer Matt Tedder, a former executive at Sprinklr, and chief product officer Daniel Lehrich. Lehrich brings a background that includes tenures at Netflix Gaming, Activision, and Disney.
Architecting Narrative-Driven Experiences
Grace Games intends to function as an “IP steward, story architect, and production company.” The studio plans to develop and refine original concepts internally before collaborating with established game studios to handle the technical execution. The primary focus is on producing premium, single-player games ranging from 8 to 15 hours in length, specifically designed to feature globally recognized artists and cultural icons.
Bridging Entertainment and Interactive Media
The partnership with CAA is intended to facilitate these connections between entertainment properties and the gaming market. “CAA understands the kind of boundary-pushing, artist-centered storytelling we’ve built at GRACE and the scale of what Grace Games can become,” Wakely said in a statement.
CAA’s head of games, Derek Douglas, sees a significant opportunity in the convergence of music, film, and interactive media. “Grace has built a unique platform at the intersection of music, storytelling, and culture, and their vision for bringing iconic artists and narratives into gaming is incredibly compelling,” Douglas stated.
Defining a New Category of Prestige Entertainment
The agency aims to assist Grace Games in connecting with audiences that move between traditional entertainment platforms and interactive experiences. By positioning itself as a bridge between these sectors, the studio seeks to create a new category of “prestige interactive entertainment” that leverages existing intellectual property to attract new audiences.
The launch marks a transition for Wakely’s company, which has historically focused on film and television production. Its future output will focus on integrating narrative-heavy storytelling with the mechanics of console and PC gaming.