Lightspeed Studios opens new facility dedicated to mocap and virtual production

Developer Lightspeed Studios opened a building dedicated to motion capture, virtual and post-production, and video editing for its internal projects.

Per the press release, the facility is already being used for The Last Sentinel. The sci-fi RPG is developed by its Los Angeles team, and the building marks a "significant milestone" in Lightspeed's plans to grow as a developer.

"Meeting [Last Sentinel's] vision required us to build a facility that could push the boundaries of storytelling while delivering the greatest realism and immersion," said Lightspeed VP Steve C. Martin.

"The stage has already exceeded our expectations and captures every detail and nuance of a live performance, and translates it faithfully to the digital realm allowing us to explore new ideas and build outsized experiences that will astound players."

Developers often buy space in a performance capture studio for their projects, and not all of them do simultaneous body and voice capture. Lightspeed's new building gives it an advantage, and a potential new business if it's opened to other LA-based studios.

Along with the new building, Lightspeed revealed Troy Baker has been brought on as Sentinel's performance director. The voice actor has previously directed mocap for Middle-earth: Shadow of War in 2017.

"Working with LightSpeed Studios and the outstanding team at this facility is nothing short of thrilling," said Baker. "Every minute detail is designed not only to support actors in crafting memorable performances, but also fully equips every member of this creative team to get it done and get it done right."

The Last Sentinel is being positioned as a big triple-A showcase for Lightspeed. In the press release, Martin asserts the title will be a game of "immense narrative ambition, technical prowess, and visual fidelity."

Major RPGs (like Cyberpunk 2077 and Dragon Age: The Veilguard) are oft judged based on their motion capture performances and technical fidelity. Such scrutiny likely fuels Lightspeed's desire to "get it done right," in Baker's words.