Invoke Studios

Invoke Studios is a Canadian video-game development studio based in Montreal, Quebec. The company was established in 2012 by Jeff Hattem, a game-industry executive whose previous experience included Ubisoft and Behaviour Interactive. It operated for most of its early history under the name Tuque Games and later adopted the Invoke Studios identity in late 2022. The studio initially pursued original intellectual property. In 2014, it began developing World War Machine, a science-fiction role-playing project conceived with input from researchers working in nanotechnology and aerospace defense. The project also involved notable external creative contributors: concept art was produced by Aaron Beck, whose film credits include District 9, Elysium, and Mad Max: Fury Road, while the story was written by Daniel H. Wilson, author of Robopocalypse. World War Machine became the first project accepted through Square Enix Collective in April 2014, giving the young studio an early form of platform and industry exposure. The project was renamed Livelock in 2016. Developed as a science-fiction action game, Livelock was released in partnership with Perfect World Entertainment. It was described as Perfect World Entertainment's first buy-to-play release. The title established Tuque Games as a developer capable of producing an independently originated, commercially distributed game rather than only providing development services. Tuque later shifted toward licensed entertainment properties. In early 2017, a small team of approximately 12 people began work on a Dungeons & Dragons game in partnership with Wizards of the Coast. The project was publicly acknowledged in March 2019. Wizards of the Coast acquired Tuque Games in October 2019, bringing the studio inside the organization responsible for the Dungeons & Dragons brand. The acquisition gave the developer direct alignment with one of the world's best-known tabletop role-playing properties and marked a significant change from its earlier original-IP strategy. The Dungeons & Dragons project was formally revealed as Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance through a teaser shown at The Game Awards on December 12, 2019. The game was released in 2021 and represented the studio's largest publicly visible production to that point. Dark Alliance was designed as a cooperative action role-playing game set in the Dungeons & Dragons universe, extending the studio's work from science-fiction combat into a major fantasy franchise. In late 2022, Tuque Games rebranded as Invoke Studios. The name change signaled the studio's continuing development under a new identity after its acquisition by Wizards of the Coast. Publicly documented information identifies Invoke as a game developer rather than a publisher, platform holder, or consumer-facing retail brand. Its principal business is the creation of interactive entertainment, with its best-known released works being Livelock and Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance.

Invoke Studios was founded in Montreal in 2012 by Jeff Hattem, who had previously worked at Ubisoft and Behaviour Interactive. The company initially operated as Tuque Games and focused on developing original interactive entertainment. Its first documented major project was World War Machine, a science-fiction role-playing game that entered development in 2014. The studio consulted researchers associated with nanotechnology and aerospace defense to inform the project's setting and technology. Its creative team also included concept artist Aaron Beck and writer Daniel H. Wilson. World War Machine was accepted by Square Enix Collective in April 2014, becoming the initiative's first accepted submission. The project was subsequently renamed Livelock. Released in 2016 with Perfect World Entertainment, Livelock was a science-fiction action game and Tuque Games' first commercial release. The partnership also made it Perfect World Entertainment's first buy-to-play game, according to the documented history of the studio. Tuque Games later moved from original intellectual property to a major licensed franchise. In early 2017, a team of about 12 people began developing a Dungeons & Dragons game in partnership with Wizards of the Coast. The project was announced publicly in March 2019. Wizards of the Coast acquired Tuque Games in October of that year, integrating the developer with the company responsible for the Dungeons & Dragons brand. The project was revealed as Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance through a teaser presented at The Game Awards on December 12, 2019. The game was released in 2021, giving Tuque Games a prominent published title based on an established tabletop role-playing property. The release also represented a strategic progression from the studio's earlier original science-fiction work toward licensed, franchise-based game development. In late 2022, Tuque Games changed its name to Invoke Studios. The rebrand created the studio's current identity while preserving its continuity as the Montreal-based developer acquired by Wizards of the Coast. Publicly available reference material documents the company's founding, principal releases, acquisition, and rebrand, but does not establish a complete current executive roster, detailed financial profile, or broader product pipeline.

• 2022

  Tuque Games becomes Invoke Studios

  [1]Invoke Studiosen.wikipedia.org

  The developer adopted the Invoke Studios name in a late-2022 rebrand.

• 2021

  Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance released

  [1]Invoke Studiosen.wikipedia.org

  The studio launched its Dungeons & Dragons action role-playing game.

• 2019

  Wizards of the Coast acquires Tuque Games

  [1]Invoke Studiosen.wikipedia.org

  The studio became part of Wizards of the Coast during development of its Dungeons & Dragons project.

• 2017

  Dungeons & Dragons development begins

  [1]Invoke Studiosen.wikipedia.org

  A small Tuque Games team began developing a Dungeons & Dragons game in partnership with Wizards of the Coast.

• 2016

  Livelock released

  [1]Invoke Studiosen.wikipedia.org

  The renamed project was released with Perfect World Entertainment as publishing partner.

• 2014

  Development of World War Machine begins

  [1]Invoke Studiosen.wikipedia.org

  The studio started work on a science-fiction role-playing project that later became Livelock.

• 2014

  World War Machine accepted by Square Enix Collective

  [1]Invoke Studiosen.wikipedia.org

  The project became the first submission accepted through Square Enix Collective.

• 2012

  Tuque Games founded

  [1]Invoke Studiosen.wikipedia.org

  Jeff Hattem founded the Montreal-based game-development studio that initially operated under the Tuque Games name.

A Montreal-based game-development studio combining original game creation with development for major licensed entertainment properties, particularly Dungeons & Dragons.

• Science-fiction action game · 2016

  Livelock

  Livelock is a science-fiction action game originally developed as World War Machine. Its setting and development process drew on research input from nanotechnology and aerospace-defense specialists. The project received early exposure through Square Enix Collective before being renamed and released in 2016. Perfect World Entertainment partnered with Tuque Games on the release, which was identified as the publisher's first buy-to-play title.

• Action role-playing game · 2021

  Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance

  Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance is an action role-playing game developed by Tuque Games in collaboration with Wizards of the Coast. The project began in 2017 with a small development team, was publicly announced in 2019, and received a teaser reveal at The Game Awards that December. Released in 2021, it brought the studio's work into the Dungeons & Dragons universe and became its principal licensed-franchise release.

• 2022

  Rebrand to Invoke StudiosStrategy

  Background

  The studio had operated as Tuque Games since its founding and had become part of Wizards of the Coast after the 2019 acquisition.

  Action taken

  The company adopted the Invoke Studios name in late 2022.

  Aftermath

  Invoke Studios became the developer's public identity, while Tuque Games remained its former name and principal historical alias.

  Source

• 2019

  Acquisition by Wizards of the CoastM&A

  Background

  Tuque Games was developing a Dungeons & Dragons title in partnership with Wizards of the Coast.

  Action taken

  Wizards of the Coast acquired the studio in October 2019.

  Aftermath

  The developer continued work on the Dungeons & Dragons project within the Wizards of the Coast organization.

  Source

• 2016

  Release of LivelockProduct launch

  Background

  The studio's original science-fiction project, initially known as World War Machine, had been developed from 2014 and received early recognition through Square Enix Collective.

  Action taken

  Tuque Games renamed the project Livelock and released it in partnership with Perfect World Entertainment.

  Aftermath

  The release became the studio's first documented commercial game and was described as Perfect World Entertainment's first buy-to-play release.

  Source

• 2019.10.29

  Reported2019.10.30

  Wizards of the Coast acquires Tuque Games[2]威世智收购Tuque Gameswccftech.com

  Wizards of the Coast announced that it had acquired Montréal-based Tuque Games. The article says the acquisition is intended to support digital-game development focused on Wizards of the Coast products, starting with Dungeons & Dragons.

Read more

1. 1Invoke Studiosen.wikipedia.org
2. 2威世智收购Tuque Gameswccftech.com
3. 3Wizards Of The Coast Acquires Montréal-Based Tuque Gamesbleedingcool.com