In an exclusive interview with MCV, Bandai Namco revealed that the company has partnered with Life Is Strange developer Dontnod Entertainment to create a new intellectual property.

The new IP will be based on a "new narrative adventure experience" and will be set in a fictional location in the US. It will also include "a fair dose of investigation." More details about the game - which includes release date, title, and platform - will be announced in 2018. Only a single image was shared (see below), which depicts the fictional setting.

According to Bandai Namco, the new IP has been in development since 2016, though the final story is still being worked on. A different team composed of senior developers is working on the game, so it won't affect the development of Life Is Strange 2, Dontnod Entertainment's other major project.

Hervé Hoerdt, VP of Marketing and Digital at Bandai Namco Europe, told MCV that Dontnod Entertainment is "very much a rising star." The success of Life Is Strange had a hand in the decision to partner with the Paris-based studio, especially since Bandai Namco was looking for an emotional experience for players. With Life Is Strange, Dontnod Entertainment definitely checks that box.

He also said one of the reasons why they chose a US-based setting was to appeal to a broader audience as much as possible. He said that getting the US market to buy-in helps in establishing a new IP for western audiences.

While waiting for more details on this new IP from Bandai Namco and Dontnod Entertainment, you can check out Life Is Strange: Before the Storm, which is set to arrive on August 31 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One. Before the Storm is an episodic game that acts as a prequel to the original Life Is Strange. It centers on Chloe Price, one of the key characters in Life Is Strange.

Life Is Strange 2 is still being developed. Dontnod Entertainment has not yet shared more details on the anticipated sequel.