Fox launches video game division FoxNext

Entertainment giant Fox has launched a new video games division entitled FoxNext, which will be looking to produce video games, virtual reality, augmented reality and location based entertainment. FoxNext will work across the company’s film and TV arms.

The new division will be led by Salil Mehta, who joined the firm in 2013. Previously, he was president of content management for Twentieth Century Fox Film. Before Fox, Mehta worked with NBCUniversal and The Walt Disney Company.

Fox have, historically, been careful about who they license their IP to, but they’ve had recent success with EA’s The Simpson’s Tapped Out and Sega’s Alien: Isolation. They’ll no doubt be hoping on a few more high-profile successes with their extensive library of franchises.

Mehta will be working directly underneath and closely with Fox Networks group CEO Peter Rice and Twentieth Century Fox Film CEO Stacey Snider who have both offered comments on his appointment in a canned statement.

Snider said "Extending our storytelling to new platforms in new ways is a constant focus for us as we look to build more touch points with consumers every day. Building on the momentum we’ve already seen in this area via the Fox Innovation Lab, FoxNext represents a natural next step in defining our long-term vision in this arena, and Salil is quite simply the perfect executive to build this group into what we know will be an industry leader."

Rice added: "We’re excited by the power of new technologies to drive the art of storytelling forward and we know we’ve only scratched the surface," said Peter Rice. "Salil brings a strategic business vision and a deep understanding of new technologies allowing us to expand our creative capabilities."
Stacey Snider added:"’Extending our storytelling to new platforms in new ways is a constant focus for us as we look to build more touch points with consumers every day. Building on the momentum we’ve already seen in this area via the Fox Innovation Lab, FoxNext represents a natural next step in defining our long-term vision in this arena, and Salil is quite simply the perfect executive to build this group into what we know will be an industry leader."