- Jason Jones has launched Stone Kite, a new entertainment studio based in Los Angeles.
- Margaret Stohl, a former Bungie executive and writer, is leading the company as CEO.
- Stone Kite’s first project is One Zero One, a four issue comic about humanity fighting rogue AI powered robots.
- The studio aims to develop stories across comics, games, film and television from the beginning.
Jason Jones, the Bungie co founder behind some of the biggest names in gaming, has launched a new entertainment company called Stone Kite.
The Los Angeles based studio is being created with Margaret Stohl, a former Bungie executive and an established writer whose work spans novels, video games and Marvel Comics. Stohl will serve as Stone Kite’s CEO, while Jones will focus on developing original stories and creative projects.
The studio is designed to work across several forms of entertainment rather than building a project for one format before adapting it elsewhere. Stone Kite plans to bring writers, artists, game developers and other creators together early in the development process, with the aim of building fictional worlds that can eventually exist across different media.
That approach represents a notable change for Jones, who has spent most of his career in video games. His work at Bungie helped establish franchises including Halo and Destiny, two series that went on to become major properties in the gaming industry.
Stone Kite’s first project gives an early indication of the direction Jones wants to take.
One Zero One is the studio’s first project
The company has launched One Zero One, a four issue comic series based on a manuscript written by Jones.
The story is set around a growing conflict between humanity and an army of rogue robots powered by artificial intelligence. The first issue is now available digitally, while a physical edition is also being offered for preorder.
For Jones, the project marks a move into an area he has wanted to explore for years. Although he has spent much of his professional life creating games, he has also maintained a long standing interest in writing.
In comments about the new studio, Jones recalled spending his youth travelling by bicycle to used bookstores around North Chicago and returning home with science fiction paperbacks. He also credited Stohl with encouraging him to pursue writing and helping him develop his ideas.
The partnership between Jones and Stohl is therefore central to Stone Kite’s ambitions. Rather than treating a comic, game or television adaptation as separate stages of production, the company wants its creators to think about different formats from the beginning.
That could allow Stone Kite to develop a story with the flexibility to move between comics, games, film and television without treating any one version as simply an adaptation of another.
Jones leaves Bungie after years with the studio
The launch of Stone Kite also comes after a major change in Jones’ relationship with Bungie.
Jones co founded Bungie in 1991 and remained closely associated with the studio for decades. He was one of the creative figures involved in the development of Halo and later Destiny, helping shape franchises that became closely connected with Bungie’s identity.
Earlier this year, Bungie went through significant layoffs following a difficult period for the studio. Jones was reportedly among the senior figures affected, with his position as Chief Vision Officer ending during the restructuring.
The creation of Stone Kite now provides a clearer picture of what Jones is doing after his departure from Bungie.
Unlike many high profile game developers, Jones has generally maintained a low public profile. He rarely gives interviews and has made relatively few public appearances, making the announcement of a new company particularly notable.
Stone Kite also gives Jones an opportunity to explore storytelling outside the constraints of a traditional game development studio.
A broader future for Destiny
Jones’ departure comes at a significant point for Bungie and the Destiny franchise.
Bungie has made major changes to its plans for Destiny 2, including announcing the end of regular support for the game earlier this year. At the same time, the studio has indicated that the Destiny universe may continue through future projects.
That means Jones’ new venture arrives while his former studio is also reassessing the future of one of the franchises most closely associated with his career.
Stone Kite, however, appears to be taking a different route. Instead of announcing a new video game, the studio is starting with a comic and positioning itself as a broader entertainment company.
The success of One Zero One will likely provide an early indication of how well that approach works. The company is not simply presenting the comic as a standalone release. Its wider ambition is to create fictional worlds that can develop across different formats and attract communities around them.
For Jones, it is also a chance to pursue a long stated interest in writing after decades spent primarily making games.
Stone Kite is still at an early stage, so details about future projects remain limited. For now, One Zero One is the clearest look at what the new company wants to build, and it places Jones in a very different creative role from the one he held during his long career at Bungie.
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