Valiant Hearts director launches new studio after 14 years with Ubisoft

It was the success of Valiant Hearts, last year’s World War I little-game-that-could, that led content director Yoan Fanise to quit his job with Ubisoft after a successful 14-year career with the company.

Today, he launches his own studio and takes his place as its chief executive: DigiXart, in Montpellier, France. His wife Anne-Laure Fanise is chief financial officer. Valiant Hearts won the hearts of many critics; I put it on GamesBeat’s 10 best original games of 2014 and 20 essential games for iPads lists.