Simon Zhu’s GreaterThan Group Revives Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic with $100 Million Backing

A visionary former NetEase executive empowers veteran creators to build the next great RPG—without AI shortcuts or bloated budgets

Former NetEase investments chief Simon Zhu has launched GreaterThan Group and secured $100 million in funding to support elite studios. Its first marquee project: Arcanaut Studios’ Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic, led by Casey Hudson. The move signals a bold new model for creative freedom in AAA development.

A New Patron for Game Creators

On May 12, 2026, Simon Zhu—formerly president of global investments at NetEase—announced the formation of GreaterThan Group (GTG), a holding company with $100 million in capital (including $40 million in cash and $60 million in commitments) aimed at empowering undervalued game developers . Zhu framed GTG as a corrective force in an industry that “treats developers so badly,” offering a model focused on creative freedom and fair financial returns .

Funding a Star Wars Legacy

GreaterThan’s first high-profile investment is in Arcanaut Studios’ Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic, a narrative-driven single-player RPG under Casey Hudson—a veteran director behind both Knights of the Old Republic and Mass Effect . Announced at The Game Awards 2025, the game is being developed in collaboration with Lucasfilm Games and aims for release before 2030 .