Jérôme Combe studied industrial design and graduated in 1991, he decided to buy a computer and learn 3D by himself. As a fan of the game Another World and Eric Chahi’s work, he asked Chahi to collaborate on his future project, Heart of Darkness (Amazing Studio, 1998).
Thereafter, Combe multiplied his professional experiences as cinematic director and character designer on various video game projects. At the beginning of 2000, he started to develop a 2D/3D mix (cell shading) with the idea of creating an aesthetic, a unique “look development”. His ambition is to make a difference with traditional animation for children and to target a more adult audience. Combe therefore alternated between musical video with his own style that won numerous awards (Respire for Mickey 3D and Thomas Fersen: awarded at the Victoires de la musique 2004). In parallel, he directed commercials and did some advertising campaigns with Nexus London. As he was commissioned to co-direct commercials with Pascal Charrue and Arnaud Delord, the three of them decided to create their own studio, Fortiche Production.
This internationally renowned animation studio, located in Paris, is also known for its collaborations with big names of the video games’ industry such as: Ubisoft, Carbine Studios and Riot Games. They have an eclectic culture that reflects their vision and way of working. They have developed a unique graphic style mixing 2D and 3D media, combined with an ambitious staging inspired by cinema. The combination of this visual style and their narrative ambitions make Fortiche’s signature instantly recognizable in the industry. In 2012, the studio produced and directed a music video for the French band Limousine, called La Gaviota, which was noticed by Riot Games. Then, Riot came to them in 2013 to direct and produce the Get jinxed video. This started a long partnership between the two companies and with Christian Linke, showrunner of Arcane.
The studio has produced projects such as League of Legends – Rise, League of Legends – K/DA – POP/STARS, League of Legends – Warriors, Coldplay and Gorillaz music videos and the Rocket & Groot series for Marvel Studios. In 2021, the Arcane series was released, marking another milestone for the studio and the team. The show, acclaimed by the critics and the audience, received several Emmys.