As it gears up for its last major release of the year, Midway has told MCV that personnel changes in its marketing and brand teams have brought a renewed vigour to the company’s ambitions.

The last year has seen the departure of four well-known personnel from the company: brand manager Matt Huband to Atari, senior brand manager Mike Eglington to THQ, assistant brand manager Craig Parker-Wood to Eidos and European marketing director Al King to Kwari.

The firm has already recruited Suddy Bhardwaj as brand manager – who is working with senior brand manager Aidan Minter on the launch of Unreal Tournament 3 – and is now looking to add another face to its brand team.

Midway’s new European marketing director Leonie Manshanden told MCV that the injection of fresh blood to the team has helped raise optimism for the release of UT3 next week – and as-yet unannounced titles that will follow next year.

“It absolutely brings a fresh perspective on things,” she said. “This year has been an exceptionally good one for Midway; introducing new IP in Stranglehold and doing so well with it was great.

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“Bringing some new people on board has not slowed us down at all. We’re now planning our 2008 titles with a fresh team from scratch. It’s always nice to be on the same page before you start planning.”

The firm is yet to confirm most of its new titles for 2008, but MCV has learnt that an open world game and fighting title will both use the Unreal Engine deployed in UT3. The titles will be revealed at the publisher’s Gamers Day in the US in January.