Blitz Games Studios closes

Veteran UK developer Blitz Games Studios has today ceased trading.

The 23-year old outfit – founded by the famed Oliver twins – closed as a result of not securing enough funds to sustain the business.

Of the 175 staff at the studio, 50 have been secured employment at an unnamed new company to be set up by Blitz’ senior management to tackle two of the outfit’s existing projects that remain financially stable. Meanwhile, Oxford-based studio Rebellion is working with Blitz to offer positions to as many of the latter’s staff as possible.

“We have managed to weather numerous storms over the last two decades that have sadly seen the demise of many of our friends and colleagues across the industry, but the run of problems we’ve had to face over the last year is unlike any we’ve seen before," said Blitz Games Studios co-founder and CEO Philip Oliver.

"Frustrations with clients, the global economic crisis, and more than our fair share of simple bad luck have all conspired against us and we are no longer able to continue trading."

Blitz management are encouraging other prospective employers of the newly unemployed team members to email Philip direct for details of any staff now seeking work.

"We have done all that we can to make Blitz a success, and we have come frustratingly close in recent months," continued Philip. "Major clients have felt unable to commit to investment in significant projects, others have changed strategy whilst appearing committed, and others have been slow to commit at all – all of these things have continued to hurt our finances. We have also sustained the business for some time with our personal savings but even those reserves have now been exhausted.

"We’d like to publicly thank Chris and Jason Kingsley from Rebellion for their support and friendship during this time – they are acting incredibly honourably and helping us to find new roles for as many of our staff as possible. They began their careers in games at around the same time we did and epitomise the positive and supportive culture of long-standing game developers in the UK.

"We wish the very best of luck to all the staff who are sadly leaving us today and thank them again for their drive, creativity and enthusiasm. They, like us, are passionate about games, and we call on the rest of the industry to capture their passion and continue the careers of some of the most talented young creatives in the country.”

Blitz’s history is a long and vibrant one, starting 23-years ago with twins Philip and Andrew Oliver establishing themselves as furiously productive, succesful. Their story is integral to the founding of the UK’s Leamington Spa development hub, and some of the IP the team produced, such as the Dizzy the Egg series, are icons of the industry.