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UK developer and publisher Codemasters has swooped in to rescue the team left stranded by Sony’s planned closure of Evolution Studios.
PlayStation announced it would be closing the MotorStorm dev last month. This was attributed to a review of SCE Worldwide Studios, although the troubled launch and slow recovery of the dev’s last title Driveclub was no doubt a major factor.
A member of Evolution later tweeted that the team was hoping to stay together. Now Codemasters has revealed that it make this possible by hiring the Evolution survivors.
A post on the Codemasters blog ways the firm “will be expanding its portfolio of studios to include the highly-respected and very talented team from Evolution Studios”. This will also enable the Cheshire-based studio to work on multiple platforms.
Codemasters is also hiring Mick Hocking, Evolution’s studio director since the firm first opened in 1999, as VP of Product Development, making him responsible for all of Codies’ dev teams.
“The success of F1 2015 and Dirt Rally over the last 12 months has re-positioned the company for growth,” said Codemasters CEO Frank Sagnier. “The addition of the Evolution team to our studio group will allow us to scale our business and strengthen our leadership as the world’s premier racing game developer.
“I’m thrilled to have Mick Hocking join Codemasters as VP of Product Development. His experience in building triple-A IP and leading great teams made him a natural choice to head the development of all of our products. I am equally thrilled to welcome his talented team to the Codemasters family and I look forward to the great games and brand new IP we will develop together.”
