Ex-Bizarre Creations staffers form new UK studio, Lucid Games

Activision may have killed the Bizarre Creations name when it snuffed out the 17-year old studio last Friday, but ex-studio staffers are looking to carry on the legend with the launch of a brand new UK studio, Lucid Games.

Founded by former Bizarre head manager Pete Wallace, the new studio will carry on in the spirit of Bizarre, as well as provide a new home for some of its 200 former employees who are facing unemployment or a relocation overseas.

%26ldquo;People were aware there were going to be cuts. But the closure of the studio just wasn%26rsquo;t expected at all. Most people didn%26rsquo;t want to move away from the area, even though they%26rsquo;re well-placed to go and work in Seattle or Canada,%26rdquo; explained Wallace.

Speaking to the studio's creative ambitions, Lucid's commercial director Andy Davidson said, %26ldquo;We want to get back to the levels of innovation and creativity at Bizarre that made Activision so keen to acquire it.%26rdquo;

The Lucid team is still securing funds for expansion, with plans to hire up to 50 former Bizarre employees as its initial staff. You can wish them good luck in person at next week's Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. Just don't mention Activision - it's kind of a sore point.

[Source: Liverpool Daily Post via Edge Magazine]

Feb 25, 2011

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