Sponsored By

"Being a 'boutique' game studio has a specific meaning. Every member pursues a goal to make their own great games."

Chris Kerr, News Editor

February 12, 2019

1 Min Read

A group of Sonic Mania developers, including game director Christian Whitehead, have joined forces to establish a brand new "boutique game studio."

Dubbed 'Evening Star Studio,' the new opening is headquartered in Los Angeles and was formed with the remit of designing "fresh, fun games which will stand the test of time."

Whitehead will serve as Evening Star's creative director and lead engine architect, with the studio looking to use the Retro Engine (now rebranded as the Star Engine) he designed as its primary game engine. 

He'll be joined by fellow Sonic Mania developers Tom Fry (art director), Hunter Bridges (technical and audio director), and Brad Flick (design director), while veteran producer Dave Padilla will lead Evening Star as CEO.

"Being a 'boutique' game studio has a specific meaning. Every member pursues a goal to make their own great games. By encouraging strong technical foundations in every discipline, members are given a voice and latitude to impact games in unique ways," reads the Evening Star website

"By reinvigorating gaming history's more cunning techniques, the team boldly explores directions long since left behind. With that driving approach, and a proprietary engine and tool set, Evening Star has developed an innovative workflow which minimizes the barriers between ideas and execution."

About the Author(s)

Chris Kerr

News Editor, GameDeveloper.com

Game Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist and reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, and PocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton. He has featured on the judging panel at The Develop Star Awards on multiple occasions and appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss breaking news.

Daily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inbox

You May Also Like