Swedish developer-publisher Paradox Interactive has opened a new internal development studio in California, and appointed former EA executive vice president Rod Humble as studio head. 

The new opening is called Paradox Tectonic, and according to Humble -- who's also the former CEO of Second Life creator Linden Lab -- will look to create "open, fun, and beautiful games that respect the player's intelligence."

Although it's the new kid on the block, Tectonic is already leading development on a brand-new game, which will be published by Paradox Interactive.

"Our studio structure is using best practices for modern development: a flat organization in a low-friction environment with a team of highly experienced domain experts," commented Humble, explaining Tectonic's approach to production.

"It’s a privilege to be reunited with so many world-class colleagues from so many triple-A projects, and the team and I are delighted to join Paradox and be part of driving the company’s next cycle of growth."

The emergence of Tectonic means Paradox now has six international studios peppered throughout Sweden, the Netherlands, and the United States, and company CEO Ebba Ljungerud said Paradox now sits "in the heart of one of the largest gaming and tech communities in the world."