UK's Swordfish Studios Opens New Offices

Officials from Vivendi-owned British developer Swordfish Studios have announced the company has opened a new Manchester office, to complement their existing studio in Birmingham, England. The new studio is to work on an as yet un-revealed next generation title for Vivendi Games division Sierra Entertainment and will be staffed by a majority of new staff currently being enrolled as part of the company’s recruitment drive. The new studio will be managed by Mike Delves, who will report to Swordfish’s managing director Trevor Williams. Swordfish Studios was founded in 2002 after the studio was sold to Williams and Joan Finnegan for £1 by husband Paul Finnegan, managing director of now defunct Rage Software. The company is best known for sports titles World Championship Rugby for Acclaim and Brian Lara International Cricket for Codemasters, as well as first person shooter Cold Winter for Vivendi. The developer was acquired by Vivendi Games in June 2005. "These are exciting times for us all at Swordfish. Sierra Entertainment's dedication to produce games to the highest possible standard is providing some really exciting opportunities for the Swordfish team. Not only that, but Manchester is already proving to be a fantastic location from which to tempt some of the best gaming talent in the North of England,” said Williams.