British trade paper MCV is reporting that ex-Acclaim boss Rod Cousens has joined with Los Angeles-based Europlay Capital Advisers LLC to acquire Acclaim’s recently closed British offices in Cheltenham and Manchester. The business, to be led by Cousens and former Acclaim head of publishing Barry Jafrato, will operate as a new company, currently unnamed, and hopes to re-employ the 160 or so staff from both studios. Financial backing is provided by Europlay Captial Advisers: a private investor and advisory firm specializing in media and entertainment companies, and run by industry veterans Mark Dyne and Sean Brennan. The new publisher has already obtained assets and properties from its acquisition of the British studios, including Interview with a Made Man, Heist, and several back catalogue titles and intellectual properties. There is no word on whether the U.S. studios in Glen Cove, New York and Austin, Texas will enjoy a similar resurrection, but Cousens has indicated that he will be pursuing many of Acclaim’s U.S. assets. The next step in the company’s plans seems to be the acquisition of the publishing rights to the keenly awaited Juiced. Take-Two has already made an offer for the game, but other publishers have until tomorrow to make their own counter-offers.