Former EA men head up Acti studio

Activision has officially confirmed the hiring of ex-Visceral Games execs Glen Schofield and Michael Condrey to lead a new studio, Sledgehammer Games, GamesIndustry.biz reports.

The pair left EA's Visceral team in July, where they worked on Dead Space. Sledgehammer is working "on an as-yet-unannounced new videogame". Probably something about fluffy clouds and daisies.

"Both Glen and Michael have outstanding reputations in the industry through their work as GM and COO of Visceral Games, and as the leadership of the Dead Space development team," said Dave Stohl, executive VP of studios at Activision. "We are excited to add their combined 30 years of experience and expertise to our management team."

"Michael and I are thrilled to be building a brand new studio for Activision," said Schofield, who takes on the role of vice president and general manager of Sledgehammer.

"This was an opportunity for us to assemble a world-class team made up of developers with a proven track record in delivering top-rated games. We know what it takes to develop a Game of the Year title, and we also know that the title needs the support of a strong publisher to make the game a success."

Condrey is now vice president and COO of Sledgehammer Games. "Activision Blizzard's independent studio model is very empowering," he said. "We have a fantastic new studio facility, the foundation for a world-class team and the backing of the industry's most profitable game publisher.

"This was a rare opportunity we couldn't pass up and we are thankful for the support the Activision organisation has shown us."