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LittleBigPlanet Vita being developed by Double11
In case you didn't know, we quite liked LittleBigPlanet's PlayStation Vita outing when we played it during E3. Heck, it was even Griffin's game of the show. And as of today, we know who to thank for brightening our annual week of overwork -- Double11. The ex-Rockstar helmed studio has been recruiting for LBP Vita and grown to over 30 staff members since being formed in 2010. "We've spent the best part of a year recruiting a crack squad of games development professionals and we're delighted that we can finally announce it," CEO Lee Hutchinson notes in the announcement. Also in the release: news that the game is being co-developed by Sweden-based Tarsier Studios, who contributed to previous LBP games on PS3. Reps from Tarsier didn't get to say anything in the release.
Interview: Rockstar vets Lee Hutchinson and Matt Shepcar on their new studio, Double 11
Having put to bed a past with Rockstar Leeds -- and helping to turn out a laundry list of triple-A titles, including the portable Grand Theft Autos, while working there -- lead engineer turned studio director Lee Hutchinson and soon to be ex-lead programmer Matt Shepcar recently announced their new development studio: Double 11. Like so many other game devs these days, the two grew tired of big-budget projects with huge staffs, leaving in favor of creating their own smaller, mobile titles. "Our small size also means that every single team member is of paramount importance to their success or failure," the pair told Joystiq in an interview this afternoon. That isn't to say that the two have any complaints with Rockstar relating to the recent quality of life allegations. "We had a great time working at the Leeds studio and there are a lot of really talented people there," they told us. Hutchinson further expanded on his time at Rockstar to Develop. "Rockstar Leeds and the spouse allegations had no effect on our decisions to leave." In fact, we asked the two how they'd feel about working with Rockstar again in the future, and they told us, "We'd love to work with Rockstar again ... our split was very amicable and we hope Gordon [Hall] would consider working with us again in the future." To find out more about the studio's plans -- including a prospective Summer release for the its first game and where we might find said game, not to mention an explanation of the "Double 11" name -- join us past the break.
