A new mobile gaming startup that’s yet to release a single game isn’t the sort of thing we’d normally cover ’round here, but the story behind Los Angeles-based Innovative Leisure is anything but ordinary. The man behind the company is the co-creator of the Xbox, Seamus Blackley, and he’s brought with him eleven industry veterans that he calls “the dream team from Atari,” including the likes of Van Burnham, Ed Logg, Rich Adam, Tim Skelly, Owen Rubin, and Ed Rotberg. While those names may not be familiar to everyone, you’ll surely recognize some of the games they were responsible for: Asteroids, Centipede, Gauntlet, Missile Command, Battlezone, S.T.U.N. Runner, Major Havoc and Space Duel, to name a few.
Speaking with VentureBeat, Blackley describes mobile devices as “the new arcade” and 99 cent games as the “new quarter,” adding that he’s aiming to carry on where Atari left off, “focusing on innovation in gameplay.” To help with that, the company has secured backing from THQ, which has reportedly agreed to an initial slate of ten games, seven of which are now in development (with only the iPhone and iPad mentioned as supported platforms so far). Unfortunately, details remain light beyond that, with Blackley only offering late summer or fall as an estimated release date for the first titles. In the meantime, you can find more of the backstory at the links below (THQ’s press release can also be found after the break).
Continue reading Xbox co-creator brings together Atari ‘dream team’ for mobile gaming startup
Xbox co-creator brings together Atari ‘dream team’ for mobile gaming startup originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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