Three former Riot Games developers have announced that they are forming a new studio in Vancouver called Phoenix Labs.
The founding team consists of president and executive producer Jesse Houston, CEO Sean Bender, and vice president of development Robin Mayne. Houston worked as a senior producer and product manager during his time at Riot, Bender was VP of people and special projects, and Mayne served as senior development director. The studio will have a focus on AAA multiplayer games as well as “highly connected, cooperative gameplay experiences that feature strong experiential narratives.”
The studio has recruited other former Riot members including design director Richard Hough and writer Jessie Gagnon. Greg Lidstone a former Capcom Vancouver developer has joined the studio as animation director, Glenn Barnes as art director and Jeanne Marie-Owens, formerly of Electronic Arts, as studio manager.
“We’re a team of Gamers comprised of badass ninjas developing connected experiences.” Robin Mayne said. “We thrive on elegant execution and gameplay focused development. We are excited to be building a team that loves to get its hands dirty and isn’t afraid to try something new.”