Codies Guildford GM Leaves Bodycount As Publisher Focuses On Quality

In another fairly high-profile exit from Codemasters' Bodycount project, the Guildford Studio's general manager Adrian Bolton has left his position, according to media reports. Bolton's exit comes four months after that of the game's creator, Stuart Black. The pair are both formerly of Criterion, where Black created the FPS Black. Black and Bolton began creating Bodycount, which Codemasters described as a "original action FPS", with the Guildford studio at the beginning of 2010. Speculation about Black's departure suggested the creator was unhappy with the title's response upon being shown at E3, but Codemasters denied this in the press -- the title in fact received multiple positive press previews. Speaking to Eurogamer, the UK outlet that broke the news of Bolton's departure, CEO Rod Cousens alluded to a lengthy development for Bodycount in the interest of quality, explaining "we weren't satisfied with where it was" at the time Black left the studio. "In common with other software publishers, has that resulted in delays? It's absolutely resulted in some delays," he told the site. "As a consequence of that, have we looked at the studio and how the studio's run? Sure, we look at that. I also think that's normal business. I don't think it's any more sinister than that." Cousins said that the company still plans to publish the game "in early summer of next year", and that Bolton's exit won't damage the project. "He's left, but I don't think the company centers around one person," he said. "If I left I don't think the company falls over." "Someone will fill the void. I don't see it as any threat to either the well-being of the product, the well-being of the studio or the well-being of the company."