Pitbull Studio Opens In The Wake Of Midway Newcastle Closure

A year after the closure of Midway Studios Newcastle, new independent developer Pitbull Studio has formed with the intention to carry on the shuttered studio's legacy of racing game creation. Pitbull is the creation of Robert Troughton, one of the founders of the original Pitbull Syndicate, which was acquired by Midway Games in 2005 and renamed to bear its new owner's brand. Over the course of its existence as Pitbull and Midway Games Newcastle, the studio developed numerous driving-oriented games including several Test Drive titles, L.A. Rush, and last year's Wheelman. In a statement, Troughton said the newly-minted Pitbull intends to attract the best of local talent to "regain its title as the best racing game developer in North East England." Pitbull Studio is the second developer to emerge out of the wreckage of Midway Studios Newcastle. Atomhawk Design was founded immediately after the closure, although unlike Pitbull, it focuses on digital art and consulting, rather than traditional full game development. Troughton promises that Pitbull Studio will learn from the mistakes that led to Midway's well-documented downfall. "The industry has changed a lot since the day we sold the original Pitbull," he said. "It was a real shame that Midway's management never seemed to move fast enough with the trends. We won't be making the mistakes of the past with the new studio. What happened there has actually strengthened us, I would say. We've learnt a lot from the experience of being part of a large publisher."