True Games Opens Austin Development Studio

True Games, the California-based publisher of Petroglyph's upcoming MMO Mytheon, is opening its own development studio in Austin, the company said today. The new location is being run up by industry veteran Frank Lucero, and will be working on a new True Games IP. Lucero was most recently at Stray Bullet Games, the company he co-founded with other former employees of defunct Shadowbane developer Wolfpack studios, whose Austin studio was headed up by Lucero. True Games published its first MMO, the Possibility Space-developed Warrior Epic, earlier this year. Mytheon is expected in 2010. No information was given on the Austin-based project. "This new studio will allow us to have more direct control and involvement in the development process of our games, which is critical when you are developing new IP," said True Games CEO Bob Drobish in a statement. And despite setbacks seen at numerous Austin studios over the past year, True Games chairman Jeff Lujan said the area's strong base of experienced developers was an important factor in setting up shop there. "The decision to base this studio in Austin had a lot to do with the exceptional talent pool that exists in the area," he said. "We are confident that we are building a talented and passionate team that will deliver the best possible games for our community."