Wideload Founds Shorts Division For Smaller Games

Chicago based Wideload Games (Stubbs the Zombie) has announced a new company division, Wideload Shorts, which will be focused on creating "smaller, entertaining, game experiences for multiple platforms." Wideload president Tom Kang says the Shorts division will be created by a small core team, "but will have creative and technical input from all areas of Wideload," with the company expecting the games will "appeal to players who desire easy-to-play games that can be played on the go or in smaller time increments." Kang also explained that the Shorts and larger teams will "work together to leverage their creative assets. For example, a Wideload retail game may include an asset that would be great to spin off into a Shorts game, and vice versa, a Wideload Shorts game could inspire a Wideload Games retail product." Former Red Mercury president, Scott Corley, who oversaw that studio's range of PC and handheld development, has been hired to lead the Wideload Shorts division. No specific platforms were mentioned for the service, only that they will "target handheld, console and PC platforms," and that the games will be "distributed via established and emerging download channels," starting in late 2007, with further games coming in 2008. In an interview with Gamasutra, company founder Alex Seropian confirmed that Wideload games does have a game currently in development for Xbox Live Arcade. Said Corley, “Wideload’s unique, independent, creatively focused culture continues to spawn a slew of great game ideas, some of which are ideal for a smaller entertainment experience. Wideload Shorts is here to make games for everyone out there who used to play games, who still want to play games, but can no longer invest forty hours a week playing games. We’re making little packets of densely-packed fun for you to enjoy. And we’re having a blast doing it.”