Journey art director launches new studio

Matt Nava, formerly the art director for thatgamecompany, has launched a new studio called Giant Squid.

He's teamed up with composer Austin Wintory, who created the music for thatgamecompany's Journey, and Flow game designer Nicholas Clark, who will act as advisor to the new start up.

"We plan to create innovative and deeply moving games that will inspire players, challenge convention, and push the boundaries of experiential and narrative interactive entertainment into new and unexpected areas."

The new company, based in Santa Monica, is currently at work on its first project and hiring for a number of positions, with ideal candidates loving Lego and the film Hackers.

Nava joined thatgamecompany on August 2008 where, as well as Journey, he was art director on Flower. He also authored and designed the book The Art Of Journey, and spent some time at the end of last year teaching Maya to digital media art students.