Real Time Worlds hints at the future

The all-star cast of industry veterans behind new development studio Real Time Worlds have formally announced their new venture, and dropped broad hints about the nature of the next game from GTA creator Dave Jones in the process.

Joining Jones - who was a founder of DMA Design (now Rockstar North) and was also one of the key designers behind the Lemmings games - at Real Time Worlds are Ian Hetherington, formerly managing director of SCEE and founder of Psygnosis (Wipeout, Destruction Derby), and Tony Harman, formerly director of development and acquisition at Nintendo of America - who was executive producer on Donkey Kong Country, no less.

"We are not yet talking specifically about our two titles under development," said Hetherington, "but I will hint that fans of GTA and next-generation racing games will not be disappointed. Having seen literally thousands of games in the past, I was amazed at the unique and ground breaking ideas that are being brought to life at Real Time Worlds."

GTA fans will no doubt be interested by the prospect of the father of the franchise returning to the concept - and even more so once they've seen this next comment from Harman, who said that "the emerging on-line gaming market is an area we will be creating some waves in."

Commenting on the rest of the staff at the studio, Jones described the team as "a hand picked team of 28 developers with a tremendous portfolio of hit games behind them." So... Dave Jones working with a hand-picked team on a game that won't disappoint GTA and next-generation racing fans, and planning to make waves in on-line gaming. If that's not one of the most fascinating prospects to come out of the UK game development scene this year, we don't know what is.