I've left Lionhead - a very hard decision for me, but one I have made - my current plan is to spend rest of this year finishing the map editor with Alex, get the free demo out (sorry about delay on this - it's in Valves hands as to when and how they release it), and then set up a dev team, to make a new game next year, with Alex and Dave, who helped out on Rag Doll. (This time, it will be full time, none of this spare time business, TOO TIRING!) I would like to point out that I didn't leave Lionhead on bad terms or anything, it was just time for a change really (I was there from the very start!).

Speaking to Shacknews, Healey was enthusiastic about the prospects of independent studios. "I really think that in general, small sized, talented development teams will have their own place in the next-generation market-place," he said, "and I'm confident we'll see some of the most exciting titles coming from such people, myself included hopefully."