(Watch the HD version, dammit!)

So, the next Starbreeze game is almost on the shelves! “The Chronicles Of Riddick: Dark Athena” is being readied for a release in Q1 2009 and after a change in publisher (Vivendi -> Atari) the publicity machine is firing up with the initial offering of the above debut trailer. It’s not long been available on Game Trailers but already we are over 100,000 views and have hundreds of great comments from fans.It’s always busy for everyone at the end of a project but getting the kind of positive feedback that we have gotten always helps to keep everyone going.

I’m sorely tempted to fire up my 360 dev-kit and play it now but I’m going to resist until I actually get my hands on a final, shipped, boxed copy. That’s much more satisfying :).

For what was originally planned as more of a remake than a complete new game the final result is something much more. The original game is present and correct (with much pimping) plus a new ~10hr campaign plus some great new multiplayer modes - so hopefully there is something for everyone. The original Riddick game was one of the reasons I joined Starbreeze so it has been pretty cool to go back and revisit that whole world.

In other Sbz news I’m now officially “Lead Engine Tools Programmer” (previously I was the “Only Engine Tools Programmer” :) ) and I’ve spent the last year building a tools team. We’re up to 4 now (including myself) with a fifth coming in the new year. Although building a new development team can be quite stressful at times things are working out well. We are trying to balance maintaining existing technology vs creating new technology and after a few false starts I think that we will very shortly have found the perfect balance.

It feels like I’ve been out of contact with pretty much everyone the past 6 months or so but I’m going to try to finally get around to replying to everyone’s emails etc… Real Soon Now. I promise!