Blade Interactive becomes a publisher

Manchester-based developer Blade Interactive Studios is to begin publishing its own titles.

The firm will self-publish the follow-up to the successful World Snooker Championship 2007, shortening the name to WSC Real 2008.

It is now on the hunt for a distribution deal, and says this will be made ‘imminently’.

Blade has previously published titles through the likes of Koch Media, Sega and Codemasters.

Other self-published future releases could include the studio’s highly anticipated FPS Hydrophobia. The title features Blade’s own HydroEngine, which it says produces ultra-realistic water effects.

Managing director of Blade Interactive Deborah Jones said: Blade is a company that is changing fast and this is a crucial step in our expansion plans. We are very excited at the prospect of publishing. As individuals we are no strangers to publishing and this is a natural step for us.”

Blade recently announced a move into middleware with its own Infinite Worlds technology.

World Snooker Championship 2007 was a number six hit for Sega in January.