Mike Bithell to quit coding, open new studio

Mike Bithell’s next solo game might be the last thing he ever codes.

The revelation comes from an in-depth interview between MCV and the Volume developer, arguably best known for his first indie hit Thomas Was Alone. 

Bithell is currently working on a new title, but after that plans to take the next step in his independent development career.

“I have a smaller project which I think will surprise people by how quickly it comes out,” he told MCV. “It’s something I’ve been fiddling with since the end of Volume, so about six months. A little idea – a few ideas I’ve bashed together, actually.

“It’s probably the last thing I’ll code if everything goes to plan, and that’s a horrible thing to say. That’s a quote that some smart ass will throw at me in ten years time when I’m sat in my shed.”

Once this mystery title is out, Bithell plans to open his own studio, full of in-house developers. Given his changing responsibilities on his most recent release, he expects the transition to studio boss will be a natural one.

“I didn’t do much coding in the last six months of Volume’s development,” he explains. “I did the core game, but the servers weren’t me, a lot of the underlying UI and porting wasn’t me, so it’s something I feel I’ve transitioned into. 

“I can see myself bouncing between smaller things and bigger things, doing smaller things on the side while making a bigger thing. I’m not sure how it will play out. I’m always gonna have that interest in both ends. I play a lot of triple-A stuff but I also like small games and I want to make both. Diversity is the objective.”

You can read the full interview over at MCV.