Mindscape opens new French studio

French publisher Mindscape has launched a new online-focused studio, known as Punchers Impact.

The studio has opened with around forty workers, some of which have joined from various EA studios and fallen UK developer Free Radical.

Guillaume Descamps has been appointed studio director, and revealed his delight in assembling together a team “of such high quality”.

Said Descamps: ”I am confident about the challenges that the team have taken on and I can’t wait to unveil our first project.”

A representative from the firm has confirmed to Develop that the new French studio will be working on digital download projects for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC platforms. Its first unnamed project will be released in the final calendar quarter of 2010.

The studio’s offices opened back in October, and was established as a response to Mindscape’s “desire to open up new development channels.”

News of the new outfit will add to the company’s international fleet of studios, with offices in France, England, Ireland, Germany, Netherlands, Asia, Australia and Latin America.

“It is very important for us to be involved at the heart of our industry by offering gamers the games they expect,” said Mindscape managing director Thierry Bensoussan.

“By building a pool of creative talent within a single studio, we’re ensuring that Punchers Impact has solid financial foundations allowing it to focus on developing innovative projects”, he added.