NCsoft opens Carbine Studios

MMORPG developer and publisher NCsoft has opened a new development studio in Orange County, California.

Carbine Studios is comprised of 17 former Blizzard employees, including lead and senior developers from the World of Warcraft team. In addition, the company is headed by three RPG development veterans: Kevin Beardslee, a lead developer on World of Warcraft; Tim Cain, producer, lead programmer and designer on Fallout; and Jeremy Gaffney, who was executive producer on City of Heroes.

"This is a dev team made in heaven," said Robert Garriott, CEO for NCsoft’s North American business. "This group is as experienced as they come in the area of computer role playing and multiplayer game design.

“Making successful games is second nature to them. They are a very welcome addition to the NCsoft family. The gaming community should be excited to see what great things come out of Carbine Studios in the coming years."

Carbine co-founder Kevin Beardslee added: "NCsoft’s established global infrastructure, commitment to their development studios and passion for online gaming makes them an ideal partner.

"In the coming months Carbine Studios will continue to grow and we look forward to bringing many more talented industry professionals into our fold."