Talks set for Lionheadâ??s creative future

Following the release of Lionhead’s third major Fable title, Peter Molyneux wants his Guildford-based studio to group together and discuss the studio’s creative future.

”I’m introducing something at Lionhead,” said Molyneux in an interview with Develop. “It’s going to be this creative week where, nearer Christmas time, everyone in the studio is going to have an entire week to do whatever they want.

”And at the end of the week we’re all going to come together look at people’s ideas, and that’s going to form the foundations of what happens next at Lionhead.”

Molynuex revealed details of the creative meeting in response to questions on how to motivate the Microsoft-owned studio. Lionhead is now deep in development on a third successive Fable title – a situation just a few wrong turns away from being a repetitive and uninspiring endeavour for a fiercely creative unit.

”I’m a bit frightened the team is going to find out about this ideas week through Develop, rather than an email from me,” said Molynuex, “but I want our staff to know that giving people the creative freedom in what we do is important.”

He was keen to add, however, that creative freedom at Lionhead is not restricted to one week in the year. Molyneux wants Lionhead to be an organic creative hub throughout its structure and divisions.

”What’s more important is that anybody at Lionhead should absolutely feel free to come to me, or a lead designer, and give their honest feedback. I consider that very, very, very important,” he said.

”Having said that, I think you need to be a creative tyrant at times. If you don’t have a focus, and someone’s got to decide on that, then you get bedlam.”

The full interview with Molyneux can be found here.