Splash Damage, most known for being the creative brains behind the Enemy Territory games for id, has appointed Richard Ham creative director of the studio. Before coming to Splash, Ham served as lead designer for Lionhead Studio’s Fable II. He has also worked on games like Mass Effect, Rainbox Six Vegas and Heavenly Sword.
Ham will be directing a new multi-platform game with Splash Damage that, according to the press release, is being developed in conjunction with Bethesda Softworks. Considering Splash’s proficiency with the first-person shooter genre, it may not be much of a leap to consider Fallout in some capacity as part of his new job.
Then again, we have heard this before. In May Bethesda announced this partnership and their press release stated that Splash and Bethesda's project would be announced in "the coming months." It appears as though Splash may have needed a fresh perspective to help get the mysterious game off the ground.
Splash Damage Installs FABLE II Lead Designer as Creative Director
15-year industry veteran to drive vision for studio's new title.
London, England – December 8th 2008 – Splash Damage today announced that it has appointed industry veteran Richard Ham as Creative Director. Richard comes to Splash Damage having completed Lionhead's critically acclaimed hit Fable® II as Lead Designer, and was the creative lead of Syphon Filter®, the all-time best-selling shooter franchise for the original PlayStation®.
In his new role as Creative Director at Splash Damage, Richard will drive the vision and lead the design team behind their new AAA multi-platform title being developed in partnership with Bethesda Softworks, creators of the blockbuster hit Fallout® 3. Richard will work alongside the wealth of talent that has joined Splash Damage throughout 2008, including senior, lead, and directorial staff behind hits such as Mass Effect™, Rainbow Six® Vegas, Heavenly Sword™, and Burnout™ Paradise.
"We have spent months searching for the right person to lead Splash Damage's new title creatively, and Richard is an exact fit," said Paul Wedgwood, owner of Splash Damage and Studio Director. "His stunning track record makes him ideal to drive our vision for such a truly ambitious new multiplatform project. I am constantly flabbergasted by his incredible design wit and intellect."
Richard Ham added, "I'm really excited to be at Splash Damage. Their pedigree in shooters is absolutely fantastic and when I met the team and saw what they were working on, I knew I had to be part of it."
Richard brings 15 years of game development and creative direction experience to Splash Damage and has worked on several high profile titles across most gaming platforms. He started out in the industry working for Nintendo of America and later joined Sony Computer Entertainment of America, where he led the hugely successful Syphon Filter series for the original PlayStation, the best-selling shooter franchise in the platform's history. He later served as Creative Director of Edge of Reality, where he successfully adapted EA's massive hit The Sims™ to consoles and contributed to several other titles. Richard most recently worked at Lionhead Studios, where he worked on Fable: The Lost Chapters and The Movies™ for the PC and led the design team for the acclaimed Fable II.
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9:42 AM on 12.08.2008
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Plus Bethesda... great things. Only great things.