E-mail:
Password:
GameSpot Video Games, PC, Wii, PlayStation 2, GameCube, PSP, DS, GBA, PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3

Volition veterans ignite Blazing Lizard

Former THQ employees plan to bring experience earned on Saints Row, Red Faction to bear on downloadable games.
By Brendan Sinclair, GameSpot
Posted Aug 7, 2007 3:39 pm PT

A trio of former developers at THQ's Volition, Inc. studio have unveiled their new start-up studio to the world. Sandeep Shekar, Jiovanie Velazquez, and Christopher Stockman today announced their new venture, the Savoy, Illinois-based Blazing Lizard.

Boasting more than three decades of cumulative experience between them, the trio worked on a number of hit Volition games, including Saints Row, The Punisher, Red Faction, Red Faction 2, and Descent: FreeSpace. According to the group's Web site, the studio's goal is "to create high-quality, compelling console-downloadable games for all platforms."

Blazing Lizard is set to unveil its first title, an original intellectual property, next week. In the meantime, the group has posted a handful of blurred screenshots to its Web site.

Sign up now to post a comment on this story!

54 Comments

First to Last Latest
1 2
« prevnext »
kazya_mishima

more 2-d fighting games!!!! Maybe a Spaceballs fighting game id buy it

Posted Aug 9, 2007 2:00 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
Splasm

Amen to the Cniinc!!!

Posted Aug 8, 2007 4:25 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
Cniinc

Now they just need Freespace 3.

Posted Aug 8, 2007 2:29 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
chris2023

If they helped towards making great games like that. i don't see why they cant make some good downloadable games. those screen shots are good for blurred images

Posted Aug 8, 2007 11:39 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+1)
km1498

Good luck to them. Sometimes these small Indie development studios can put out the best games.

Posted Aug 8, 2007 11:37 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+3)
ScottHFC

Good on them!

Posted Aug 8, 2007 10:22 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+1)
HoovenWannabe

Looks like the games are going to be really boring. But you never know they may get something that kicks a.

Posted Aug 8, 2007 9:57 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (-4)
jjdomo

EarthThatWas: Campfire next to three palm trees on a beach.

Hmm . . . I see the three palm trees and the sun setting over the water. I'm not sure about the campfire though unless that's what that brown glob is on the far left. I'd bet that was something else burning though, not just a simple little campfire . . .

Posted Aug 8, 2007 9:56 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
NemesisLives

sounds like they will just make crap

Posted Aug 8, 2007 9:11 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (-5)
ChickenHounk911

Maybe Devils Row? (the pre-quel to Saints Row)... hey, squint your eyes and look at the picture again, you can clearly see what it is!

Posted Aug 8, 2007 9:01 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (-3)
Big_T-Mac

red faction was one of the most innovative shooters of last gneration, and saints row was a better playing game than the gtas.

Posted Aug 8, 2007 8:35 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
ghsacidman

Saint's Row and Red Faction kinda sucked to me... Hopefully their future titles will be better.

Posted Aug 8, 2007 8:10 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (-5)
amaraklov

I don't care what they make, it has to be better than the mass manufactured iterative regurgitation that is: Activision, EA, THQ.

Go Indie Developer ! P.S. Please don't sell out !

Posted Aug 8, 2007 8:04 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
dryden555

the real question is if these 3 are the ones who made freespace a great game. Just because they worked there doesnt mean they were important to that game when it was being developed.....

Posted Aug 8, 2007 7:24 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
Tree06

Hmm....I wonder what's up their sleeves.

Posted Aug 8, 2007 6:45 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
luckjon

If they want some really hot attention, they should make the spiritual successor to Freespace 2 for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360.

Posted Aug 8, 2007 6:21 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+1)
Makhdoom82

Blazing lizard ... hmmm i hope the developers don't not literally incorporate that into the game !!!

Posted Aug 8, 2007 6:07 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
Foxsnipe

The next Red Faction was already confirmed to be coming earlier this month. No, these guys won't be working on it. Volition/THQ (for better or worse with the latter) still owns the rights to the IP. Plus, Blazing Lizard was outright said they'll be working on downloadable games for the different platforms.

Settle down. Be happy they even released a screenshot at all. That's more than you typically see from new studios.

Posted Aug 8, 2007 5:49 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
diablobasher

Freespace or Red Facion 3 are never going to happen. Wherever the rights ended up whoever owns them has in all likelyhood completely forgotten about them.

As for people bashing the blurrd pics, at least they've released something resembling a pic, like a lot of companies who boast about something great coming then don't tell anyone anything at all ever.

Posted Aug 8, 2007 5:05 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
zapper188

Wow, Shame all they did was boast and not tell us about any games they are creating.
Off To a great start guys!

Can't wait for Blur 2: Revenge of the Anti-blurs! Gonna be the best combined RPG and Shooter this decade!

Posted Aug 8, 2007 3:03 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
USmellLikePoopy

What an awesome picture...

Posted Aug 8, 2007 1:25 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
RaiKageRyu

That looks like a tree

Posted Aug 8, 2007 1:07 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
Rentago

OMG LOOK AT THAT, Attack of the Blurr 2!

Posted Aug 8, 2007 12:55 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (-1)
xunicyclex

Red Faction for XBLA

Posted Aug 8, 2007 12:50 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+1)
EarthThatWas

Campfire next to three palm trees on a beach.

Posted Aug 7, 2007 11:36 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+1)
S31Ender

ummmm...

For one, Volition doesn't even OWN the rights to Freespace anymore. Neither does the now defunct Interplay. Volition sold the rights a long time ago and the buyer has lost interest.

Not that it matters since THESE GUYS AREN'T VOLITION.
So no, you will not be seeing Red Faction 3 or Freespace 3.

Deathscyth-Hell. I completely feel you on that statement but as I said, it ain't happening. However, hardlight.net has a lot of source enhanced mods out for the game. Look over there. You'll find enough stuff to keep you busy. hehe.

Posted Aug 7, 2007 9:38 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+1)
Deathscyth-Hell

evilted4 "please please please make freespace 3"

copied, x9

Posted Aug 7, 2007 9:30 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+1)
AlbertWesker316

I would live a red faction 3. Red faction was ok but two took it to a whole nother level!

Posted Aug 7, 2007 9:14 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+2)
ashuncc2

Sounds interesting; we will have to check it out next week.

Posted Aug 7, 2007 8:57 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+1)
blorg13

ummm...ok

Posted Aug 7, 2007 8:56 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (-1)
evilted4

please please please make freespace 3

Posted Aug 7, 2007 8:20 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+1)
neonblueshadow

I like the graphics already

Posted Aug 7, 2007 8:17 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+2)
Agreb91

Hope it turns out to be a cool game!

Posted Aug 7, 2007 7:58 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
rico212

lol.

Posted Aug 7, 2007 7:55 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
icarus212001

Excellent! (guitar plays in background)

Posted Aug 7, 2007 7:35 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+1)
lilmp89

heh heh "Actual game to be less blurry."

nice

I find it funny they put blurred screenshots up just to tempt people. Great move. Glad to wait and see what happens.

Posted Aug 7, 2007 7:23 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+1)
broke812

yeah they should make Red Faction 3

Posted Aug 7, 2007 6:52 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+2)
HALOISTHEBEST26

lol actual game to be less blurry lol

Posted Aug 7, 2007 6:42 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+2)
limpbizkit818

I just want RF3, so hurry up guys and make it.

Posted Aug 7, 2007 6:39 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+2)
selbie

How about doing Freespace 3 *shakes fist*
I like the humour on the website though

Posted Aug 7, 2007 6:35 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+2)
PEELEDbanana

I enjoy downloadable games. They r a lot of fun to play when Gears pisses me off (Freaking host shotgun).

Posted Aug 7, 2007 6:21 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+4)
dreamcastdre

Hopefully this doesn't affect the quality of Saints Row 2. That's one of my most wanted games, even though I've heard no info about the story.

Posted Aug 7, 2007 6:02 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+4)
Casey1211

The Punisher was a great game...AND movie. Don't care what anybody says, It was a great movie.

Posted Aug 7, 2007 5:49 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+6)
AnFangs_Endes

"Don't do drug's and games!"

That's what I get from the pic

Posted Aug 7, 2007 4:57 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+3)
darthzew

Sweet. Geometry Wars proved that downloadable games can ROCK and now we're in for some more

Posted Aug 7, 2007 4:44 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+1)
LancerVI

Freespace!!!!!! What a great series!!!!

Lancer VI

Posted Aug 7, 2007 4:38 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+1)
BrendonSilver

I LOVE YOU ALL LETS MAKE BABIES

Posted Aug 7, 2007 4:05 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (-3)
mehoff88

FREESPACE 3 FTW!!!!!

Posted Aug 7, 2007 4:03 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+1)
smbius

Freespace was the ****

Posted Aug 7, 2007 4:02 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+1)
icym

Cool! Nice to see more developers in Illinois. Not many developers in the Chicago area at all

Posted Aug 7, 2007 4:02 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+1)
1 2
« prevnext »
advertisement

Latest Entertainment Headlines

Story Tags

News Features

Sidebar: The GameSpot News Blog

Halo 3 running in 640p?

Posted Sep 28, 2007 3:55 pm PT 587 Comments

Garriott to take Space Adventure

Posted Sep 28, 2007 12:05 pm PT 27 Comments

EA celebrates 10 years of Ultima Online

Posted Sep 26, 2007 5:19 pm PT 42 Comments

Featured Stories

Shippin' Out September 24-28: Halo 3, Opposing Fronts

Microsoft unleashes 2007's top 360 title alongside Company of Heroes expansion; sixth Settlers game joins five PS3 games and three Wii VC titles.
Posted Sep 24, 2007 9:15 pm PT

Newsmaker Q&A

Q&A;: Diving deeper into BioShock's story

2K Boston creative director Ken Levine explains the meaning behind the madness of Rapture in a spoiler-ridden interview about his underwater first-person shooter.
Posted Sep 20, 2007 3:26 pm PT

Related Companies