Lighthouse Games Emerges as Forza Horizon Dev Team Separates

Lighthouse Games emerges as Forza Horizon development team separates.jpg
More Senior members of the Playground Games development team have left the Forza Horizon studio to create a new games company, Lighthouse Games. Featuring ex-Forza and F1 game devs, Lighthouse is certainly looking to assert themselves in the racing game market.

Image Credit: Lighthouse Games

Back in January, many senior developers from the team behind Forza Horizon left to create their own studio. Maverick Games is comprised of previous figure head for the Forza Horizon series, Mike Brown as well as many previously top-level employees at Playground Games.

News broke yesterday that this isn't the only group of senior staff members to leave Playground Games in the aim of going solo. Lighthouse Games is a brand-new AAA games company based in Leamington Spa, England with clear goals in the racing game market.

Lighthouse Games soon to be a big player​

With a stacked team, it's clear that Lighthouse Games is looking to contend in the racing game market. However, whether the company will set out to challenge the Forza Horizon series or if it will charter its own path is as yet unclear. Whilst the team mentions its aim to "create a new, genre-defining franchise," we are yet to hear about the new IP.

Lighthouse-Games-logo.jpg


One thing we can be sure about though is that the future is bright for this new company. In fact, the team is currently made up of countless high-level developers from both Playground Games and the team behind the F1 series.

Playground Games co-founder, Gavin Raeburn becomes Head of Studio at the new company. He will manage top names like @David Greco , long-term RaceDepartment member and ex-F1 game Handling Designer and Jen Tse, vehicle artist on title such as Driveclub, Dirt Rally and FH5. They are joined by no less than seven long-time developers on the Horizon franchise, so the team is certainly not lacking talent.

An opportunity for aspiring developers​

Akin to Maverick Games in January, Lighthouse Games has launched its website with many references to its recruitment plan. The site's 'Join Us' page features a long list of job listings from Senior positions to lower ranking openings.

However, this new studio is seemingly on a recruitment war path, asking for speculative applications. If you can stand out from the crowd, this is surely a great way for young, aspiring game designers and engineers to get a foot in the door. Furthermore, working amongst some of the most experienced people in the racing game industry is a certain opportunity to learn.

What are you expecting from Lighthouse Games in the coming years?
About author
Angus Martin
Motorsport gets my blood pumping more than anything else. Be it physical or virtual, I'm down to bang doors.

Comments

The market is already over-saturated, and they don't have the financial backing to make a competitive licensed title, so they'll have no choice but to make something people want.
 
The market is already over-saturated, and they don't have the financial backing to make a competitive licensed title, so they'll have no choice but to make something people want.
and, who knows, maybe they will simply make a product that is not related to racing at all, after all, they are game designers, not racing team managers. Creating "a new, genre-defining franchise" could be a brandnew cooking game, for all we know.
 
It looks like Microsoft is not going to be funding any more racing games.Why else would there be a mass exodus? I guess FH5 will be the last one of the series. What a shame to end it with......Mexico....
 
I'm just thinking, "the team is currently made up of countless high-level developers" should produce code infinitely fast... So, when's the release? ;)
And, life sounds absolutely miserable for poor accountant trying to pay salaries to _countless_ developers. ;)
 
I'm not sure this is a good idea... we need more developers in the currently available sims or upcoming ones like Rennsport and the next GTR, not make their own; there's already enough as it is!
 
Ehh... I kind of think FH5 was a step back from FH4. The Hot Wheels DLC just makes me mad. I still have the FFB bug from launch. It does not remember when you use a custom wheel setup. The voice acting is terrible and there's too much of it. Eliminator and Forza Arcade are take it or leave it. Those silly courses that are like trials or parcourt for cars are just annoying. The seasons are a grind.

Don't get me wrong, I can have an absolute blast driving around. Its the most visceral, adrenaline pumping experience in my rig. The FFB in combination with the HF8 are terrific, switching from H-pattern in old cars to paddles in new cars is seamless, visuals are great and buttery smooth. And I am very excited for the rally DLC b/c of the FFB/HF8 combo mentioned.

Ideally, the Lighthouse team are the gang responsible for the fun parts and the DLC/everything online guys have stayed at PG. I have already resigned myself to not buying the next FH unless I'm on GamePass again. I have more sims than I have time for anyway!
You have expressed my thoughts and I completely agree with you.
 

That's pretty funny. As much as I love my neighbors to the south, we should have expected a little disappointment when:
1) the four seasons are: dry, dusty, windy and rainy
2) the signature car is based on the VW beetle...

Thinking maybe Japan would have been the better option, but I'm dubious about FH6: Nova Scotia.
 
Premium
Nova Scotia would be interesting as the real world Halifax rally pits old and new vehicles against each other on village streets! Maybe add a ferry ride for players ro take part in Targa Newfoundland!
 
Premium
There are too many sim rides. More entertaining games like Forza Horizon are welcome. As long as this time it doesn't take more than a year to use Fanatec:)
I for one, don't think there are too many simulations. I find it surprising that there aren't "hardcore" sims that does what GranTurismo, Forza and to some extent Need for speed does, and that is add in car building and styling. I would love to see something like this on a sim with the seriousness of Assetto Corsa. Add in the typical rags to riches campaign or amateur to pro, and I'd play the ever living snot out of it.
 

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Angus Martin
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