In October 2002 in a claimed cost cutting exercise Rage Software Limited sold it's Birmingham development studio for £1 to Swordfish Studios, a company founded by Rage executive director Trevor Williams and Joan Finnegan, wife of Rage managing director Paul Finnegan. Rage Software Limited, also known as Rage Games Limited, formed in 1992, was one of the foremost British video game development companies. ...
Following the sale, Mr Williams was to resign from Rage and Paul Finnegan, previously MD, would become executive deputy chairman. Claimed as part of Rage's strategy to reduce costs the sale seems more fitting to act as part of the Finnegan retirment plan.
In addition to a very reasonable sale price Rage provided Swordfish with a £50,0000 interest-free loan repayable in three years.
Swordfish, which was formed by ex-employees of the Birmingham studio of ill-fated British publisher Rage, recently finished work on PS2 action title Cold Winter for Vivendi, which this week entered the top ten in the UK charts.
The studio is also working on the next iteration of the Brian Lara Cricket franchise for Codemasters along with two other projects which haven't been revealed yet.
The acquisition of Swordfish is Vivendi's third major development purchase so far this year, following on the heels of the buyout of Canadian studio Radical Entertainment (Simpsons Hit and Run, The Hulk, Scarface) in March, and VU Games subsidiary Blizzard's purchase of Swingin' Ape Studios (Metal Arms: Glitch in the System, Starcraft Ghost) last month.
SwordfishStudios is a Birmingham, (UK) based software development company founded by Rage executive director Trevor Williams and Joan Finnegan (wife of Paul Finnegan, former managing director of Rage Software Limited).
In 2004, SwordfishStudios was named 'Developer of the Year' by the Independent Game Developers Association.
SwordfishStudios was acquired by Vivendi Games in June 2005, and now works as part of the eternal development department of the Sierra Entertainment umbrella.
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