Acclaim CEO's new company plans to launch next week

The new publishing venture being planned by Acclaim CEO Rod Cousens, provisionally titled "Exclaim," intends to launch next week, according to sources at the former Acclaim studios in Cheltenham and Manchester.

Staff at the studios, both of which would be rescued from closure by Cousens' plan, were briefed about the intentions of the new firm earlier this week, and informed that the team hopes to open the new company for business on October 11th.

At present the new venture is being called "Exclaim," but this is apparently only a temporary name and is likely to be replaced before the firm starts trading.

Cousens is joined in the new venture by Europlay Capital Advisers, the Los Angeles based firm which is headed by industry veterans Sean Brennan and Mark Dyne and has advised on a number of major industry deals in recent years.

It's expected that along with the Cheltenham and Manchester studios - accounting for some 160 employees - "Exclaim" will also take possession of several of Acclaim's products in development, including Interview with a Made Man and Heist.