Former Rainbow Studios execs form new independent studio

Leaving the mud and mayhem of off-road and motocross titles behind, former Rainbow Studios chairman Earl Jarred has teamed up with several ex-Rainbow colleagues has established a new independent development studio in Arizona.

Ex-vice chairman Jeff Padden and fellow Rainbow employees Rick Baltman and Robb Rinard make up the rest of the fledgling team, and the newly formed studio, 2XL Games, is actively seeking additional programmers, artists and studio talent to begin work on the company's as yet unnamed debut release.

Famed for its extreme sports and off-road arcade titles including Matt Hoffman's Pro BMX 2, the Splashdown series and MX unleashed, Rainbow Studios was founded by Jarred in 1987. 2XL Games will produce both PC and console titles - though no specific details on the type of games the studio will develop have been announced.

Robb Rinard, the game designer behind several Rainbow hits, said: "We want to innovate gameplay, while making sure the game rocks. Our new studio gives us a wonderful opportunity to bring our own distinct vision of what a next generation game can be."

"We are very excited about the creation of 2XL Games," added former lead technology programmer Rick Baltman. "We plan to break new ground by integrating graphics, physics and animation in original, creative ways."

Concluding the mutual praise, studio founder Earl Jarred commented: "When Rick and Robb worked together with me at Rainbow Studios, they were a great team and were instrumental in creating our best-selling, hit games. These two guys are truly a dynamic duo in the business."

Applicants interested in securing a position with 2XL, including sound designers, 3D artists and animators and network programmers, are invited to visit the company website for contact and application details.