Monolith to develop new F.E.A.R.-style titles

Developer Monolith, which was acquired by Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment last year, has announced that it is working on sequels to critically acclaimed PC horror FPS title F.E.A.R., which will appear on PC and on next-generation consoles.

However, since Monolith doesn't own the F.E.A.R. brand any more - that belongs to the game's publisher, Vivendi Universal Games - the sequels will appear under a new name, which has yet to be announced.

The situation is complicated by the fact that it's strongly rumoured that VU Games is also not finished with the F.E.A.R. brand, with an Xbox 360 version expected to be announced shortly; and given the success of the game, an "official" sequel, using the F.E.A.R. name but developed by a different studio, seems highly likely.

All of which spells out a confusing future for the F.E.A.R. franchise, with games by the original developer but with a new name vying for consumer attention alongside games using the original name but developed by a new studio.

The situation is, however, a familiar one to anyone who follows PC development circles in the UK, where a few years ago veteran developer Sports Interactive split from publisher Eidos, leaving behind the Championship Manager brand it had created and cultivated for years.

Eidos created a new studio to continue Championship Manager, while Sports Interactive signed up with SEGA to launch the new Football Manager franchise - a move which paid off for the London-based developer, which was the clear victor in that particular "battle of the brands".

VU Games has so far been quiet about its plans for F.E.A.R., but Monolith boss Samantha Ryan today issued a statement confirming that the studio will be pursuing the franchise under a new guise - and pledging that the next-gen console versions will each play to the individual strengths of the platforms on which they appear.

"We really want to raise the stakes for the universe and build on the things players loved about F.E.A.R.," she said. "In addition to continuing the series on PC, we're committed to bringing it to next-generation consoles by creating separate titles tailored to each audience instead of a one-size-fits-all approach."