Trip Hawkins opens new London studio If You Can

EA co-founder Trip Hawkins has opened If You Can, a new studio in London with Moshi Monsters lead producer Ben Geliher. The studio will focus on educational games with the first round of funding from Venture Capitalists.

"Great game development can take place anywhere in the world if you have the right people," Hawkins told GI International. "If anything I'm disinclined to ramp up on the San Francisco area because it's so expensive and there's very high turnover with people switching companies. The culture and the lifestyle there is a little bit daunting.

"In the past there were countries like Ireland or Canada that we particularly attractive to game development because of government practices and tax credits and so on, but the European Union has done more to standardize that and benefits are becoming available in the UK."

The first titles are expected this year, and the firm is currently recruiting talent.