Insomniac Games expands to open social gaming division

To coincide with SXSW Interactive, Ratchet & Clank and Resistance developer Insomniac Games announced it has created a new, social gaming-oriented division, Insomniac Click.

A blog post on the company's website announced the new division, which is already working on its first game, based on a new IP.

With the exception of Insomniac's chief creative officer Brian Hastings, the new division is formed entirely of new hires, suggesting Insomniac expect both divisions to run in parallel rather than abandoning the core business.

While stressing that the decision to begin social game development is "something we're passionate about", Hastings said jumping on board is a "pragmatic necessity" as the games industry evolves.

"Insomniac Click is dedicated to taking the qualities that define our brand – deep worlds, rich stories, accessible gameplay – and applying them to new game experiences that anyone in the world can play," Hastings explained, citing complicated controls as an alienating factor for new gamers.

Thanks, Joystiq.