Lucid Games

Lucid Games Limited is a British video game developer based in Liverpool. The studio was founded in February 2011 by former employees of Bizarre Creations, which had been shut down a week earlier. Notable games developed by Lucid Games include Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions (2014) and Destruction AllStars (2021).

Lucid Games Limited
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryVideo games
PredecessorBizarre Creations
Founded21 February 2011 (2011-02-21)
Founders
  • Mark Craig
  • Andy Davidson
  • Chris Davie
  • Nick Davies
  • Craig Howard
  • Jeff Lewis
  • Paul Morrissey
  • Pete O'Brien
  • Pete Wallace
  • Chad Wright
Headquarters
Liverpool
,
England
Key people
Number of employees
>150 (2021)
ParentLucid Entertainment Group (2020–2023)
Lightspeed Studios (Tencent) (2023–present)
Websitelucidgames.co.uk

History

Lucid Games was founded by Mark Craig, Andy Davidson, Chris Davie, Nick Davies, Craig Howard, Jeff Lewis, Paul Morrissey, Pete O'Brien, Pete Wallace, and Chad Wright.[1][2] Most of them had previously been employed at the developer Bizarre Creations in various capacities, including Wallace as development manager and O'Brien as senior producer.[3][4] Following the poor commercial performance of its game Blur, Bizarre Creations' parent company, Activision, had sought to sell the studio but was unsuccessful in finding a buyer, consequently announcing in January 2011 that it would shut down the studio.[4][5] According to Wallace, Bizarre Creations' staff had been aware of impending layoffs but had not expected the studio to be closed.[5] Bizarre Creations was disestablished on 18 February 2011, leaving 200 people unemployed.[6] Lucid Games was subsequently formed in Liverpool on 21 February 2011.[7] Wallace and Davidson became the new company's managing director and commercial director, respectively.[5] The establishment was supported by Liverpool Vision, a local economic development company that sought to keep Bizarre Creations' talent in the Liverpool area.[3] Wallace stated that he intended for Lucid Games to "get back to the levels of innovation and creativity at Bizarre [Creations] that made Activision so keen to acquire it" and hoped to employ up to fifty former Bizarre Creations staff.[5][6] Within its first year, the company grew from eight employees to twenty-eight and moved from a temporary office to a permanent one in the Liverpool city centre.[7]

Lucid Games hired Brian Woodhouse, Bizarre Creations' former studio director, as head business development in July 2016.[8] By 2019, after eight years of expansion, the company had grown past 100 employees.[9] In October 2020, Lucid Games and its separately held publishing arm, Lucid Publishing, were organised as subsidiaries of Lucid Group Entertainment.[10] By June 2021, Lucid Games employed 150 people.[2]

In July 2023, Tencent subsidiary LightSpeed Studios acquired Lucid Games.[11]

Games developed
Year Title Platform(s) Publisher(s) Notes Ref(s).
2012 Travel Bug PlayStation Vita Sony Computer Entertainment [12]
Pixel Smash: Christmas Edition Android, iOS Lucid Games [8]
2013 Jacob Jones and the Bigfoot Mystery: Episode 1 – A Bump in the Night Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation Vita Sony Computer Entertainment, Lucid Games [13][14]
2K Drive iOS 2K Sports [15]
Santa's Magic Sack Android, iOS Lucid Games [16]
2014 iFruit PlayStation Vita Rockstar Games Port development [17]
PlayStation Vita Pets: Puppy Parlour Android, iOS Sony Computer Entertainment [18]
Jacob Jones and the Bigfoot Mystery: Episode 2 – Field Trip! Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows Lucid Games [19]
Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Xbox 360, Xbox One Activision, Aspyr [20]
2015 Goat Simulator PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One Double Eleven Port co-development [21]
Happy Happy Donuts Android, iOS Lucid Games [22]
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories Android, Fire OS, iOS Rockstar Games Port development [8]
2016 We're Going on a Bear Hunt Android, Fire OS, iOS Channel 4 [23]
2018 Switchblade PlayStation 4 Lucid Publishing [24]
2021 Destruction AllStars PlayStation 5 Sony Interactive Entertainment [24]
2023 Sea of Thieves Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S Xbox Game Studios Support Studio [25]

References
  1. "About us". Lucid Games. 7 January 2013. Archived from the original on 14 January 2013.
  2. Wallace, Chris (23 June 2021). "DEVELOP/JOBS: Lucid Games – "One of the stand-out things about Lucid for me is how I instantly felt part of the team."". MCV/Develop. Archived from the original on 23 June 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  3. Martin, Matt (25 February 2011). "Former Bizarre Creations staff form Lucid Games". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on 3 March 2021. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  4. O'Connor, Alice (25 February 2011). "Bizarre veterans form Lucid Games". Shacknews. Archived from the original on 3 March 2021. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  5. Yin-Poole, Wesley (25 February 2011). "Ex-Bizarre devs form Lucid Games". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on 3 March 2021. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  6. Bradford, Matt (26 February 2011). "Ex-Bizarre Creations staffers form new UK studio, Lucid Games". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on 3 March 2021. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  7. "Happy Birthday Lucid". Lucid Games. 21 February 2012. Archived from the original on 7 March 2012.
  8. Riaz, Adnan (25 July 2016). "Brian Woodhouse Becomes Lucid Games' Head of Business Development". Hardcore Gamer. Archived from the original on 7 December 2021. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  9. "Meet the best places to work in the UK video games industry – Best Mid-sized Companies". GamesIndustry.biz. 20 September 2019. Archived from the original on 1 July 2022. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  10. "Lucid Entertainment Group Limited – Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2021". Lucid Entertainment Group. 21 December 2021. pp. 4, 31. Archived from the original on 27 August 2023. Retrieved 26 December 2021 – via Companies House.
  11. Romano, Sal (13 July 2023). "Tencent subsidiary LightSpeed Studios acquires Lucid Games". Gematsu. Archived from the original on 13 July 2023. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  12. Tach, Dave (28 November 2012). "Harvest insects and send them to Vitas around the world with Travel Bug". Polygon. Archived from the original on 18 January 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  13. Cook, Dave (14 May 2013). "Jacob Jones and the Bigfoot Mystery hits PS Vita, iOS this week". VG247. Archived from the original on 8 December 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  14. Brown, Mark (16 May 2013). "New releases round-up: Jacob Jones, Frozen Synapse, Fast & Furious 6, and more". Pocket Gamer. Archived from the original on 8 December 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  15. Slater, Harry (5 September 2013). "2K Drive leaves Apple's approvals pit lane and accelerates onto the App Store". Pocket Gamer. Archived from the original on 8 December 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  16. "Advent 2013 – Santas Magic Sack". Lucid Games. 2013. Archived from the original on 20 May 2016.
  17. "iFruit for PlayStation®Vita". Lucid Games. 2014. Archived from the original on 20 May 2016.
  18. "PlayStation®Vita Pets: Puppy Parlour". Lucid Games. 2014. Archived from the original on 25 August 2014.
  19. Hearn, Rob (8 August 2014). "The best iPhone and iPad games this week – Time Tangle – Adventure Time, and more". Pocket Gamer. Archived from the original on 8 December 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  20. O'Connor, Alice (14 November 2014). "Polygonal Pew Pew – Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions". Rock Paper Shotgun. Archived from the original on 8 December 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  21. "Goat Simulator". Lucid Games. 2015. Archived from the original on 4 July 2016.
  22. "Happy Happy Donuts". Lucid Games. 2015. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015.
  23. "We're Going on a Bear Hunt". Lucid Games. 2016. Archived from the original on 15 April 2017.
  24. West, Josh (2 February 2021). "Before Destruction AllStars, Lucid Games wanted to resurrect an old PlayStation franchise". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on 2 February 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  25. Gilbert, Fraser (18 January 2023). "The Dev Behind This PS5 Exclusive Is Now Working On Sea Of Thieves". Pure Xbox. Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
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