Former developers and artists from now defunct studios Bullfrog and Lionhead (Black & White, Fable) have found a home at SEGA, launching their new outfit Two Point Studios. Their first title? A spiritual successor to Theme Hospital, one one of Bullfrog’s most popular titles.
Two Point Hospital, named for the newly-minted devs themselves, brings two of Theme Hospital‘s creators, Gary Carr and Mark Webley, back to their roots.
“Gary and I have been talking about this project for a number of years and are really excited to be announcing Two Point Studios’ first game,” reads a quote from Webley in the press release. Carr adds: “The amazing team we have managed to bring together, and our partnership with Sega, has really allowed this first part of our vision to finally come to fruition.”
Carr and Webley originally worked together at Bullfrog on Theme Park and Theme Hospital, later moving over to Lionhead Studios where they worked on Black & White and Fable. To say that their pedigree is significant is not an understatement.
Theme Hospital was originally released on Windows PC in 1997, with a PlayStation port following in 1998. With a clean, cartoon aesthetic and acerbic British wit, the game saw players building and operating a hospital into which poured patients suffering extremely idiosyncratic maladies. Every decision impacted your hospital’s success — who you hired and how you treated them, the treatments and care you could offer, how you handled emergencies and VIP visits; it all mattered and, particularly toward the late-game, making the wrong move could sink you instantly.
Two Point Hospital will release in 2018 for Windows PC via Steam. No word yet on Mac OS or console versions at this stage, but fingers crossed.
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