Pitfall: Activision planning a mobile comeback

Everybody expected Activision's first UK-developed mobile game would be something tying in to the best-selling Call of Duty franchise. It was a bit of a shock then, when head of the new Leeds studio announced today that the debut title would in fact be a revamp of classic IP Pitfall!.

The game's a stunning choice - back in 1982, Pitfall! was the young Activision's first major success, created by company co-founder David Crane. Following the game's success, ports arrived on just about every 8-bit platform, and Activision revisited the franchise a number of times over the years.

Now, Martyn Brown (co-founder of Worms studio Team 17 and now head of the new studio, has set the record straight.

In setting up there has been a lot of interest given the publisher we are working with. In the third week of May we revealed we had the studio, and yes it is based in Leeds, and we have hired some key talent in the form of Mark Washbrook and Mark Lloyd [formerly of Rockstar Games].

The first game we are making is in fact Pitfall, which is 30 years old this year.

Brown told MCV UK that the smartphone adaptation of Pitfall! will be a "fresh take", that's been in the works since "earlier in the year" when the studio first opened.

Predictably, the return to the jungle won't be a one-off, with Brown announcing the new studio intends to revisit "a raft" of Activision classic titles, re-introducing old favourites to an all-new, fast-growing audience.

More details on the revamped Pitfall! are yet to come, but Brown's not that good at keeping his mouth shut, so we should hear plenty more in the leadup to release.

One Response to “Pitfall: Activision planning a mobile comeback”

1. Player Attack: Season 1, Episode 19 « Player Attack says:

   July 13, 2012 at 6:15 pm

   [...] Pitfall, Spy vs. Spy and Tap Tap Revenge all plan a return to the mobile market, we see the first game to use Unreal Engine 4, Rockstar closes a Canadian studio, The Walking Dead gets another new video game, and Epic Mickey 2 gets a stunning new cinematic. [...]

   Reply

Article Details

• published: July 9th, 2012
• by: Jessica Citizen
• in: Company: Activision, Company: Team 17, David Crane, Game: Call of Duty, Game: Pitfall!, Game: Worms, Mark Lloyd, Mark Washbrook, Martyn Brown
• comments: 1

Author Bio:

I like video games, fishing, Depeche Mode, long walks on the beach, writing discussion papers and cups of tea. Not necessarily in that order.

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