Game art studio’s relocation will help deliver more than 200 new jobs
More than 200 jobs could be created over the next three years by a game art studio’s relocation to South Manchester.
Lytham-based Airship Interactive will move its headquarters to Bruntwood SciTech’s Glasshouse, at Alderley Park, bringing more than 100 new jobs by mid-2023, and in excess of 200 within the next three years.
The co-development studio, which provides art services for some of the world’s largest gaming companies including Disney, EA, Microsoft, 2K, and Sony, has committed to a massive 15,000 sq ft studio.
Airship CEO and founder, Joe Harford, said: “Manchester is one of the best cities in the world, it is the home of great industry and innovation, so making the leap to Glasshouse at Alderley Park, just 30 minutes from the centre and situated within 400 acres of inspirational countryside, made complete sense to us.
“Airship is unlike many other game art studios – we are driven by a culture of excellence not just in our game art but in our people.
“This move is not just about the business’s growth, but about providing our crew with the tools and environment they deserve to continue being the best at what they do. That’s why, year after year, the world’s biggest game creators want to collaborate with us.“
Tim Horton, Airship’s chief commercial officer, said: “This move has been many months in the making, we wanted to choose a location that would represent our values: Quality, ethics, reliability, growth, passion, and innovation. That’s what Glasshouse is about. It’s a thriving tech community with first class businesses and exceptional facilities for our crew.”
The move comes at a time of great strategic growth for the company after it received £450,000 of investment to expand its service delivery, supercharge recruitment and grow its global footprint.
Airship’s growth has been exponential over the past year. The studio has grown by more than 70% and continues to make key strategic hires from within the sector, and the titles contributed to have been released to mass acclaim.
Josh Whiteley, head of commercial at Bruntwood SciTech, said: “We’re really excited to be welcoming Airship Interactive to Glasshouse. Glasshouse has been specifically designed for hi-tech, innovative and creative companies, providing space to be inspired and collaborate – it’s the perfect place for Airship Interactive’s next chapter in the North West.”
