Midway Newcastle have been talking about the possibility of a more advanced project for some time, and now we hear that this project will be Necessary Force.

Billed in Develop as an open-world detective drama, the game is already playable after just three months in the works, although the developer have been facing up to the prospect of ever since Midway's well publicized troubles began.

This from studio head Craig Duncan: "The idea of a detective who sets his own rules is the sort of story that's been around in for a while, but we don't think anyone's managed to capture the essence of those choices and consequences in games. That unprecedented level of open world influence and troubled morality is something we're really keen to explore.

"It's really important that people know that this is a team that wants to stick together - sometimes when you look at buying a studio you can worry that the real talent, the people, will just flee the ship, leaving you with some IP, kit and an empty building; the pieces of the puzzle that aren't really worth anything."

Duncan says that the team are eager to remain working together, with many developers working late in the evening such is their enthusiasm for this new project. The chief is clearly hopeful a purchaser or investor can be found, enabling work on Necessary Force to continue.

By Luke Guttridge