Bodycount delayed as studio GM departs - Report

Codemasters generated a measure of excitement in May, when it announced that it had signed on Stuart Black, of Black fame, to create the destruction-heavy shooter Bodycount. However, much has changed since that initial announcement. In October, Black reportedly left Codemasters, and now the studio has apparently suffered another high-profile departure along with a delay for Bodycount.

Eurogamer reports today that Codemasters Guildford general manager Adrian Bolton has exited the company. In the same breath, Codemasters CEO Rod Cousens has told Eurogamer that Bodycount has been pushed beyond its scheduled spring 2011 release window to an early summer release. The game is expected to arrive on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

"[Bolton]'s left, but I don't think the company centers around one person," Cousens told Eurogamer. "If I left, I don't think the company falls over. Someone will fill the void. I don't see it as any threat to either the well-being of the product, the well-being of the studio or the well-being of the company. I don't think it's life threatening."

"Companies are a team, and there is a team of people down there--70 or 80 people working on that game--and that game will come out and do just fine," he continued.

Based on the same proprietary EGO engine as the Dirt racing games and Operation Flashpoint, Bodycount will be a "glossy techno-thriller." According to Codemasters, the game will see players take the role of a commando who kills foes known only as "targets" for a shadowy organization called simply "the Network." The game will also feature a heavy focus on destructible environments, as Black did.

Codemasters had not returned GameSpot's request for comment as of press time. For more on the game, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.