Zoe Mode to get San Francisco sister studio

While numerous developers have undergone layoffs and even shut down entirely in the rough economy, UK-based Zoe Mode is branching out. The social games studio known for its work on titles like SingStar (collaborating with Sony London), Crush, You're in the Movies, and Rock Revolution is establishing its first American branch June 1 with the launching of Zoe Mode San Francisco. Currently the developer has two studios, one in London and the other in the seaside town of Brighton.

In announcing the studio, Zoe Mode worldwide general manager Ed Daly said the San Francisco shop "will bring us even closer to our US consumers and West Coast publishing partners."

Zoe Mode SF will be headed up by a pair of former Sony Computer Entertainment veterans, Sarah Stocker and Mark Danks. Stocker was a senior producer at SCE's Studio 5, and her resume includes more than a decade in independent development with Stormfront Studios. Danks' professional past contains parallels to Stocker's, as he was most recently senior manager of developer relations at SCE, with a prior stint at Stormfront Studios as the outfit's technical director.

Zoe Mode SF is currently accepting job applications, but the studio's Web site does not make it clear what positions it has open. Instead, those in search of work are simply encouraged to e-mail resumes to sfjobs@zoemode.com.