Bethesda Softworks establishes Battlecry Studios, led by ex-BioWare vet Rich Vogel

Bethesda Softworks has added a new studio to its growing numbers: Austin, Texas-based Battlecry Studios, the publisher's new development arm to be headed by former BioWare Austin VP and Star Wars: The Old Republic executive producer Rich Vogel.

"I have always admired and respected Bethesda's approach to making great, original games," Vogel is quoted as saying in a press release issued by the company today. "It's a belief and passion I share, and I'm looking forward to building a team of high quality developers who want to bring that same commitment and creative energy to the games we'll be creating."

Battlecry Studios is currently in the process of hiring "experienced game developers" for an unannounced project, according to Bethesda.

Job listings for a monetization designer, lead designer, and platform lead strongly suggest that Battlecry's first title will be an online game built with a microtransaction-based payment model. One listing notes that "excellent knowledge" of first-person shooters and role-playing games is a requirement.

Vogel, who worked for BioWare for more than seven years, reportedly left the studio in July amidst layoffs at the Austin studio. Prior to his tenure at BioWare, Vogel worked on massively multiplayer online games at Sony Online Entertainment, including Star Wars Galaxies, and Origin, on Ultima Online.

Bethesda Softworks has its own massively multiplayer online game in development, The Elder Scrolls Online. The MMO (pictured above) is being developed at ZeniMax Online Studios based in Hunt Valley, Maryland.

Battlecry will be ZeniMax's second Austin-based studio, joining Dishonored developer Arkane Studios.