Star Citizen developer Cloud Imperium Games opens Santa Monica office

Cloud Imperium Games, the company behind Star Citizen, has opened a new office in Santa Monica, Calif., to assist with development of the upcoming crowdfunded space simulation title, the studio announced today.

The company already has branches in Austin, Texas, and Los Angeles; studio head Chris Roberts said in a press release today that he is "a big believer in utilizing small, very focused development groups." Cloud Imperium's new team will focus on "high-end creative elements" of Star Citizen, as well as publishing duties and the structure of the game's engine. Its other branches are working on elements like technology, game design and production, web development and customer support.

"We couldn't be more pleased with hanging our shingle up in Santa Monica," added Roberts. "It's an incredibly creative community here already with a lot of game development and art resources all around us."

Cloud Imperium is now hiring for the Santa Monica branch of the company, with plans to fill the 2,900-square-foot space with as many as 20 individuals. The studio launched a crowdfunding campaign for Star Citizen last fall; it concluded with more than $6 million, and has pulled in more than $2 million in additional funds since then. Check out our extensive interview with Roberts for more details.