Veteran Game Developer Tom Stone Takes Flight with New Studio, Inspired by Peter Pan

Tom Stone, a seasoned veteran of the UK games industry, stepped down as managing director of TT Games in 2020, after almost 18 years at the helm. Following his departure, Stone took on new roles, including chair of FuturLab and managing director for Juno Capital Partners. However, it was a conversation with The Blair Partnership and Great Ormond Street Hospital during Christmas 2024 that led to the birth of Second Star Games. The studio's name is a nod to the iconic Disney movie, where Peter Pan gives Wendy directions to Neverland. Second Star Games is staffed by some of Stone's former TT Games colleagues, including lead game designer Andrew Holt, art director Nicola Daly, and head of engineering Chris Stanforth. With funding from Stone himself and Grahame Chilton, the studio is weighing its options on whether to partner with a publisher or go it alone. Stone aims to do things differently this time, taking a more balanced approach to game development. He reflects on his time at TT Games, where the studio's intense focus on Lego titles led to immense success, but also a culture of relentless pressure and crunch. Stone is committed to creating a better work environment at Second Star Games, where the team of 18 full-time employees works together to support each other. The studio's goal is to create extraordinary games, and Stone believes that requires being open to tough and challenging work. With the games industry having changed significantly since 2005, Stone and his team are aware of the challenges of launching into a new market, particularly when it comes to younger audiences. They aim to create something special, mindful of the fact that the age group they are targeting is already engaged with other popular games like Roblox, Minecraft, and Fortnite. Working on licensed IP has also evolved, with companies becoming more relaxed and open to video games. Stone sees a symbiotic relationship between licensers and game developers, where both parties can benefit from each other. Second Star Games plans to build a stable of intellectual properties, starting with Neverland and the adventures of Peter Pan. Stone envisions families gathering around a screen, playing games together in co-op mode, with Peter Pan as the central attraction. He concludes by highlighting the importance of cooperative play, which was a breakthrough moment in the first Lego Star Wars game, and aims to build on that success with Second Star Games.