Nottingham-based online games developer Monumental Games has nearly doubled its staff, growing from 35 employees to over 60, with its new hires including game director Ron Harris and project lead Ewan Lamont.

The studio is currently ramping up development on Football Superstars, its flagship MMO scheduled to be published by CyberSports in late 2008. Monumental also develops Monumental Technology Suite, an MMO middleware set of tools, and has two as-yet-undisclosed projects underway.

Designed as an virtual world for football fans seeking to live a "top footballer's lifestyle," Football SuperStars enables players to recreate themselves as persistent footballer avatars and play matches in 3, 5, 7, and 11-man teams. All players on the pitch, with the exception of goalkeepers, are controlled by humans, giving both teams freedom to develop their own strategies and play styles.

Prior to Monumental, Harris held senior management roles for companies such as Sony, Electronic Arts, and Codemasters. Lamont has previously serves as production manager for pen-and-paper RPG Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay.

Said CEO Rik Alexander: "Growth comes with its own challenges, and ensuring we get the right people in the right places is a key component. We also have to make sure we retain our excellent staff and that’s about more than just offering a highly competitive package."