Former developer of the massive Tomb Raider franchise, UK-based Core Design, has today blasted suggestions made by former co-owners, Adrian Smith and Jeremy Heath-Smith, that it is "floundering" with only a "handful" of remaining staff.

The comments were made as the brothers promote their new venture, games developer Circle Studio, in the UK press. Speaking to Edge magazine, Heath-Smith said of his previous company: "Core Design is now floundering around with a handful of people trying to get a project off the ground, and no real leadership, which is sad," comments ostensibly backed up by Adrian in the same interview, who said of Core Design: "We asked 37 people to join us and 36 came."