Company:Digital Illusions Canada

From HandWiki
CE Digital Illusions Canada Inc.
FormerlySandbox Studios (1999-2001)
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryVideo games
FoundedJanuary 1999; 27 years ago (1999-01)
FounderSteve Bergenholtz
Defunct5 October 2006; 19 years ago (2006-10-05)
Headquarters
Ontario
,
Canada
OwnerDigital Illusions CE (2001-2006)
Number of employees
25 (2006)

CE Digital Illusions Canada Inc., (trade name: Digital Illusions Canada or DICE Canada) was a Canadian game developer and a subsidiary of Digital Illusions CE.

History

The company was formed in January 1999 by Steve Bergenholtz, the co-founder of Utopia Technologies.[1] In November 1999, they opened up a development studio in London, Ontario.[2]

In April 2000, the company opened up a partnership program for independent developers.[3]

In April 2001, Digital Illusions CE announced that they had acquired and merged the assets of Sandbox Studios into a newly formed subsidiary, Digital Illusions North America.[4][5] The newly-formed division allowed DICE to form its own development, production and sales in the North American market, and added 50 employees to DICE's staff amounting to 150 total employees.[6] Later on, Fredrik Liljegren, who co-founded the original parent company, would join DICE Canada as its studio manager.[7]

Under its new name, DICE Canada continued its focus on the family-friendly market. In May 2001, Digital Illusions signed a publishing deal with Knowledge Adventure and its parent company Vivendi Universal Interactive Publishing to develop games based on popular children's toy properties.[8][9] A similar deal was made with TDK Mediactive in December 2002 for a game based on The Land Before Time franchise.[10]

By 2005, the studio was restructured to work on expansion packs and spin-offs of existing DICE properties.[11]

In March 2006, Electronic Arts announced that they would acquire all outstanding shares in DICE.[12] After the acquisition was completed, EA announced on 5 October that they would close Digital Illusions Canada[13] with its remaining employees transferring to DICE's main offices in Stockholm, EA Canada or other EA studios.[14] Other employees, including DICE co-founder Fredrik Liljegren, opened up a successor studio named RedJade on 16 October, using the name of a company Liljegren used when he previously left DICE.[15]

Games developed

Year Title Platform(s)
1999 Lawyer Hunt Microsoft Windows
2000 Wham-o Frisbee Golf Microsoft Windows
Dinosaur PlayStation
The Emperor's New Groove Game Boy Color
Hoyle Card Games
2001 Blast Lacrosse PlayStation
Matchbox: Emergency Patrol Microsoft Windows
ESPN National Hockey Night Game Boy Color
JumpStart Dino Adventure Field Trip Game Boy Color
JumpStart Wildlife Safari Field Trip PlayStation
Software:Diva Starz: Mall Mania Game Boy Color
Shrek Xbox
2002 Shrek Extra Large GameCube
The Land Before Time: Big Water Adventure PlayStation
Secret Agent Barbie: Royal Jewel Mission Game Boy Advance
Barbie: Groovy Games
Pryzm: Chapter One - The Dark Unicorn PlayStation 2
2003 Barbie: Gotta Have Games PlayStation
Polly Pocket: Super Splash Island Game Boy Advance
2004 Battlefield Vietnam Microsoft Windows
2005 Battlefield 2: Special Forces
2006 Battlefield 2: Euro Force
Battlefield 2: Armored Fury

References

  1. ↑ "New (Old) N64 Developer: Sandbox Studios". January 30, 1999. https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/01/30/new-old-n64-developer-sandbox-studios. 
  2. ↑ "Sandbox Studios Opens Canadian Office". April 11, 1999. https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/11/04/sandbox-studios-opens-canadian-office. 
  3. ↑ Dunkin, Alan (April 27, 2000). "Sandbox's Partners Program". https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sandboxs-partners-program/1100-2451952/. 
  4. ↑ IGN Staff (6 April 2001). "Digital Illusions and Sandbox Studios Merge". https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/04/06/digital-illusions-and-sandbox-studios-merge. 
  5. ↑ "Digital Illusions acquires Sandbox Studios - establishes North American operation". April 11, 2001. https://news.cision.com/digital-illusions/r/digital-illusions-acquires-sandbox-studios---establishes-north-american-operation,c40564. 
  6. ↑ IGN Staff (11 April 2001). "Digital Illusions Nabs Sandbox Studios". https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/04/11/digital-illusions-nabs-sandbox-studios. 
  7. ↑ "REDJADE Opens for Business". October 16, 2006. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/redjade-opens-for-business. 
  8. ↑ "Digital Illusions signs agreements with Knowledge Adventure". June 18, 2001. https://news.cision.com/digital-illusions/r/digital-illusions-signs-agreements-with-knowledge-adventure-tm-,c44412. 
  9. ↑ "Digital Illusions contracted to develop interactive game based on popular kids entertainment brand". October 1, 2001. https://news.cision.com/digital-illusions/r/digital-illusions-contracted-to-develop-interactive-game-based-on-popular-kids-entertainment-brand,c48627. 
  10. ↑ Ball, Ryan (December 2, 2002). "TDK Unearths New Land Before Time Title". https://www.animationmagazine.net/2002/12/tdk-unearths-new-land-before-time-title/. 
  11. ↑ "Digital Illusions to develop new PC game for EA". June 21, 2005. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/digital-illusions-to-develop-new-pc-game-for-ea/1100-6127867/. 
  12. ↑ Bramwell, Tom (17 March 2006). "EA and DICE announce new merger plan". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/ea-and-dice-announce-new-merger-plan. 
  13. ↑ Martin, Matt (5 October 2006). "EA confirms DICE Canada closure". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/ea-confirms-dice-canada-closure. 
  14. ↑ Adams, David (5 October 2006). "Digital Illusions Canada Closes". https://www.ign.com/articles/2006/10/05/digital-illusions-canada-closes. 
  15. ↑ GamesIndustry International (16 October 2006). "REDJADE Opens for Business". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/redjade-opens-for-business. 



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