Company:JoWooD

From HandWiki
Short description: Austrian video game publisher
JoWooD Entertainment AG
Formerly
  • JoWooD Productions Software GmbH (1995–2000)
  • JoWooD Productions Software AG (2000–2009)
TypePublic
IndustryVideo games
FateBankruptcy
Founded1995; 29 years ago (1995)
Founders
  • Andreas Tobler
  • Hans Schilcher
DefunctJune 2011 (2011-06)
Headquarters
Rottenmann
,
Austria
Products
SubsidiariesDreamCatcher Interactive

JoWooD Entertainment AG (formerly JoWooD Productions Software AG, commonly referred to as JoWooD) was an Austrian video game publisher that was founded in 1995. JoWooD went into administration in 2011 and all assets were purchased by Nordic Games.

Its games include the futuristic racing car game Beam Breakers which was released in 2002, action role-playing games in the Gothic series, the SpellForce series, and the Industry Giant series of games. Other titles include Transport Giant, World War III, The Sting!, Hotel Giant, and other games of the Giants series.

History

JoWooD Productions Software AG was founded in 1995 in Ebensee by Dieter Bernauer, Johann Reitinger, Johann Schilcher, and Andreas Tobler with its headquarters later moved to Liezen, Austria. It owned five subsidiaries in the last years: DreamCatcher Interactive, JoWooD Distribution Services, JoWooD Deutschland, JoWooD Iberica and Quantic Lab. In May 2002, JoWooD acquired Ravensburger Interactive and its sister company Fishtank Interactive.

In August 2005, JoWooD attempted to end their development agreement with developer Perception Pty because of a lack of quality on their "Stargate SG-1" product.[1] JoWooD carried out this action believing they owned the licence for the game Stargate SG-1: The Alliance, which was disputed by Perception.[2]

On 4 November 2006, JoWooD announced the acquisition of DreamCatcher Games, in efforts to move to the North American game markets.[3]

In January 2007, JoWooD announced a UK distribution agreement with Pinnacle Software to allow the latter to distribute JoWooD's titles.[4]

In October 2009, JoWooD changed its name from JoWooD Productions Software AG to JoWooD Entertainment AG.[5] At the same time, JoWood also announced an agreement with Valve to make available future JoWooD titles on Steam.[5]

On 7 January 2011, JoWooD officially filed for bankruptcy and announced that the company would prepare for "a procedure of capital reorganization".[6] However, on 21 April 2011, JoWooD announced that, unable to negotiate with potential investors, they were officially facing bankruptcy proceedings and had withdrawn their application for a recapitalization plan.[7] In June 2011, JoWooD Entertainment all their assets and its subsidiary, Quantic Lab, was acquired by Nordic Games. From this point on, JoWooD was no longer operating. All activities of the two companies were taken over by Nordic Games.[8] On 16 August 2011, Nordic Games announced that it had acquired JoWooD's products and brands and some of the companies labels, including The Adventure Company.[9] Following the acquisition it was announced that JoWood and the Adventure Company would become publishing labels for Nordic Games, a wholly owned subsidiary of Nordic Games Holding.[10]

Games published

Release date Title Platform(s) Developer(s)
1998 Industry Giant Microsoft Windows JoWooD Productions
1999 Alien Nations[11] Neo Software
1999[12] Panzer Elite Wings Simulations
2000 Keep the Balance Item Multimedia
2000 Thandor Innonics
2001 Traffic Giant JoWooD Productions
2001 The Nations JoWooD Vienna
2001 The Sting! Neo Software
2001 Zax Reflexive Entertainment
2001 S.W.I.N.E.[13] StormRegion
2001 Rally Trophy Bugbear Entertainment
2001 AquaNox Massive Development
2001 Gorasul Silver Style
2002[14] Hard Truck 2 SoftLab-NSK
2002 Arx Fatalis Microsoft Windows Arkane Studios
2003 Xbox Wizarbox
2002 Cultures 2[15] Microsoft Windows Funatics Development GmbH
2002 Michael Schumacher Racing World Kart 2002 Microsoft Windows Radon Labs
PlayStation
2002 Industry Giant II Microsoft Windows JoWooD Productions
2002 Beam Breakers Similis Software GmbH
2002 Archangel Metropolis Software
2002 Europa 1400 4HEAD Studios
2002 The Nations Nations Gold Edition / The Nations 2 JoWooD Productions
2002 Gothic II Piranha Bytes
2002 K-Hawk: Survival Instinct[16] Similis Software GmbH
2003 Cold Zero: The Last Stand JoWooD Productions
2003[17] Neighbours from Hell JoWooD Vienna
2005 GameCube, Xbox
2003 Gothic II - Expansion Pack Microsoft Windows Piranha Bytes
2003 AquaNox 2 Massive Development
2003 Chaser Cauldron
2003 Cold Zero: No Mercy[18] JoWooD Productions
2003[19] Railroad Pioneer[20] Kritzelkratz 3000
2003[21] Silent Storm Nival Interactive
2003[22] SpellForce Phenomic Game Development
2004 Söldner Wings Simulations
2004[23] Transport Giant JoWooD Productions
2004[24] SpellForce: Breath of Winter - Expansion Pack Phenomic Game Development
2004[25] SpellForce: The Shadow of the Phoenix - Expansion Pack Phenomic Game Development
2004 Söldner: Secret Wars Reloaded Wings Simulations
2005[26] Söldner: Marine Corps - Expansion Pack Wings Simulations
2006[27] Neighbours from Hell 2 JoWooD Vienna
2005 Legend of Kay[28] PlayStation 2 Neon Studios
Kaiko
2006 SpellForce 2 Microsoft Windows Phenomic Game Development
2006 The Guild 2[29] 4HEAD Studios
2006 Gothic 3[30] Piranha Bytes
2007[31] Freak Out PlayStation 2 ColdWood Interactive
2007 Microsoft Windows
2007[32] SpellForce 2 Phenomic Game Development
2007[33] The Guild 2 - Pirates of The European Sea - Stand-alone expansion pack[34][35] 4HEAD Studios
2007[36] Space Force Provox Games
2007 SpellForce Universe Edition - Collection pack[37] EA Phenomic
2007 Gothic Universe Edition - Collection pack[38] DreamCatcher Interactive
2007 Painkiller Mindware Studios
2008 Gothic 3 Handy-Games GmbH
2008 The Golden Horde[39] World Forge
2008 Painkiller Universe - Collection Pack[40] DreamCatcher Interactive
2008 The Guild 2 - Venice - Stand-alone Expansion Pack Trine Games[41]
2008 Gothic 3 - Expansion Pack Trine Games
Mad Vulture Games
2009 Painkiller HomeGrown Games
2009 Yoga Wii Wii Trine Games
2010 Torchlight[42] Microsoft Windows Runic Games
2010 Arcania Spellbound Entertainment
Xbox 360 Black Forest Games
2011 PlayStation 3
2010[43] The Guild 2 - Renaissance - Stand-alone expanded edition Microsoft Windows 4HEAD Studios
2011 Painkiller: Redemption DreamCatcher Interactive
2012 SpellForce 2 Trine Games[41]
Mind Over Matter[44]

References

  1. ↑ Jowood Terminates Development Agreement with Perception - PC News at GameSpot
  2. ↑ "Video Games, Wikis, Cheats, Walkthroughs, Reviews, News & Videos - IGN". IGN. http://au.xbox.ign.com/articles/641/641502p1.html. 
  3. ↑ "Aktuelle Aussendungen". euro adhoc - IR-Kommunikation. http://ots.euroadhoc.com/irmeldung.php?schluessel=OTA_20061103_OTA0003&ag=OTA. 
  4. ↑ "JoWooD Productions Sign with Pinnacle". 10 January 2007. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/jowood-productions-sign-with-pinnacle. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Rietumu Guide". http://press.jowood.com/. 
  6. ↑ GameZone (4 May 2012). "JoWooD Entertainment Files for Bankruptcy". http://www.gamezone.com/news/item/jowood_entertainment_files_for_bankruptcy/. 
  7. ↑ "JoWood: Sanierungsverfahren gescheitert, Publisher ist am Ende". PC GAMES. 21 April 2011. http://www.pcgames.de/JoWooD-Entertainment-AG-Firma-15517/News/JoWood-Sanierungsverfahren-gescheitert-Publisher-ist-am-Ende-821482/. 
  8. ↑ "JoWooD - Now Swedish … sort of! - RPGWatch Forums". http://www.rpgwatch.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13884. 
  9. ↑ "JoWooD & The Adventure Company, wholly owned labels of Nordic Games.". Nordic Games. http://www.nordicgames.at/. 
  10. ↑ "Nordic Games Holding AB Group Acquires JoWood & The Adventure Company". Nordic Games. 16 August 2011. http://www.nordicgames.se/index.php?/article/nordic_games_holding_ab_group_acquires_jowood_the_adventure_company. 
  11. ↑ "Alien Nations - PC". IGN. http://www.ign.com/games/alien-nations/pc-490846. 
  12. ↑ "Panzer Elite - PC". IGN. http://www.ign.com/games/panzer-elite/pc-9978. 
  13. ↑ "JoWooD Productions - S.W.I.N.E.". 2006-03-24. http://www.jowood.com/gamers/?lang=en&site=2&GameID=swine&pfid=PC. 
  14. ↑ "Some Information news - Hard Truck 2: King of the Road Game". ModDB. http://www.moddb.com/games/hard-truck-2/news/some-information2. 
  15. ↑ "Cultures 2: The Gates of Asgard". GameSpot. http://www.gamespot.com/cultures-2-the-gates-of-asgard/. 
  16. ↑ "K-Hawk: Survival Instinct". GameSpot. http://www.gamespot.com/k-hawk-survival-instinct/. 
  17. ↑ "Neighbours from Hell: Revenge is a Sweet Game (PC CD)". Amazon. https://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000070GQL/ref=nosim/JoWooDprodu0b-21#detail_bullets_id. 
  18. ↑ "Cold Zero: No Mercy". GameSpot. http://www.gamespot.com/cold-zero-no-mercy/. 
  19. ↑ "KRITZELKRATZ 3000 - Game Development". Kritzelkratz 3000 GmbH. http://www.kritzelkratz.de/ie_eng/global/main_frame.html. 
  20. ↑ "Railroad Pioneer - Content". Kritzelkratz 3000 GmbH. http://www.kritzelkratz.de/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=10. 
  21. ↑ "The Storm is coming! - JoWooD News Archive". JoWooD Entertainment. http://www.JoWooD.com/gamers/?archiv=2&lang=en&ScreenID=8809&Quartal=4&Jahr=2003. 
  22. ↑ "Welcome at Phenomic Game Development - Latest News". Phenomic Game Development. http://www.phenomic.de/. 
  23. ↑ "Transport Giant on Steam". Steam. http://store.steampowered.com/app/271370/. 
  24. ↑ "SpellForce Breath of Winter in UK stores today!". JoWooD Entertainment. http://www.JoWooD.com/gamers/?archiv=2&lang=en&ScreenID=10233&Quartal=2&Jahr=2004. 
  25. ↑ "SpellForce News Archive". JoWooD Entertainment. http://spellforce.JoWooD.com/?rid=848&lang=en&archiv=1. 
  26. ↑ "Solder: Marine Corps". GameSpot. http://www.gamespot.com/soldner-marine-corps/. 
  27. ↑ "Neighbours from Hell: On Vacation". GameSpot. http://www.gamespot.com/neighbors-from-hell-on-vacation/. 
  28. ↑ PAL version of the PlayStation 2 release. Published in North America by Capcom. "Capcom Release Date Info". Capcom. http://www.capcom.com/release_dates.xpml. 
  29. ↑ In cooperation with Deep Silver. "The Guild 2 - DEEP SILVER". Capcom. http://www.deepsilver.co.uk/c/export/DeepSilver/en/games/game.html_104395068.html. 
  30. ↑ EU release in affiliation with Deep Silver. NA release by Aspyr Media.
  31. ↑ "Release Data - Freak Out: Extreme Freeride". GameFAQs. http://www.gamefaqs.com/ps2/934987-freak-out-extreme-freeride/data. 
  32. ↑ "SpellForce 2: Dragon Storm". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/spellforce-2-dragon-storm/details/?platform=pc. 
  33. ↑ Initially delayed due to logistical issues. "Die Gilde 2: Release des AddOns wurde verschoben" (in de). Spieletipps. http://www.spieletipps.de/n_10897/. 
  34. ↑ EU release. Released in AU by N3VRF41L Publishing and in the US by DreamCatcher Interactive.
  35. ↑ Also released under the name The Guild 2: Pirates of the High Seas. "The Guild 2: Pirates of the High Seas for PC". GameFAQs. http://www.gamefaqs.com/pc/939810-the-guild-2-pirates-of-the-high-seas. 
  36. ↑ "Space Force: Rogue Universe". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/spaceforce-rogue-universe/details/?platform=pc. 
  37. ↑ "SpellForce Universe Edition". IGN. http://www.ign.com/games/spellforce-universe-edition/pc-14218101. 
  38. ↑ "Details and Credits - Gothic Universe". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/gothic-universe/details/?platform=pc. 
  39. ↑ EU region. RU release by Russobit-M
  40. ↑ "Painkiller Universe". GameSpot. http://www.gamespot.com/painkiller-universe/. 
  41. ↑ 41.0 41.1 "Trine Entertainment Ltd. - Games". Trine Games. http://www.trinegames.com/games/. 
  42. ↑ EU retail version. "Torchlight Release Information". GameFAQs. http://www.gamefaqs.com/pc/960163-torchlight/data. 
  43. ↑ "The Guild 2: Renaissance". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/the-guild-2-renaissance/details/?platform=pc. 
  44. ↑ "SpellForce 2: Faith in Destiny on Steam". http://store.steampowered.com/app/65530/. 



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