Company:Mean Hamster Software
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Computer and video games |
| Founded | 1985 |
| Founder | John Swiderski |
| Defunct | September 2012 |
| Headquarters | Deer Park, Washington |
Key people | John Swiderski, CEO and founder |
| Products | Cat Wash, Passport to Perfume, Ye Olde Sandwich Shoppe, Everything Nice, Myst, Riven, Pet Shop Hop, Vegas Nights and Exidy games |
Number of employees | 14 (2012) |
| Website | meanhamster |
Mean Hamster Software, Inc. was a video game developer founded by John Swiderski in 1985. Mean Hamster Software created several games for the Atari 5200 from 1999-2004. They then created Myst for Windows Mobile in 2005, and after the release of Riven: The Sequel to Myst for Pocket PC in 2006, Mean Hamster began work on its first casual games. The company was located in Deer Park, Washington (just outside Spokane, WA).
In 2006, Mean Hamster Software acquired the rights to the Exidy catalog, which includes titles such as Crossbow, Venture and Mouse Trap.
The company closed its doors and laid off all its remaining employees in September 2012.[1][2]
Casual game development
In 2007, Mean Hamster began work on casual games and partnered with PlayFirst to produce a casual game entitled Pet Shop Hop which was released in March 2008. From there, Mean Hamster partnered with Big Fish Games, Namco and Mesmo, Inc. to develop more titles. Games developed by Mean Hamster Software include:
- Pet Shop Hop[3](March 21, 2008)
- Everything Nice[4][5] (April 2, 2009)
- Ye Olde Sandwich Shoppe[6](May 27, 2009)
- Passport to Perfume[7] (July 21, 2009)
- Cat Wash[8] (November 13, 2009)
- Vegas Nights (Facebook)[9](May 15, 2010)
- Remarkable Farkle[10] (August 1, 2010)
- Crossbow for iPhone[11] (September 9, 2010)
- Sushi Quiz[12] (November 21, 2010)
- Hospitopia[13](January 10, 2011)
- Vegas Nights (GSN)[14][15] (April, 2011)
- Lizzie's Royal Dinner[16] (April, 2011)
- Mother Nature (Feb 13th, 2012)
- Bee Craft (July 20, 2012)
Mean Hamster Software was named one of Washington State's "Top Video Game Developers" in the September 2008 Issue of Washington CEO magazine. [17]
References
- ↑ "Deer Park's Mean Hamster Software shuts down, eight positions eliminated". The Spokesman-Review. http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/officehours/2012/sep/17/mean-hamster-software-shuts-down-eight-positions-eliminated/.
- ↑ "Deer Park company falls off app map". The Spokesman-Review. http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/sep/30/deer-park-company-falls-off-app-map/.
- ↑ "Pet Shop Hop Download For PC". Play First. http://www.playfirst.com/game/petshophop/.
- ↑ "Our Work Archives - everything nice game art". Element X Creative. http://www.elementxcreative.com/our-work-archives/everything-nice-game-art.html.[yes|permanent dead link|dead link}}]
- ↑ "Create Toys and Treats in new PC game Everything Nice". Namco Games. 2009-04-14. http://www.namcogames.com/corporate/news/6997.html.
- ↑ "Ye Olde Sandwich Shoppe Game Download for PC". Big Fish Games. http://www.bigfishgames.com/download-games/5450/ye-olde-sandwich-shoppe/index.html.
- ↑ "Play Passport to Perfume for free and more - PlayFirst Games". Playfirst.com. http://www.playfirst.com/game/passport-perfume.
- ↑ "Cat Wash Game Download for PC". Big Fish Games. http://www.bigfishgames.com/download-games/6933/cat-wash/index.html.
- ↑ "Vegas Nights". Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=2853639357.
- ↑ "Games op Facebook | Facebook". Apps.facebook.com. http://apps.facebook.com/mesmogames/rpgArcadeHome?entrySource=bookmark&ref=ts.
- ↑ "Crossbow by Exidy for iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation), and iPad on the iTunes App Store". Itunes.apple.com. 2011-06-20. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/crossbow-by-exidy/id439564866?mt=8.
- ↑ "Play Sushi Quiz for free online | Fun Games for Girls". GirlsgoGames.com. 2011-05-31. http://www.girlsgogames.com/game/sushi_quiz.html.
- ↑ http://www.facebook.com/hospitopia [user-generated source]
- ↑ "Vegas Nights - Mesmo Games". Mesmogames.wetpaint.com. http://mesmogames.wetpaint.com/page/Vegas+Nights.
- ↑ "Play Vegas Nights & other free Flash games in our internet arcade". GSN.com. http://www.gsn.com/games/free/vegasnights/.
- ↑ "Play Lizzies Royal Dinner for free online | Puzzle Games for Girls". GirlsgoGames.com. 2011-05-31. http://www.girlsgogames.com/game/lizzies_royal_dinner.html.
- ↑ Morgan, Barbara, ed (September 2008). "Top Video Game Developers". Washington CEO Magazine (Seattle, WA: Bob Ritter).
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