Company:Reto-Moto
 | |
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Fate | Bankruptcy |
| Founded | 1997 |
| Defunct | 2022 |
| Headquarters | , Denmark |
Key people | Jean-Marc Broyer (CEO) |
| Products | Heroes & Generals |
| Owner | Nordisk Film (minority stake) |
Number of employees | 25 (2012) |
| Website | reto.dk |
Reto-Moto ApS was a Danish video game developer based in Copenhagen. Founded in 1997, its staff formed IO Interactive as a joint venture in September 1998. Following a decade of inactivity, some founders reformed Reto-Moto in April 2008, and the company developed Heroes & Generals, which was released in September 2016.
History
Prior to founding Reto-Moto, all founding members had been part of various demo groups. After a time in the US, they decided to move back to Copenhagen in 1997, where they founded Reto-Moto later that year.[1] In September 1998, Reto-Moto, at the time consisting of Jesper Vorsholt Jørgensen, Rasmus Guldberg-Kjær, Martin Munk Pollas, Karsten Lemann Hvidberg, Jacob Andersen, Janos Flösser and David Guldbrandsen, and Danish film studio Nordisk Film launched IO Interactive, another developer, as a joint venture.[2] Nordisk Film held a 40.3% stake in the venture.[2] Due to IO Interactive's rapid success through Hitman in 2000, Reto-Moto's operations were put on ice.[3] Eventually, all stakes in IO Interactive were sold to Eidos Interactive in March 2004.[4]
On 11 April 2008, four of IO Interactive's founders—Vorsholt Jørgensen, Pollas, Andersen, and Guldbrandsen—announced that they had, together with former Eidos Interactive executive producer Neil Donnell, reformed Reto-Moto as an active developer.[5] Guldbrandsen and Donnell became the chief technology officer and chief executive officer, respectively.[6] Six further IO Interactive employees left the company to join Reto-Moto in December that year.[7] By April 2012, Reto-Moto had 25 employees, most of them transplants from IO Interactive.[8]
Reto-Moto's first game, Heroes & Generals, was announced on 7 October 2011.[9] A temporary publishing agreement for the game was reached with Square Enix in November 2012.[10] Heroes & Generals was officially released on 23 September 2016 and has since reached 10 million registered users as of January 2017.[11] On 16 August 2017, Reto-Moto hired Jean-Marc Broyer as new chief executive officer.[12] Nordisk Film announced on 6 December 2017 that they had acquired a minority stake in Reto-Moto in exchange for a US$5 million investment.[13]
On 4 February 2022, TLM Partners announced that it had acquired Heroes & Generals and related businesses from Reto-Moto.[14] A bankruptcy notice for the company was published on 7 March 2022.[15]
Games developed
| Year | Title | Platform(s) | Publisher(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Heroes & Generals | Microsoft Windows | Reto-Moto |
References
- ↑ Griffin, Mike (3 January 2012). "From Hitman to Reto-Moto: Jesper Kyd follows his own sound". https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/128748/From_Hitman_to_RetoMoto_Jesper_Kyd_follows_his_own_sound.php.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Hitman solgt til England" (in da). 4 March 2004. https://www.berlingske.dk/business/hitman-solgt-til-england.
- ↑ Sinclair, Brendan (11 April 2008). "Hitman devs go solo with Reto-Moto". https://www.gamespot.com/articles/hitman-devs-go-solo-with-reto-moto/1100-6189099/.
- ↑ Fahey, Ron (4 March 2004). "Eidos acquires Hitman developer as profits rise". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/eidos-acquires-hitman-developer-as-profits-rise.
- ↑ Faylor, Chris (14 April 2008). "Hitman Veterans Leave IO, Form Reto-Moto". https://www.shacknews.com/article/52207/hitman-veterans-leave-io-form.
- ↑ Kumar, Mathew (11 April 2008). "IO Interactive Founders Reform Reto Moto". https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/109173/IO_Interactive_Founders_Reform_Reto_Moto.php.
- ↑ Freeman, Will (12 December 2008). "More IO Interactive employees join Reto-Moto". https://www.mcvuk.com/development-news/more-io-interactive-employees-join-reto-moto/.
- ↑ Alexander, Leigh (18 April 2012). "In-Depth: At Reto-Moto, AAA veterans speak out on fascinating culture shift". https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/167663/InDepth_At_RetoMoto_AAA_veterans_speak_out_on_fascinating_culture_shift.php.
- ↑ Walker, John (10 October 2011). "Heroes & Generals: Re-Announced, Trailered". https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/heroes-generals-re-announced-trailered.
- ↑ Nunneley, Stephany (7 November 2012). "Heroes & Generals to be published by Square Enix, new shots and video released". https://www.vg247.com/heroes-generals-to-be-published-by-square-enix-new-shots-and-video-released.
- ↑ Scott-Jones, Richard (17 January 2017). "MMOFPS Heroes & Generals hits 10 million players, promises more planes and vehicles". https://www.pcgamesn.com/heroes-generals/heroes-generals-10-million-players-2017-content.
- ↑ Brightman, James (16 August 2017). "Reto-Moto brings on Jean-Marc Broyer as CEO". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2017-08-16-reto-moto-brings-on-jean-marc-broyer-as-ceo.
- ↑ Batchelor, James (6 December 2017). "Nordisk Film takes $5m ownership stake in Heroes & Generals studio". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2017-12-06-nordisk-film-takes-USD5m-ownership-stake-in-heroes-and-generals-studio.
- ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (4 February 2022). "TLM Partners acquires Heroes & Generals business operations". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2022-02-04-tlm-partners-acquires-heroes-and-generals-business-operations.
- ↑ "Feb-Company 2022 ApS". 2022-03-10. https://www.statstidende.dk/messages/S08032022-106.
External links
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