Company:DC Studios (video game developer)
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Fate | Dissolved |
| Successor | Firebrand Games |
| Founded | 3 December 1999 in Glasgow, Scotland |
| Founder | Mark Greenshields |
| Defunct | 25 September 2007 |
| Headquarters | Montreal , Quebec , Canada |
Key people | Mark Greenshields (CEO) |
Number of employees | 55 (2006) |
DC Studios Inc. was a British video game developer based in Montreal , Canada. Founded by Mark Greenshields in December 1999, it was originally located in Glasgow, and later expanded to Montreal, Edinburgh, and Dublin. Following the underperformance of State of Emergency 2, which the company had acquired from VIS Entertainment, DC Studios closed its Scotland operations in June 2006. The remaining Montreal office was closed in September 2007. Both offices were replaced by ones for Greenshields' newer venture, Firebrand Games.
History
DC Studios was founded on 3 December 1999.[1] Mark Greenshields set it up in Glasgow, after leaving Steel Monkeys, another Scotland-based development studio, earlier that year.[2][3] In November 2000, the company expanded with a second outfit located in Montreal .[4] In August 2003, Andrew McLennan left his position as commercial director from Steel Monkeys, at the time run by his brother Derek as managing director, to join DC Studio as business development director.[3][5] In April 2005, backed by the Irish government, DC Studios opened a development studio in Dublin, seeking to employ 50 further staff.[6]
In May 2005, the company acquired the rights to State of Emergency 2 from the defunct developer VIS Entertainment.[7][8] Following its release, however, the game severely underperformed in sales, due to which DC Studios announced on 4 June 2006 that it had ceased all operations in the United Kingdom, laying off all 29 staff from its Edinburgh office.[9][10] The Montreal office remained open, at the time with 55 employees.[11] It was eventually shut down in favour of opening a Florida office for Greenshields' newer venture, Firebrand Games, on 25 September 2007.[12][13]
Games developed
| Year | Title | Platform(s) | Publisher(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Mia Hamm Soccer 64 | Nintendo 64 | SouthPeak Games |
| 2000 | NBA Jam 2001 | Game Boy Color | Acclaim Sports |
| 2001 | Activision TV Game | Dedicated console | Toymax |
| Army Men Advance | Game Boy Advance | The 3DO Company | |
| 2002 | Salt Lake 2002 | Ubi Soft | |
| NBA Jam 2002 | Acclaim Sports | ||
| Bratz | Game Boy Advance, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation | Ubi Soft | |
| Atari TV Game | Dedicated console | Jakks Pacific | |
| Taxi 2 | PlayStation | Ubi Soft | |
| Jim Henson's Bear in the Big Blue House | |||
| 2003 | Le Tour de France: 1903-2003 – Centenary Edition | PlayStation 2 | Konami |
| Charmed | J2ME | In-Fusio | |
| Cartoon Network Speedway | Game Boy Advance | Majeso Sales | |
| 2004 | XS Moto | XS Games | |
| Fear Factor | Hip Interactive | ||
| Kenny vs. Spenny | Microsoft Windows | Breakthrough New Media | |
| The Cat in the Hat | PlayStation | NewKidCo | |
| 2005 | Rayman DS | Nintendo DS | Ubisoft |
| Disney's Cinderella: Magical Dreams | Game Boy Advance | Disney Interactive | |
| Whac-A-Mole | Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS | Activision Value | |
| Winx Club | Game Boy Advance, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2 | Konami Digital Entertainment | |
| 2006 | State of Emergency 2 | PlayStation 2 | SouthPeak Games |
| VeggieTales: LarryBoy and the Bad Apple | Game Boy Advance | Crave Entertainment | |
| Hannah Montana | Buena Vista Games | ||
| Disney's Chicken Little | Nintendo DS | ||
| 2007 | Code Lyoko | The Game Factory | |
| Thrillville | LucasArts |
References
- ↑ "Five Years Old and Financially Fit" (Press release). DC Studios. 3 December 2004. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018 – via GamesIndustry.biz.
- ↑ Fahey, Rob (2 July 2004). "Focus On: DC Studios' Mark Greenshields". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/focus-on-dc-studios-mark-greenshields.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Director leaves brother's games company to join rival". 3 August 2003. https://www.scotsman.com/business/director-leaves-brothers-games-company-join-rival-2454487.
- ↑ Johnson, Ian (3 August 2001). "British game developer takes business to new level in Montreal". https://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/british-game-developer-takes-business-to-new-level-in-montreal/article1184775/.
- ↑ Jenkins, David (14 August 2003). "DC Studios Appoint New Biz Dev Director". https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/92948/DC_Studios_Appoint_New_Biz_Dev_Director.php.
- ↑ Jenkins, David (12 April 2005). "DC Studios Creates Government-Approved Irish Wing". https://gamasutra.com/view/news/96238/DC_Studios_Creates_GovernmentApproved_Irish_Wing.php.
- ↑ "New State of Emergency declared as Glasgow firm takes on game". 1 May 2005. https://www.scotsman.com/business/new-state-emergency-declared-glasgow-firm-takes-game-2454502.
- ↑ Gibson, Ellie (3 May 2005). "DC Studios picks up State of Emergency 2". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/dc-studios-picks-up-state-of-emergency-2.
- ↑ "State Of Emergency spells end for 29 staff GAMING: REDUNDANCIES". 4 June 2006. https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12435428.state-of-emergency-spells-end-for-29-staff-gaming-redundancies/.
- ↑ Jenkins, David (5 June 2006). "DC Studios Closes Scottish Development HQ". https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/100540/DC_Studios_Closes_Scottish_Development_HQ.php.
- ↑ Fahey, Rob (5 June 2006). "DC Studios shuts Scottish operation as State of Emergency tanks". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/dc-studios-shuts-scottish-operation-as-state-of-emergency-tanks.
- ↑ "'Montreal is not an efficient place to run a business'". MCV/Develop. 17 March 2008. https://www.mcvuk.com/development-news/montreal-is-not-an-efficient-place-to-run-a-business/. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- ↑ Boyer, Brandon (25 September 2007). "Race Game Developer Firebrand Gets U.S. Office". https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/106573/Race_Game_Developer_Firebrand_Gets_US_Office.php.
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