4J Studios

Last updated

4J Studios Limited
Company type Private
Industry Video games
Predecessor VIS Entertainment
Founded19 April 2005;19 years ago (2005-04-19)
Founders
  • Chris van der Kuyl
  • Paddy Burns
  • Frank Arnot
Headquarters,
Scotland
Key people
Website 4jstudios.com

4J Studios Limited is a British independent video game developer based in Dundee. It has a second office located in East Linton. Founded in April 2005 by VIS Entertainment alumni Chris van der Kuyl, Paddy Burns and Frank Arnot, the company is best known for porting Minecraft to consoles and handheld platforms. [1]

Contents

History

4J Studios was founded by Chris van der Kuyl, Paddy Burns and Frank Arnot on 19 April 2005, twelve days after van der Kuyl's previous video game venture, VIS Entertainment, entered into administration. [2] [3] All three were previously employed by that company, of which van der Kuyl as president and chief executive officer. [3] [4]

In November 2012, co-founder and studio director Arnot announced that he had left 4J Studios to establish Stormcloud Games with co-workers Andy West and Pat McGovern. [5] [6] In March 2018, 4J Studios invested a "six-figure sum" in Puny Astronaut, a Dundee-based developer founded by Abertay University alumni. [7] 4J Studios' van der Kuyl and Burns subsequently joined that company's board of directors, of which van der Kuyl also became their chairman. [8] 4J Studios then opened an investment fund, Chroma Ventures, in March 2021, which absorbed the Puny Astronaut stake and invested in several other studios. In October 2022, 4J Studios announced its intent to start publishing games, starting with Puny Astronaut's Skye Tales in 2023. [9]

In May 2024, 4J Studios revealed a trailer of its next project, the Elements Engine, a 3D voxel sandbox game engine built from the ground up, with world size and performance in mind. [10] Amongst the development team of the engine includes Joseph Garrett, a YouTuber also known as Stampylonghead. [11]

Games developed

YearTitlePlatform(s)Publisher(s)
2005 Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships PlayStation 2, Xbox Bethesda Softworks
2006 Star Trek: Encounters PlayStation 2
2007 The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (port) PlayStation 3
Star Trek: Conquest PlayStation 2, Wii
2008 AMF Bowling Pinbusters! Nintendo DS Vir2L Studios
Overlord: Raising Hell (port)PlayStation 3 Codemasters
Ducati Moto Nintendo DSVir2L Studios
Banjo-Kazooie (port) Xbox 360 Microsoft Game Studios
2009 Banjo-Tooie (port)
Wuggle iOS 4J Studios
Texas Wuggle
2010 Perfect Dark Xbox 360Microsoft Game Studios
2012 Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition Microsoft Studios
2013 Minecraft: PlayStation 3 Edition PlayStation 3 Sony Computer Entertainment
2014 Minecraft: Xbox One Edition Xbox One Microsoft Studios
Minecraft: PlayStation 4 Edition PlayStation 4 Sony Computer Entertainment
Minecraft: PlayStation Vita Edition PlayStation Vita
2015 Minecraft: Wii U Edition Wii U Mojang
2017 Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition Nintendo Switch
2023Manic MechanicsNintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One4J Studios

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References

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  9. Partis, Danielle (25 October 2022). "4J Studios announces move into publishing". GamesIndustry.biz . Archived from the original on 25 October 2022. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  10. "4J Studios Teases New Voxel-Based 'Elements' Engine". The Scottish Games Network. 30 May 2024. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
  11. MacDonald, Ben (23 May 2024). "Dundee Waterfront recreated in 3D as games firm teases fans with 'Minecraft 2.0'". The Courier. Retrieved 16 June 2024.