Blitz Games Studios

Last updated

Blitz Games Studios Limited
Formerly
  • Dizzy Enterprises Limited (1990–1994)
  • Interactive Studios Limited (1994–1999)
  • Blitz Games Limited (1999–2008)
Company type Private
Industry Video games
Founded1990;34 years ago (1990)
Founders
  • Andrew Oliver
  • Philip Oliver
DefunctSeptember 12, 2013 (2013-09-12)
Fate Dissolved
Successor Radiant Worlds
Headquarters,
England
Key people
  • Philip Oliver (CEO)
  • Andrew Oliver (CTO)
  • Richard Smithies (COO)
Number of employees
230+ [1]  (2009)
Divisions
  • Blitz Games
  • Blitz Arcade
  • Volatile Games
  • TruSim
  • Blitz Academy
  • BlitzTech
Website www.blitzgames.com

Blitz Games Studios Limited was a British video game developer based in Leamington Spa. Founded in 1990 by the Oliver Twins, who ran the company until its closure in 2013, it is best known for producing games such as The Fairly OddParents , Bratz , SpongeBob SquarePants , The Biggest Loser , and Karaoke Revolution . [2]

Contents

Divisions

Blitz Games

Blitz Games created the games that the company first became well known for: family titles, often licensed on popular characters and existing intellectual property.

Blitz Arcade

Blitz Arcade was founded in 2006 with a team of 35 people. It was focused on developing downloadable titles of a small scope. [3] Its first release was an advergame series created for the US Burger King chain. After that, Blitz Arcade turned its focus to downloadable titles and had success with its first game of this type: SpongeBob SquarePants: Underpants Slam . They also developed shooter PowerUp Forever , puzzler Droplitz and the 3DTV-compatible beat 'em up Invincible Tiger: The Legend of Han Tao . [4]

Volatile Games

Volatile Games was responsible for the company's mature games. The division dates from 2006. [5] The company and the division ended in 2013. [6]

Video games created by this division include Reservoir Dogs , runner-up in the 2006 BAFTA awards for Best Soundtrack. [7] Despite allowing the player to complete the game without firing a single shot, the game was considered so realistic in its depictions of violence that it was banned in Australia. [8] They released Dead to Rights: Retribution on 27 April 2010.

A proposed game, Possession , was cancelled.

TruSim

TruSim was the serious games division. The idea was to bring commitment to training through video games. [9] It is best known for its work on medical-related training programs including the award-winning Interactive Trauma Trainer. [10]

BlitzTech

BlitzTech created and licensed the game development engine and toolchain.

Earlier divisions

Virtual Experience Company

Past projects include the Tintern Abbey virtual tour. [11] The company was acquired by Blitz Games at the end of 2006 but was sold back to former owner Mike Gogan in May 2008. [12]

Blitz 1UP

In 2008 Blitz Games Studios launched the Blitz1UP programme to help independent developers bring their games to market. The programme provided free help and advice on all aspects of game production as well as crowd sourced QA. The programme was closed in 2011 and was replaced by IndieCity, an online indie game marketplace.

Games

Games created or published by Interactive Studios/Blitz Games Studios include:

YearTitlePlatforms
1996 Firo & Klawd PlayStation, Windows, MS-DOS
1998 WarGames: Defcon 1 PlayStation, Windows
Glover Nintendo 64, PlayStation, Windows
1999 Action Man: Mission Xtreme
2000 Action Man: Destruction X
The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea
Frogger 2: Swampy's Revenge PlayStation, Dreamcast, Windows, Game Boy Color
2000 Chicken Run Dreamcast, Game Boy Advance, PlayStation, Game Boy Color, Windows
2001 The Mummy Returns PlayStation 2
Fuzion Frenzy Xbox
2002 Lilo & Stitch: Trouble in Paradise PlayStation, Windows
Taz: Wanted PlayStation 2, Xbox, Windows, GameCube
Zapper: One Wicked Cricket PlayStation 2, Xbox, Game Boy Advance, Windows, GameCube
2003 Cubix Robots for Everyone: Showdown GameCube, PlayStation 2
The Fairly OddParents: Breakin' Da Rules GameCube, PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance, Windows, Xbox
Barbie Horse Adventures: Wild Horse Rescue PlayStation 2, Xbox, Windows, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Wii
2004 Bad Boys: Miami Takedown GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Windows
The Fairly OddParents: Shadow Showdown GameCube, PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance, Windows
2005 Bratz: Rock Angelz PlayStation 2, GameCube, Game Boy Advance, Windows
Pac-Man World 3 PlayStation 2, GameCube, Windows, Xbox, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo DS
2006 Reservoir Dogs Xbox, PlayStation 2, Windows
Bratz: Forever Diamondz
SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab PlayStation 2, Wii, Windows, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, GameCube
Sneak King Xbox, Xbox 360
PocketBike Racer Xbox, Xbox 360
Big Bumpin' Xbox, Xbox 360
2007 Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, GameCube, Wii, Xbox, Xbox 360
Bratz: The Movie
SpongeBob's Atlantis SquarePantis PlayStation 2, Wii, Nintendo DS, Game Boy Advance
SpongeBob SquarePants: Underpants Slam Xbox 360
2008 Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol Encore PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, GameCube, Wii, Xbox, Xbox 360
Project Aftermath
Tak and the Guardians of Gross PlayStation 2, Wii
Bratz: Girlz Really Rock
Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? Make the Grade PlayStation 2, Windows, Wii, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS
Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol Encore 2 PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, GameCube, Wii, Xbox, Xbox 360
Buccaneer: The Pursuit of Infamy Windows
PowerUp Forever Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
2009 Droplitz Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Windows, iOS
Invincible Tiger: The Legend of Han Tao Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
KrissX
iCarly Wii, Nintendo DS
Karaoke Revolution Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, GameCube, Wii, Xbox, PlayStation 2
Biggest Loser
2010Fluttabyes
Clover: A Curious Tale
Mole Control
All Star Karate
2010 Dead to Rights: Retribution Xbox, Xbox 360
The Biggest Loser Challenge Wii
The Biggest Loser: Ultimate Workout Xbox 360
SFG Soccer: Football Fever
Droplitz Delight
2011 Your Doodles Are Bugged! Xbox 360, Windows
Yoostar 2 PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Windows, Mac
Fantastic Pets Xbox 360
SpongeBob's Surf & Skate Roadtrip Xbox 360, Nintendo DS
Michael Phelps: Push the Limit
Puss in Boots Xbox 360, Wii, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3
2012Kumo Lumo
Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, Windows, PlayStation Vita, Wii U
2013 Paper Titans iOS, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360, Windows, PlayStation Vita
Shrek Alarm

Awards

2007

2006

Closure

On 12 September 2013, the company announced that it was closing after 23 years of business. [13] The closure came as a result of the company struggling to raise money to support future development projects, with the demise of THQ, a major client, said by Philip Oliver to have hit the company particularly hard. [13] [14] The company is reported to have owed £2.2 million to staff and creditors. [15]

The Oliver brothers along with the former company's COO Richard Smithies almost immediately formed a new company, Radiant Worlds, in the same town, and were reported to have recruited up to 50 former Blitz staff. [16] [17]

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