List of Looking Glass Studios video games

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Looking Glass Studios was an American video game developer founded in 1990 as Blue Sky Productions by Paul Neurath in Salem, New Hampshire. The company's first game was Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss in 1992, which received widespread critical acclaim and sold nearly 500,000 units. [1] [2] Looking Glass proceeded to develop titles in multiple genres, including role-playing, sports, flight simulation, and stealth video games. These titles were primarily published by Origin Systems, Electronic Arts and Eidos Interactive, with three titles self-published by Looking Glass Studios.

Contents

Looking Glass' products were praised for innovations in video game technology and design. [3] [4] [5] Several of their successes, such as Flight Unlimited and Thief: The Dark Project , sold over half a million copies each. [6] [7] Poor sales of their final two self-published games— Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri (1996) and British Open Championship Golf (1997)—left the company in financial turmoil, however. [3] This, combined with multiple failed business deals, including a temporary merger with Intermetrics from 1997–1999, [8] led the company to close on May 24, 2000, and cancel several projects in development. [3] [9] [10] Its final project, Jane's Attack Squadron , was completed by Mad Doc Software and released by Xicat Interactive in 2002. In total, Looking Glass Studios released 12 original games in its 10 years of activity, alongside several ports and other spin-offs.

Games

TitleDetails

Original release dates:
(FM Towns version)
Release years by system:
1992 DOS [11]
1993 FM Towns [13]
1997 PlayStation [14]
2002 Windows Mobile [15]
Notes:
  • First-person computer role-playing game, set in the fantasy world of the Ultima series
  • Developed by Blue Sky Productions and published by Origin Systems [11]
  • Ported in Japan to FM Towns by Origin [13]
  • Ported to Windows Mobile by ZIO Interactive [15]

Original release dates:
Release years by system:
1992 Sega Genesis [16]
Notes:

Original release dates:
Release years by system:
1993 – DOS [18]
Notes:
  • Sequel to Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss that continues the first-person computer role-playing game style, in the fantasy world of the Ultima series.
  • Developed by Looking Glass Technologies and published by Origin Systems [11]

Original release dates:
Release years by system:
1994 – DOS [20]
1994 Macintosh [21]
Notes:
  • First-person science fiction game inspired by Ultima Underworld [18]
  • Originally released on floppy discs; re-released months later on CD-ROM with voice acting [22]
  • Developed by Looking Glass Technologies and published by Origin Systems [18]

Original release dates:
Release years by system:
1995 – DOS [23]
1995 Windows [24]
1997 – Macintosh [25]
Notes:
  • Aerobatic flight simulator that uses real-time computational fluid dynamics [26]
  • The first game self-published by Looking Glass Technologies [3]
  • A commercial success, with 780,000 units in sales [6]

Original release dates:
Release years by system:
1996 – DOS [28]
Notes:
  • Tactical shooter with squad mechanics and outdoor environments [29]
  • Looking Glass Technologies' second self-published game [3]
  • A commercial failure, with 100,000 units in sales [3]

Original release date:
Release years by system:
1997 – Windows [30] [31]
Notes:
  • Golf game based on The Open Championship
  • Third and final self-published game by Looking Glass Technologies [3]
  • A commercial failure [3]

Original release dates:
Release years by system:
1997 – Windows [32]
Notes:
  • Sequel to Flight Unlimited, focused on general aviation
  • Developed by Looking Glass Studios and published by Eidos Interactive [32]

Original release dates:
Release years by system:
1998 – Windows [34]
Notes:
  • A first-person stealth game
  • Developed by Looking Glass Studios and published by Eidos Interactive [34]
  • A commercial success, with over 500,000 units in sales [7]

Original release dates:
Release years by system:
1999 Nintendo 64 [35]
Notes:

Original release dates:
Release years by system:
1999 – Windows [36]
Notes:
  • Sequel to System Shock
  • Developed by Looking Glass Studios and Irrational Games and published by Electronic Arts [37]
  • Sega Dreamcast port was planned but cancelled [38]

Original release dates:
Release years by system:
1999 – Windows [39]
Notes:
  • A general aviation flight simulator and the third Flight Unlimited game
  • Developed by Looking Glass Studios and published by Electronic Arts [39]

Original release dates:
Release years by system:
1999 – Nintendo 64 [40]
Notes:

Original release dates:
Release years by system:
1999 – Windows [42]
Notes:
  • Expanded re-release of Thief: The Dark Project that features three additional missions [41]
  • Developed by Looking Glass Studios and published by Eidos Interactive [42]

Original release dates:
Release years by system:
2000 – Windows [43]
Notes:
  • Stealth game sequel to Thief: The Dark Project
  • Developed by Looking Glass Studios and published by Eidos Interactive [43]

Original release dates:
Release years by system:
2002 – Windows [44]
Notes:

Cancelled

TitleDetails

Cancellation date:
Spring 1997 [46]
Proposed system release:
1997 – Windows [47]
Notes:
Junction Point

Cancellation date:
1997 [50]
Proposed system release:
1998 [51]
Notes:
Deep Cover

Cancellation date:
2000 [53]
Proposed system release:
Unannounced
Notes:
  • Stealth game set in modern day [53]
  • Developed by Looking Glass Studios and Irrational Games and published by Microsoft [4] [54]
Thief II Gold

Cancellation date:
2000 [54]
Proposed system release:
Unannounced
Notes:
  • Re-release of Thief II: The Metal Age [54]
Thief III

Cancellation date:
2000 [4]
Proposed system release:
Unannounced
Notes:
Mini Racers

Cancellation date:
2000 [56]
Proposed system release:
Nintendo 64 [57]
Notes:
  • Model car racing game for the Nintendo 64 [57]
  • Developed by Looking Glass Studios and published by Nintendo [57]
  • Completed but then cancelled due to the closure of Looking Glass Studios [56]
Wildwaters

Cancellation date:
2000 [58]
Proposed system release:
Nintendo 64 [59]
Notes:
  • Also known as "Extreme Kayak" and "X-Stream"
  • Kayak racing game for the Nintendo 64 [59]
  • Developed by Looking Glass Studios and published by Ubisoft [59]

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<i>Ultima Online</i> 1997 video game

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Looking Glass Studios, Inc. was an American video game developer based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The company was founded by Paul Neurath with Ned Lerner as Blue Sky Productions in 1990, and merged with Lerner's Lerner Research in 1992 to become LookingGlass Technologies. Between 1997 and 1999, the company was part of AverStar, where it was renamed Looking Glass Studios. Following financial issues at Looking Glass, the studio shut down in May 2000. Notable productions by Looking Glass include the Ultima Underworld, System Shock and Thief series.

Warren Spector American novelist and game designer

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<i>Flight Unlimited</i> 1995 aerobatic flight simulator video game

Flight Unlimited is a 1995 aerobatic flight simulator video game developed and published by LookingGlass Technologies. It allows players to pilot reproductions of real-world aircraft and to perform aerobatic maneuvers. They may fly freely, race through floating rings against a timer or take lessons from a virtual flight instructor. The instructor teaches basic and advanced techniques, ranging from rudder turns to maneuvers such as the tailslide, Lomcovák and Immelmann turn.

Doug Church American video game designer and producer

Doug Church, is an American video game designer and producer. He attended MIT in the late 1980s, but left and went to work with Looking Glass Studios, when they were making primarily MS-DOS-based immersive sim games, including Ultima Underworld, Ultima Underworld II, System Shock and Thief. His colleague Warren Spector claims, in fact, that Church was the one who originally coined the term "immersive simulation".

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<i>Flight Unlimited II</i> 1997 video game

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<i>Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri</i> 1996 tactical first-person shooter video game

Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri is a 1996 tactical first-person shooter video game developed and published by LookingGlass Technologies. Set in a science-fictional depiction of the 24th century, the game follows a faction of humans who colonize the Alpha Centauri star system to escape from the Hegemony, a totalitarian Earth government. The player assumes the role of Nikola ap Io, the leader of an Alpha Centauri military unit, and undertakes missions against pirates and the Hegemony.

<i>Ultima Underworld II: Labyrinth of Worlds</i> 1993 first-person role-playing video game

Ultima Underworld II: Labyrinth of Worlds is a 1993 first-person role-playing video game developed by LookingGlass Technologies and published by Origin Systems. As the sequel to Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss, the game is set in the Ultima fantasy universe. Players assume the role of the Avatar—the protagonist of the Ultima series—and adventure through multiple dimensions while seeking to prevent the evil Guardian from achieving world domination. Progression is largely nonlinear and the game allows for emergent gameplay.

<i>John Madden Football 93</i> 1992 American football video game

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<i>Flight Unlimited III</i> 1999 video game

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Paul Neurath is a video game designer and creative director. He founded both Blue Sky Productions and Floodgate Entertainment. He was the creative director of Zynga Boston. In 2014 he founded OtherSide Entertainment, that developed Underworld Ascendant, the third game in the Underworld series.

<i>Janes Attack Squadron</i> 2002 video game

Jane's Attack Squadron is a 2002 combat flight simulator developed by Looking Glass Studios and Mad Doc Software and published by Xicat Interactive. Based on World War II, the game allows players to pilot fifteen reproductions of that era's military aircraft and to carry out missions for the Axis or Allies. Although it contains dogfights, the game focuses largely on air-to-ground combat, hence the title.

OtherSide Entertainment, Inc. is an American video game developer based in Boston, Massachusetts, founded in 2013 by Looking Glass Studios co-founder Paul Neurath. In June 2016, the company opened a second studio in Austin, Texas, led by Warren Spector. OtherSide developed Underworld Ascendant (2018), a spiritual successor to Looking Glass's Ultima Underworld series, and is developing System Shock 3.

<i>Underworld Ascendant</i> 2018 video game

Underworld Ascendant is a first-person action role-playing game developed by Otherside Entertainment and published by 505 Games. It is the sequel to Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss and Ultima Underworld II: Labyrinth of Worlds. Players assume the role of the Avatar, as they return to the Stygian Abyss. As in the original games, there is an emphasis on non-linear progression, simulated systems, and emergent gameplay. It was released on Microsoft Windows on November 15, 2018.

Immersive sim Video game genre

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References

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