SingleTrac

Last updated
SingleTrac Entertainment Technologies, Inc.
Company type Public
Industry Software & programming
Founded1994
FounderMike Bartholomew, Todd Kelly, Michael Ryder
Defunct2000
Headquarters Salt Lake City, Utah [1] [2]
Products Twisted Metal franchise
Jet Moto franchise
Parent Infogrames, Inc. (1997-2000)

SingleTrac Entertainment Technologies, Inc. was an American video game developer, mostly for the PlayStation platform. The management team and much of the original development team came from Evans & Sutherland, bringing their 3D graphics and software engineering skills into the video game industry. [3] Its most famous titles were the Twisted Metal and Jet Moto video game series.

Contents

SingleTrac was founded in 1994 by Michael Ryder (the president), Todd Kelly, and Michael Bartholomew. [4]

The company's first two games, WarHawk and Twisted Metal , were major critical and commercial successes, leading publisher Sony Computer Entertainment to contract two further games from SingleTrac. [5] SingleTrac had ambitions of becoming a video game publisher as well as developer. In early 1997, the company signed a deal with Microsoft to enable them to publish PC games, [6] but these plans never came to fruition. Later in 1997, SingleTrac signed on as a developer for the Nintendo 64, [7] [8] but they ultimately never produced any Nintendo 64 games. After producing the two contracted games for Sony Computer Entertainment, SingleTrac was bought by the video game publisher GT Interactive, [1] [9] [10] which was then bought by the French company Infogrames.

The SingleTrac studio was closed down in 2000.

Lineage

A group of SingleTrac employees broke off and formed the game studio Incognito Entertainment in 1999, and went on to make some additional entries in the former SingleTrac franchise Twisted Metal and a sequel to SingleTrac's first game WarHawk , both for Sony Computer Entertainment. In 2009, most of the team members left Incognito to form Eat Sleep Play and LightBox Interactive rendering Incognito defunct. [11] Both studios would go on to develop the same two former SingleTrac franchises Incognito made entries in - Eat Sleep Play developed a PS3 entry in the Twisted Metal series and LightBox Interactive developed a spiritual successor to the Warhawk series, Starhawk . Eat Sleep Play transitioned to mobile development right before releasing its PS3 entry in the Twisted Metal series and shutting down in 2017. [12] LightBox Interactive's contract with Sony expired right after the release of Starhawk and is considered defunct since 2012. [13]

Developed games

YearTitlePlatform
1995 WarHawk PlayStation
Twisted Metal
1996 Twisted Metal 2 PlayStation
PC
Jet Moto
1997 Jet Moto 2 PlayStation
Critical Depth
1998 Rogue Trip: Vacation 2012
Streak: Hoverboard Racing
Outwars PC
2000 Animorphs: Shattered Reality PlayStation

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PlayStation (console)</span> Home video game console by Sony

The PlayStation is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was released in Japan on 3 December 1994, in North America on 9 September 1995, in Europe on 29 September 1995, and in Australia on 15 November 1995. As a fifth-generation console, the PlayStation primarily competed with the Nintendo 64 and the Sega Saturn.

<i>Twisted Metal</i> Vehicular combat video game series

Twisted Metal is a series of vehicular combat video games originally developed by SingleTrac and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. The series has appeared on the PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 3. As of October 31, 2000, the series has sold 5 million copies. Several of the games in the series were re-released as part of the Sony Greatest Hits program. The original game and its first sequel were also released for the PC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sony Interactive Entertainment</span> Sonys video game division

Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (SIE) is an American multinational video game and digital entertainment company based in San Mateo, California, and a subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation. Jointly established by two subsidiaries in 2016, it primarily operates the PlayStation brand of video game consoles and products. It is also the world's largest company in the video game industry based on its equity investments.

<i>Twisted Metal 2</i> 1996 vehicular combat video game

Twisted Metal 2 is a vehicular combat video game developed by SingleTrac and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. The second game in the Twisted Metal series, it was originally released in 1996 for PlayStation and Windows.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Incognito Entertainment</span> Defunct American video game developer

Incognito Entertainment was an American video game developer headquartered in Salt Lake City.

<i>Warhawk</i> (1995 video game) Combat flight simulation video game

Warhawk, released as AirAssault in Japan, is a combat flight simulation video game developed by Sony Interactive Studios America and SingleTrac and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation. It was originally released on November 10, 1995 in North America and a month later in Europe. A Windows version was planned for release in 1996 but was cancelled.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greatest Hits (PlayStation)</span> Branding used by Sony Interactive Entertainment for discounted reprints of PlayStation video games

Greatest Hits is a branding used by Sony Interactive Entertainment for discounted reprints of PlayStation video games. The branding is used for reprints of popular, top-selling games for each console in the PlayStation family, which are deliberately sold with a lower MSRP than the original production runs of a game, and feature special branding—colored in red since PlayStation 2—on their box art, as well as red-colored cases on PlayStation Portable, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 releases.

<i>Rogue Trip: Vacation 2012</i> 1998 video game

Rogue Trip: Vacation 2012, also known as Rogue Trip, is a vehicular combat video game developed by SingleTrac and published by GT Interactive for the PlayStation in 1998. The game is set in an apocalyptic fiction alternative history version of the year 2012 where mercenaries fight against each other using vehicles, and various weapons as they pick up tourists, hitchhikers, and passengers paying them fares for bringing them to vacation destinations around the remnants of the destroyed United States, and these mercenaries call themselves "auto mercenaries".

<i>Warhawk</i> (2007 video game) 2007 video game

Warhawk was a multiplayer third-person shooter video game developed by Incognito Entertainment for the PlayStation 3. It was a remake of an aerial warfare game of the same name, which was an early title on the original PlayStation. Santa Monica Studio assisted on development. It was the first PlayStation 3 game to be available both for download on the PlayStation Network and for retail on Blu-ray Disc. For the United States, Blu-ray Disc and PlayStation Network versions were released on August 28, 2007. The PlayStation Network version was released in Europe, Australia and Japan on August 30, August 31 and October 4 respectively. The Blu-ray Disc version was released in Australia and Europe on September 20 and September 21, respectively, but was not released in Japan.

GameTrailers TV with Geoff Keighley was a television show about video games hosted by video game journalist Geoff Keighley. Originally titled Game Head, on January 25, 2008, the show relaunched under its current name with a slightly different format and further incorporation of GameTrailers hosts, Amanda MacKay and Daniel Kayser. The series ran from 2008-2013, with the GameTrailers site being shut-down in 2016.

<i>Twisted Metal</i> (1995 video game) 1995 vehicular combat video game

Twisted Metal is a 1995 vehicular combat video game developed by Sony Interactive Studios America and SingleTrac, and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation. The game's plot is centered on the titular competition in which various drivers in modified vehicles must destroy the other vehicles in an attempt to be the last one alive. The winner meets the organizer of the competition, a mysterious man named Calypso, who will grant the winner a single wish, regardless of price, size or even reality. A commercial success, it was followed up by a sequel, Twisted Metal 2 (1996), as part of the Twisted Metal series.

<i>Calling All Cars!</i> 2007 video game

Calling All Cars! is a downloadable video game developed by Incognito Entertainment and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for PlayStation 3. It was released in 2007. It was also included for free with a 1-year subscription to Qore.

Eat Sleep Play, Inc. was an American video game developer, formed in 2007 by Scott Campbell and David Jaffe, director of the Twisted Metal series and God of War. Eat Sleep Play entered into an exclusive platform deal with Sony requiring the completion of either three console/handheld games or three years of development time, with plans to release its first original game in 2010. The first game released by Eat Sleep Play was a port of the PSP game Twisted Metal: Head On that was retitled Twisted Metal Head-On: Extra Twisted Edition for PlayStation 2 and was not one of the three game console exclusive deals.

Atari, Inc. is an American video gaming company based in New York City, and a subsidiary of the Atari SA holding company. It is the main entity serving the commercial Atari brand globally since 2003. The company currently publishes games based on retro Atari franchises as well as some new content, and also produces the new Atari 2600+ console. In the past it produced titles including Neverwinter Nights, Driver 3, Fahrenheit, RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 and Test Drive Unlimited.

<i>ModNation Racers</i> 2010 video game

ModNation Racers is a 2010 go-kart racing video game developed by United Front Games and San Diego Studio for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable. User generated content is a central aspect of the game, such that it uses the same "Play, Create, Share" adage as LittleBigPlanet to convey its basis in online user-generated content sharing and level creation tools.

<i>Twisted Metal</i> (2012 video game) 2012 video game

Twisted Metal is a vehicular combat video game developed by Eat Sleep Play and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3. It is the second reboot of the Twisted Metal series. The game was originally planned to be released in October 2011 but was delayed to early 2012.

<i>PlayStation Underground</i>

PlayStation Underground was an American video game magazine, originally published by Sony Computer Entertainment America. The magazine focused on the PlayStation fanbase, including gaming on the original Sony PlayStation and the PlayStation 2, and was promoted as a "PlayStation fan club". Unlike its paper-based counterpart the Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine, PlayStation Underground came in the form of CD-ROMs which could be played on the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 consoles. Subscribers were also given access to a members-only website. The magazine released its first issue on March 26, 1997 and its final issue in 2001. The magazine released a total of seventeen issues during its active years. The magazine was eventually merged with Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine in 2001 when it was discontinued.

<i>Jet Moto</i> (video game) 1996 video game

Jet Moto is a 1996 racing video game developed by SingleTrac and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation video game console and PC. The PlayStation version was released in North America on October 31, 1996; in 1997 for Europe in February and Japan on August 7. The PC version was released on November 13, 1997. Jet Moto was made available for the PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 3 via the PlayStation Network in February 2007. Developers chose fictional hovering bikes instead of wheeled motorcycles initially to resolve performance concerns. Other performance concerns led the team to develop two different physics systems—one for the player, and one for the 19 computer racers.

<i>Critical Depth</i> (video game) 1997 video game

Critical Depth is a vehicular combat game made for the PlayStation, developed by the game studio SingleTrac and published by GT Interactive. It was released on November 21, 1997.

<i>Starhawk</i> (2012 video game) 2012 video game

Starhawk is a 2012 third-person shooter video game developed by LightBox Interactive and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3. It is the spiritual successor to 2007's Warhawk.

References

  1. 1 2 "GT Interactive Buys Singletrac, Makes Agreements with BMG and Warner Bros. Interactive". GamePro . No. 108. IDG. September 1997. p. 20. Singletrac, which is also a Nintendo 64 licensee, will keep its 70 employees at the company's headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah.
  2. "GT Interactive Completes Acquisition Of SingleTrac, a Leading Multi-Platform Entertainment Software Developer". Business Wire . October 17, 1997. Archived from the original on March 14, 2016. Retrieved September 4, 2021 via The Free Dictionary.
  3. "Peacetime Programmers". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 97. Ziff Davis. August 1997. p. 72.
  4. Daniel, Kim (November 20, 1995). "On the Right 'Trac'". The Salt Lake Tribune . p. 13. Archived from the original on January 6, 2024. Retrieved 7 January 2024 via Newspapers.com.
  5. "At the Deadline". GamePro . No. 87. IDG. December 1995. p. 206.
  6. "In the Studio". Next Generation . No. 27. Imagine Media. March 1997. p. 24.
  7. "SingleTrac Joins 'Dream Team'". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 97. Ziff Davis. August 1997. p. 20.
  8. "News Bits". GamePro . No. 106. IDG. July 1997. p. 21.
  9. "Tidbits...". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 98. Ziff Davis. September 1997. p. 23.
  10. Mullen, Micheal (June 18, 1997). "GT Goes on a Binge". GameSpot . Archived from the original on February 22, 1999. Retrieved July 28, 2022.
  11. Crecente, Brian. "Warhawk's Dylan Jobe Leaves Incognito, Forms New Studio". Kotaku. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  12. Crecente, Brian (26 June 2017). "Former Valve initiative CastAR shuts down". Polygon.
  13. McWhertor, Michael (18 October 2012). "Starhawk developer LightBox Interactive hit with layoffs, moving from console development to iOS". Polygon. Retrieved 16 February 2019.