Titus Interactive

Last updated
Titus Interactive
ISIN FR0000050122
Industry Video games
Founded1985;39 years ago (1985) (as Titus France SA)
FoundersEric Caen, Hervé Caen
Defunct2005 (2005)
Fate Bankruptcy and dissolution; assets now owned by Interplay Entertainment
Headquarters Lagny-sur-Marne, France
Revenue€ 73.2 million (2002)
Divisions Digital Integration Ltd.
BlueSky Software
Subsidiaries Titus Interactive Studio
Titus Software Corporation
Titus Japan K.K.
Titus Software UK Limited
PronostiX S.A.
Sofra Jeux
EyeOne A/S
Interplay Europe
Avalon Interactive
Avalon France
Website www.titus-interactive.com (archived)

Titus Interactive SA, [1] known as Titus France SA until March 1999, [2] [3] was a French software publisher that produced and published video games for various platforms. Its head office was located in Parc de l'Esplanade in Lagny sur Marne in Greater Paris. [1] At one time, it was instead located in Montfermeil, also in Greater Paris. [2]

Contents

The company's mascot was Titus, the title character of Titus the Fox .

History

Founding and early years

The company was founded by brothers Eric Caen and Hervé Caen in France in 1985. [4] In 1991, Titus purchased Palace Software, the gaming division of the Palace Group. [5] In 1998, the company purchased the developers BlueSky Software [6] and Digital Integration Ltd.

Interplay Entertainment partnership and distribution agreements (1999–2002)

In late 1999, the company acquired shares in struggling publisher Interplay Entertainment, including a stake in publisher/distributor Virgin Interactive.

Throughout the next few years, Titus signed North American distribution deals with smaller publishers. They signed a deal with Cryo Interactive in March 2000, [7] with Rage Software in September 2000, [8] and Microids in May 2001. [9] [10] In 2002, Titus Japan K.K. signed a similar distribution deal with Konami for Japan. [11]

In August 2000, they signed a deal with Viacom Consumer Products to publish games based on the Top Gun franchise. [12]

In August 2001, Titus took the control of Interplay. [13] However prior to this, Titus took over distributing their own titles in the North American market as well as Virgin's from them. [14]

Closure

In June 2004, Titus filed for bankruptcy, declaring an unseeable future for Interplay. [15] On January 9, 2005, a French district commercial court declared Titus bankrupt with a €33 million (US$43.8 million) debt. [16] [17] Titus' French subsidiaries were later closed down, while their assets were soon purchased by Interplay.

Games

Titus began releasing titles for home computers such as the Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, and IBM PC compatibles before moving on to consoles like the Master System, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy, and Game Boy Color, PlayStation, Dreamcast and Nintendo 64, followed by games for the GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox.

Titus designed games such as Virtual Kasparov , Automobili Lamborghini , Virtual Chess 64 , Roadsters (the Nintendo 64 version), Incredible Crisis (developed by Polygon Magic), Prehistorik Man and Lamborghini American Challenge , that were given positive reviews. Titus however was also involved in the creation of games that were notable due to their negative reception. Superman for the Nintendo 64 was notorious for its negative status among gamers. GameTrailers called it the worst game of all time. [18] As of 2018, it holds a score of 23% at GameRankings. [19] Similarly, the 2003 game RoboCop also received negative reviews. GameSpot gave it 2.2/10 saying "RoboCop has a bevy of horrible problems that render the game practically unplayable". [20]

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

YearTitlePlatform(s)Developer(s)
2001 Worms World Party Microsoft Windows, Dreamcast Team17
Virtual Kasparov PlayStation Titus Interactive Studio
Exhibition of Speed Dreamcast Player 1
Hands of Time Game Boy Color Mirage
Top Gun: Firestorm Fluid Studios
Xena: Warrior Princess Titus Interactive Studio
Hercules: The Legendary Journeys
RoboCop
Prehistorik Man Game Boy Advance Titus Interactive Studio
Top Gun: Combat Zones PlayStation 2 Digital Integration
Stunt GP Team17
Planet Monsters Game Boy Advance Planet Interactive
Kao the Kangaroo Titus Interactive Studio
Original War [lower-alpha 1] Microsoft Windows Altar Interactive
Codename: Outbreak [lower-alpha 2] GSC Game World
Screamer 4x4 [lower-alpha 3] Clever's Games
2002Nightstone [lower-alpha 4] Microsoft Windows New Horizon Studios
Virtual Kasparov Game Boy Advance Titus Interactive Studio
Tir et But: Edition Champions du Monde
Barbarian PlayStation 2 Saffire
DownforceSmart Dog
Top Gun: Combat Zones GameCube Digital Integration
Top Gun: Firestorm Advance Game Boy Advance Fluid Studios
DownforceKarma Studios
2003 Barbarian GameCube [lower-alpha 5] , Xbox [lower-alpha 6] Saffire
Top Gun: Combat Zones Microsoft Windows [lower-alpha 7] Digital Integration
RoboCop Microsoft Windows [lower-alpha 8] , Xbox, PlayStation 2 [lower-alpha 9] Titus Interactive Studio
2004 RoboCop GameCube [lower-alpha 10]
Top Gun: Combat Zones [lower-alpha 11] Game Boy Advance

Subsidiaries

Titus had several subsidiaries. The United States subsidiary, Titus Software Corporation, had its head office in Chatsworth, Los Angeles. The Japanese subsidiary, Titus Japan K.K., had its head office on the eighth floor of the Kotubuki Dogenzaka Building in Dōgenzaka (JA), Shibuya, Tokyo. [1] The UK subsidiary, Titus Software UK Limited, had its head office in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire. [21]

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Ultra Software Corporation was a shell corporation and publishing label created in 1988 as a subsidiary of Konami of America, in an effort to get around Nintendo of America's strict licensing rules in place at the time for the North American market. One of these rules was that a third-party company could only publish up to five games per year for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US.

The year 2002 in video games saw the release of many sequels and prequels in video games, such as Madden NFL 2003, NBA Live 2003, NBA 2K3, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4, WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth, Final Fantasy XI, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Jet Set Radio Future, Metroid Prime, Onimusha 2, Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, Pro Evolution Soccer 2, Resident Evil and Zero, Super Mario Sunshine,The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, and The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, along with new titles and franchises such as Battlefield, Dungeon Siege, Kingdom Hearts, Mafia, Ratchet & Clank, Sly Cooper, SOCOM, and Splinter Cell. The year's best-selling video game was Grand Theft Auto: Vice City for the PlayStation 2, while the year's most critically acclaimed titles were Metroid Prime and The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker for the GameCube.

2003 saw many sequels and prequels in video games, such as Tony Hawk's Underground, Madden NFL 2004, NBA Live 2004, ESPN NBA Basketball, Saya no Uta: The Song of Saya, Final Fantasy X-2, Mario Kart: Double Dash, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, Sonic Heroes, Postal 2, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Uru: Ages Beyond Myst, and WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain. New intellectual properties included Beyond Good & Evil, Boktai: The Sun is in Your Hand, Call of Duty, Disgaea, Drakengard, Manhunt, PlanetSide, TrackMania, True Crime: Streets of LA, and Viewtiful Joe.

<i>Battle Chess</i> 1988 video game

Battle Chess is a video game version of chess with 2.5D graphics and fighting animations showing the result of one piece moving onto the square of another. It was developed and released by Interplay Entertainment for the Amiga in 1988 and ported to many other systems, including the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer, Acorn Archimedes, Amiga CD32, Amiga CDTV, Apple IIGS, Apple II, Atari ST, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, FM Towns, Nintendo Entertainment System, MacOS, PC-98, X68000, and Microsoft Windows. In 1991, Battle Chess Enhanced was released by Interplay for IBM PC compatibles and Macintosh with improved VGA graphics and a symphonic musical score played from the CD-ROM.

<i>Superman 64</i> 1999 action-adventure video game

Superman: The New Superman Adventures, commonly referred to as Superman 64, is an action-adventure video game developed and published by Titus Interactive for the Nintendo 64 and based on the television series Superman: The Animated Series. Released in North America on May 29, 1999, and in Europe on July 23, it is the first 3D Superman game.

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<i>Lamborghini American Challenge</i> 1992 video game

Lamborghini American Challenge is a 1992 racing video game developed and published by Titus France for the Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, Super NES, Amiga CD32, and Game Boy.

<i>Automobili Lamborghini</i> (video game) 1997 video game

Automobili Lamborghini is a 1997 racing video game developed and published by Titus France for the Nintendo 64. It is a successor to Lamborghini American Challenge.

<i>Prehistorik</i> 1991 video game

Prehistorik is a platform game developed by Titus Interactive for the Amiga, Atari ST, Amstrad CPC, MS-DOS, and Commodore CDTV. Titus Interactive also published it in 1991.

<i>Prehistorik 2</i> 1993 video game

Prehistorik 2 is a platform game sequel to Prehistorik. It was developed by Titus Interactive for MS-DOS and Amstrad CPC and published in 1993. Like its predecessor, the main character of Prehistorik 2 is a caveman in a quest for food and who fights various animals and humorous end of level bosses.

<i>Blues Brothers 2000</i> (video game) 2000 video game

Blues Brothers 2000 is a platform game for the Nintendo 64 console, released by Titus Interactive. The game is a platformer, loosely based on the band and the film. Due to major delays it was released two years after the film of the same name but in the year the film was set.

<i>Cruisn</i> Video game series

Cruis'n is a series of racing video games originally developed by Eugene Jarvis for Midway Games and published by Midway and Nintendo. The series distinguishes itself from other racing games with its over-the-top presentation and fast-paced gameplay, featuring a wide variety of vehicles and tracks based on a number of real world locations. The series debuted in North American and European arcades in 1994 with the release of Cruis'n USA, which, along with Killer Instinct, was advertised as running on Nintendo's Ultra 64 hardware. Two sequels followed, Cruis'n World and Cruis'n Exotica, which featured new vehicles and tracks. All three games were released for the Nintendo 64 as well, with Exotica also being released for the handheld Game Boy Color. The next game in the series, Cruis'n Velocity deviated from the traditional arcade gameplay of the series and was released for the Game Boy Advance.

<i>Prehistorik Man</i> 1995 video game

Prehistorik Man is a platforming video game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System developed by Titus Interactive and published by Kemco in Japan in 1995 as P-Man and by Titus France elsewhere in 1996. It is a sequel to Prehistorik 2, featuring similar graphics but a richer and different story, and additional non-player characters which, among other things, provide hints and a tutorial.

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<i>RoboCop</i> (2003 video game) 2003 video game

RoboCop is a first-person shooter video game based on the RoboCop films. It was developed and published by French company Titus Interactive, which acquired the rights to produce RoboCop video games in 1999. After several schedule changes, the game was released in 2003 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, and Xbox, with the European versions distributed through Avalon Interactive. A GameCube version was released in Japan in 2004, under the title RoboCop: Aratanaru Kiki. According to Metacritic, the Xbox version, the only one to be released in North America, received "unfavorable" reviews.

References

  1. ↑ North American distribution only; published by Virgin Interactive.
  2. ↑ North American distribution only; published by Virgin Interactive.
  3. ↑ North American distribution only; published by Virgin Interactive.
  4. ↑ North American distribution only; published by Virgin Interactive.
  5. ↑ Exclusively released in Japan.
  6. ↑ Exclusively released in Europe.
  7. ↑ Exclusively released in Europe.
  8. ↑ Exclusively released in Europe.
  9. ↑ Exclusively released in Europe and Japan.
  10. ↑ Exclusively released in Japan.
  11. ↑ Published by Mastiff.
  1. 1 2 3 "Contact". Titus Interactive. 3 June 2004. Retrieved on 4 September 2012. "Titus Interactive SA : Parc de l'Esplanade 12, rue Enrico Fermi 77462 Lagny sur Marne Cedex. FRANCE"
  2. 1 2 "Profile." Titus Games. 30 June 1998. Retrieved on 4 September 2012. "310 Avenue Daniel Perdrige, 93370 Montfermeil".
  3. ↑ "Also Known As". Moby Games. Retrieved on 15 October 2020.
  4. ↑ IGN Staff (1998). "Eric Caen of Titus Software (interview)". IGN . Retrieved June 21, 2010.
  5. ↑ Carroll, Martyn (30 March 2006). "Company Profile: Palace Software". Retro Gamer. No. 23. Bournemouth, United Kingdom: Imagine Publishing. pp. 66–69. ISSN   1742-3155.
  6. ↑ IGN
  7. ↑ "Titus Interactive Group". 2004-06-03. Archived from the original on 2004-06-03. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
  8. ↑ "Titus Interactive Group". 2004-02-24. Archived from the original on 2004-02-24. Retrieved 2024-03-27.
  9. ↑ "Titus Interactive signe avec Microïds". 22 May 2001.
  10. ↑ "Titus Interactive Group". Archived from the original on 2004-02-24.
  11. ↑ "Titus interactive : Accord avec Konami". 24 May 2002.
  12. ↑ "Titus Interactive Group". Archived from the original on 2004-06-08.
  13. ↑ "Titus Takes Control of Irvine's Interplay". Los Angeles Times . August 17, 2001. Retrieved June 21, 2010.
  14. ↑ "Titus Interactive Group". Archived from the original on 2004-02-29.
  15. ↑ "Titus goes into receivership as Interplay goes back to work". 10 June 2004.
  16. ↑ "Titus bankrupt, Interplay's future uncertain". Gamespot. 2005-01-05. Retrieved 2013-05-06.
  17. ↑ "Interplay's position unclear as Titus is declared bankrupt". 6 January 2005.
  18. ↑ "Top 10 Best and Worst Video Games of All Time". 2006-11-17. Retrieved June 21, 2010.
  19. ↑ "Superman Reviews". GameRankings. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  20. ↑ "Robocop Review". Gamespot. Archived from the original on July 16, 2012. Retrieved June 21, 2010.
  21. ↑ "Contacts". Titus Interactive. 3 February 2002. Retrieved on 4 September 2012.
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