This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(June 2019) |
DreamCatcher Interactive Inc.(also known asDreamCatcher Games) was a Canadianvideo game publisherfounded in 1996 by Richard Wah Kan. It was best known for itsadventure games.In 2006, the company became a subsidiary ofJoWooD Entertainment.In 2011, the companywent into administrationalong with its parent JoWooD and all assets were purchased byNordic Games Holding.The DreamCatcher Interactive brand is currently being used as a publishing label for THQ Nordic.[1]
 | |
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | 1996 |
| Founder | Richard Wah Kan |
| Defunct | 2011 |
| Fate | Dissolved with parent, assets acquired byNordic Games |
| Successor | THQ Nordic |
| Headquarters | Toronto,Ontario,Canada |
| Products | See products listing |
| Parent | JoWooD Entertainment (2006–2011) |
| Divisions | The Adventure Company |
History
editDreamCatcher Interactive was founded in 1996 atToronto,Canada. Its first published title wasJewels of the Oracle.[2]The company gradually drifted into becoming a publisher focused on the adventure genre after finding that "customers really were hungry for" these titles, according to DreamCatcher's Marshall Zwicker.Beyond Timewas among the releases whose reception drew the publisher to this field.[3]Profitreported that DreamCatcher located such projects via "networking at tradeshows and reviewing unsolicited game proposals."[2]In 1999, DreamCatcher pushed its corporate strategy by launchingNightlong: Union City Conspiracy,The Forgotten: It BeginsandThe Crystal Key.[3]The latter went on to a major hit.[2]DreamCatcher's top four titles for 2000 wereDracula: Resurrection,Traitors Gate,Beyond AtlantisandThe Crystal Key.These games respectively made up 9%, 14%, 15% and 32% of DreamCatcher's sales that year.[4]In March 2000, DreamCatcher was purchased byCryo Interactive.[5]Continuing the company's growth, in November 2000, DreamCatcher signed withHer Interactiveto publish theNancy Drewfranchise.[6]
In late 2002, most of the assets and development teams of French-based publisher,Cryo Interactivewere absorbed by DreamCatcher Interactive, forming the base for DreamCatcher Europe including key offices and a large internal studio.[7]By early 2003, DreamCatcher was the United States' tenth-biggest publisher of games.[8]After the acquisition of Cryo Interactive, Dreamcatcher created a publishing division calledThe Adventure Companyin early 2003. The company also partnered with bothWanadoo EditionandMicroïds,as well as other studios in the development and distribution of games includingSyberia,Still LifeandObsCure.[9]In 2005, the main Microïds studio was acquired byUbisoftwith Dreamcatcher retaining publishing rights to the games being created.[10]
The Adventure Company brand label under DreamCatcher has released many adventure game series' including series' based onAgatha Christienovels. They also recently signed to release a series of titles based onThe Hardy Boys.[11]Outside of adventure gaming, DreamCatcher is best known for publishing thefirst-person shooterPainkillerdeveloped withPeople Can Fly.Painkiller became a commercial success and was signed with theCPL World Tour 2005.[12]Dreamcatcher would also create another label, Silverline Software, around 2004 for the distribution of some non-core games and the publishing of utility software. Silverline Software would release the "Time to Ride" series of girl's horse games starting in 2004, which would later be acquired by Ubisoft.[citation needed]
In 2006,JoWooD Entertainmentannounced the purchase of DreamCatcher Games as a way of increasing their presence into the North American gaming market in addition to acquiring the company's key titles and licenses.[13]Since the acquisition, DreamCatcher Games has continued to launch titles both under The Adventure Company and DreamCatcher labels including new games created by JoWooD like theSpellForceseries. In 2011, JoWooD went into administration causing DreamCatcher to file for bankruptcy. In November 2011,Nordic Games Holdingannounced that they had acquired all DreamCatcher assets and would be turning it into a publishing label of their subsidiaryNordic Games.[14]Nordic Games Holding had previously acquired JoWooD and The Adventure Company in August also turning both brands into publishing labels of Nordic Games.[15][16]All business operations of this brand are being conducted out of THQ Nordic inVienna,Austria.[14]
Games
editNote: This list is for titles which DreamCatcher Interactive published. Releases of games underThe Adventure Companybanner are not included.
References
edit- ^"DREAMCATCHER INTERACTIVE INC. Trademark of THQ Nordic AB Serial Number: 75212375:: Trademarkia Trademarks".Archivedfrom the original on 2018-02-17.Retrieved2018-02-16.
- ^abcBaillie, Susanne."PROFIT100 2002 Company #5: DreamCatcher Interactive Inc ".Profit.Archived fromthe originalon June 19, 2002.
- ^abFournier, Heidi (January 14, 2000)."An exclusive interview with... Marshall Zwicker and Richard Wah Kan of DreamCatcher Interactive".Adventure Gamers.Archived fromthe originalon August 17, 2000.RetrievedJuly 29,2019.
- ^Document de référence 2000(PDF)(Report) (in French).Cryo Interactive.July 11, 2001. pp. 27, 33. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on July 4, 2003.
- ^Hong, Quang (March 3, 2000)."Cryo Acquires Dreamcatcher".Gamasutra.Archivedfrom the original on March 22, 2017.
- ^"DreamCatcher Publishes Nancy Drew".Archived fromthe originalon 2012-10-21.Retrieved2010-10-19.
- ^Absorbed Cyro InteractiveArchived2010-01-10 at theWayback Machine
- ^Bronstring, Marek (March 7, 2003)."The Adventure Company Europe".Adventure Gamers.Archived fromthe originalon October 23, 2005.RetrievedFebruary 4,2012.
- ^Dreamcatcher Publishes ObsCureArchived2011-06-15 at theWayback Machine
- ^Thorsen, Tor."Ubisoft subsumes Microids Canada".GameSpot.
- ^The Hardy Boys LicenseArchivedSeptember 1, 2010, at theWayback Machine
- ^Painkiller Added to Summer CPL ChampionshipArchivedJuly 19, 2008, at theWayback Machine
- ^Euro Adhoc JoWooD AcquisitionsArchived2011-07-21 at theWayback Machine
- ^ab"Nordic Games Holding AB Group acquires DreamCatcher".Nordic Games. 2011-11-17. Archived fromthe originalon 2011-12-21.Retrieved2011-12-11.
- ^"Nordic Games Holding AB Group Acquires JoWood & The Adventure Company".Nordic Games. 2011-08-16.Archivedfrom the original on 2012-01-18.Retrieved2011-08-17.
- ^"Nordic games acquires Jowood and The Adventure Company".AFJV(in French). 2011-08-21.Retrieved2024-04-29.
External links
edit- Official website(archived)
- DreamCatcher InteractiveatMobyGames