Gremlin Interactive
 Logo used from 1994 to 2000 | |
| Formerly |
|
|---|---|
| Company type | Subsidiary |
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | 1984 |
| Founder |
|
| Defunct | 2003 |
| Fate | Dissolved by parent, former employees formedSumo Digital.Assets acquired byZoo Digital,later reacquired by Urbanscan. |
| Successor | Sumo Digital |
| Headquarters | , |
Key people | Paul Porter(studio manager) |
| Parent | Infogrames(1999-2003) |
Gremlin Graphics Software Limited,laterGremlin Interactive Limitedand ultimatelyInfogrames Studios Limited[1]was a Britishsoftware housebased inSheffield,working mostly in thehome computermarket. Like many software houses established in the 1980s, their primary market was the8-bitrange of computers such as theZX Spectrum,Amstrad CPC,MSX,Commodore 16andCommodore 64.The company was acquired by Frenchvideo game publisherInfogramesin 1999 and was renamed Infogrames Studios in 2000. Infogrames Studios closed down in 2003.
History
[edit]The company, originally a computer store called Just Micro, was established as a software house in 1984 with the name Gremlin Graphics Software Ltd by Ian Stewart and Kevin Norburn[2]withUS Gold'sGeoff Brown owning 75% of the company[3]: 65 until mid-1989.[4]Gremlin's early success was based on games such asWanted: Monty Molefor theZX SpectrumandThing on a Springfor theCommodore 64.[citation needed]
In 1994, it was renamed as Gremlin Interactive, now concentrating on the 16-bit, PC and console market.[5]Gremlin enjoyed major success with theZoolandPremier Managerseries in the early 1990s, and then withActua Soccer,the firstfootballgame in full3D;other successful games included theLotusracing series; a futuristic racing game,Motorhead;a stunt car racing game,Fatal Racing(1995); and the 1998 flight simulatorHardwar.FollowingEA's success with theEA Sportsbrand, Gremlin also released their own sports videogame series, addingGolf,TennisandIce Hockeyto theirActua Sportsseries. During this time, they used amotiffrom the Siegfried Funeral March fromGötterdämmerungas introductory music.
The company was floated on the stock market to raise funds.[6]
In 1997, Gremlin acquiredImagitec Design[7]andDMA Design(creators ofGrand Theft AutoandLemmings). In 1999, they themselves were bought byInfogramesfor around£24 million[8][9]and renamed "Infogrames Sheffield House". Infogrames closed the studio in 2003. The building they latterly occupied near Devonshire Green has since been demolished when Infogrames Sheffield House was supposed to be renamed "Atari Sheffield House". In October 2003,Zoo Digital,the successor company to Gremlin, purchased the company's assets from the now-namedAtari.[10]
Following the administration of Zoo Digital (later renamed Zushi Games), Gremlin Interactive's catalogue and name were bought up by Ian Stewart's new company Urbanscan.[11]
The Gremlin trademarks (including the g Gremlin logo) are now owned byWarner Bros Entertainment.[12][13][14]
Key staff
[edit]Gremlin staff had included:
- Kevin Bulmer– Designer/graphics artist
- Jon Harrison – Designer/graphics artist
- Gary Priest – Programmer
- Bill Allen – Programmer
- Richard Stevenson – Programmer
- David Martin – Marketing Director
- Ben Daglish– Outsourced Musician
- Ade Carless – Designer/graphics artist
- Shaun McClure – Graphics artist / Art Resource Manager
- Antony Crowther('Ratt') – Designer, programmer[2]
- Asad Habib – Lead Tester
- Paul Whitehead – Tester / Designer
- Ian Stewart – Managing director[15]
- Kevin Norburn – Operations director
- Patrick Phelan– Software manager/sound engineer
- Chris Harvey – Lead console programmer
- Wayne Laybourn – Artist
- Chris Shrigley – Designer / Programmer[16]
- Peter Harrap – Programmer[2]
- Chris Kerry – Programmer[2]
- Shaun Hollingworth – Programmer[2]
- MicroProjects Ltd (Jason Perkins, Mark Rogers, Anthony Clarke)
- Richard Hall – Production Manager
Video games
[edit]As Gremlin Interactive
[edit]- Monty Moleseries (1984–1990)
- Wanted: Monty Mole(1984)
- Monty Is Innocent(1985)
- Monty on the Run(1985)
- Auf Wiedersehen Monty(1987)
- Moley Christmas(1987)
- Impossamole(1990)
- Potty Pigeon(1984)
- Bounder(1985)
- Re-Bounder(1987)
- Grumpy Gumphrey Supersleuth(1985)
- Gauntlet(1985)
- Thing on a Spring(1985)
- Zone X(1985)
- Jack the Nipper(1986)
- Trailblazer(1986)
- Alternative World Games(1987)
- Basil the Great Mouse Detective(1987)
- Deflektor(1987)
- Gary Lineker's Superstar Soccer(1987)
- Technocop(1988)
- Motor Massacre(1988)
- Dark Fusion(1988)
- Mickey Mouse: The Computer Game(1988)
- The Muncher(1988)
- Axel's Magic Hammer(1989)
- Federation of Free Traders(1989)
- H.A.T.E.: Hostile All-Terrain Encounter(1989)
- Switchblade(1989)
- Switchblade II(1991)
- Lotusseries (1990–1992)
- Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge(1990)
- Lotus Turbo Challenge 2(1991)
- Lotus III: The Ultimate Challenge(1992)
- Skidz(1990)
- Super Cars(1990)
- Super Cars II(1991)
- Toyota Celica GT Rally(1990)
- Venus The Flytrap(1990)
- HeroQuest(1991)
- BSS Jane Seymour(akaSpacewrecked) (1990)
- Team Suzuki(1991)
- Utopia: The Creation of a Nation(1991)
- Harlequin(1992)
- Jeep Jamboree: Off Road Adventure(1992)
- Nigel Mansell's World Championship Racing(1992)
- Plan 9 from Outer Space(1992)
- Premier Managerseries (1992–2000)
- Premier Manager(1992)
- Premier Manager 2(1993)
- Premier Manager 3(1994)
- Premier Manager 97(1996)
- Premier Manager 98(1997)
- Premier Manager: Ninety Nine(1999)
- Space Crusade(1992)
- Top Gear(1992)
- Top Gear 2(1993)
- Top Gear 3000(1995)
- Zool(1992)
- Zool 2(1993)
- Jungle Strike(1993)
- Litil Divil(1993)
- Full Throttle: All-American Racing(1994)
- K240(1994)
- Newman/Haas IndyCar featuring Nigel Mansell(1994)
- Race Days(1994)
- Shadow Fighter(1994)
- Actua Sportsseries (1995–1999)
- Actua Soccer(1995)
- Actua Golf(1996)
- Actua Soccer 2(1997)
- Actua Golf 2(1998)
- Actua Ice Hockey(1998)
- Actua Tennis(1998)
- Actua Soccer 3(1998)
- Actua Pool(1999)
- Actua Ice Hockey 2(1999)
- Actua Golf 3(1999)
- UEFA Euro 96 England(1996)
- Fatal Racing(1995)
- Loaded(1995)
- Re-Loaded(1996)
- Slipstream 5000(1995)
- Normality(1996)
- Hardcore 4X4(1996)
- Fragile Allegiance(1996)
- Realms of the Haunting(1997)
- Monopoly(1997)
- Buggy(1998)
- Motorhead(1998)
- N2O(1998)
- Body Harvest(1998)
- Hardwar(1998)
- Wild Metal Country(1999)
- Soulbringer(2000)
As Infogrames Sheffield House
[edit]| Year | Title | Platform(s) | Publisher(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | PGA European Tour Golf | PlayStation | Infogrames |
| 2000 | Premier Manager 2000 | ||
| Hogs of War | PlayStation,Windows | ||
| PGA European Tour Golf | Nintendo 64 | ||
| Wacky Races | Dreamcast | ||
| 2001 | UEFA Challenge | PlayStation,PlayStation 2,Windows | |
| Wacky Races: Starring Dastardly and Muttley | PlayStation 2 | ||
| 2002 | Slam Tennis | PlayStation 2,Xbox | |
| Superman: Shadow of Apokolips | PlayStation 2 | ||
| Micro Machines | PlayStation 2,Xbox | ||
| 2003 | Superman: Shadow of Apokolips | GameCube | |
| Micro Machines(2002) |
See also
[edit]- Sumo Digital:Game developer founded by former members of Gremlin management.
- Martech:Video game publisher founded in the 1980s by David Martin.
References
[edit]- ^"INFOGRAMES STUDIOS LIMITED – Overview (free company information from Companies House)".beta.companieshouse.gov.uk.Archived fromthe originalon 22 July 2018.Retrieved8 June2017.
- ^abcde"CRASH 18 – Gremlin Graphics".www.crashonline.org.uk.
- ^Wilkins, Chris; Kean, Roger M (2015).The Story Of U.S. Gold.Fusion Retro Books. p. 69.ISBN9780993131530.
- ^"Snippets".New Computer Express.Future Publishing. 5 August 1989. p. 5.Retrieved5 December2021.
- ^"Planet Sinclair: The Sinclair Industry: Publishers: Gremlin".www.nvg.ntnu.no.
- ^"A Gremlin in the Works".Bitmap Books.
- ^"Gremlin Buy Imagitec".Sega Saturn Magazine.No. 18.Emap International Limited.April 1997. p. 7.
- ^"Zoo Digital: Ian Stewart – Startups.co.uk: Starting a business advice and business ideas".
- ^"Infogrames Buys UK Games Company Gremlin |Computergram International| Find Articles at BNET.com ".Findarticles.com. 1999. Archived fromthe originalon 22 March 2005.Retrieved2 November2009.
- ^"Investegate |Zoo Digital Group Announcements | Zoo Digital Group: Acquisition".Archived fromthe originalon 4 January 2022.Retrieved6 January2022.
- ^"Gremlin Graphics presents: Bounder's World and the return of Super Cars".22 July 2011.
- ^"GREMLIN – UK00001122987".trademarks.ipo.gov.uk.Retrieved13 February2023.
- ^"GREMLIN – UK00001313745".trademarks.ipo.gov.uk.Retrieved13 February2023.
- ^"g Gremlin – UK00002032262".trademarks.ipo.gov.uk.Retrieved13 February2023.
- ^"Gremlin founder Ian Stewart – RETRO GAMESMASTER".www.retrogamesmaster.co.uk.3 September 2016.
- ^@hardistymark, Mark James Hardisty."Search Results for" chris shrigley "– The Gremlin Graphics Archive".www.gremlinarchive.com.
External links
[edit]- Wayback Archive
- Gremlin Interactive profileArchived18 March 2017 at theWayback MachinefromMobyGames
