Iconic Gamedev Studios of the 90s and How They Disappeared
The history of computer games isn't only about fondly-remembered titles and their sequels, but also about the studios and publishers behind them. Let's recall those most notable companies from the 1990s that, for various reasons, failed to survive.
Table of Contents
- Iconic Gamedev Studios of the 90s and How They Disappeared
- MicroProse
- Origin Systems
- Psygnosis
- Bullfrog Productions
- Sensible Software
- Westwood Studios
- Strategic Simulations, Inc. (aka SSI)
- Interplay Productions / Interplay Entertainment
- LucasArts Entertainment
- Other notable studios
Bullfrog Productions
What we remember it for: Syndicate, Magic Carpet, Dungeon Keeper
Years of operation: 1987–2001
The famous company led by none other than Peter Molyneux. He founded Bullfrog Productions in 1987. Today Molyneux is no longer such a high-profile figure in gaming, but his games are still among the cult-classics. The fame began with the second production of this studio, i.e. Populous for Amiga, released in 1989. The huge success of the game, which defined the god-games genre, which is a kind of playing god, gave the company significant momentum. Shortly thereafter, alongside the sequel to Populous, came the hilarious, cyberpunk game Syndicate , the addictive Theme Park and quaint Magic Carpet. It was a golden age for Bullfrog, then considered as one of the most innovative and creative dev teams in the world.
In 1995, the company was acquired by the former publisher of their games – Electronic Arts. It grew to 150 employees and Molyneux became the vice president of EA. However, he soon resigned, establishing his own studio. Bullfrog released another hit of the time – Dungeon Keeper – and a few other sequels.
How did the studio disappear?
After the release of Quake III: Arena on PS2 in 2001, Bullfrog was quietly incorporated into Electronic Arts' EA UK branch, which dissolved in 2011. The demise of Bullfrog also resulted in binning approximately 9 projects at different stages of development, including Dungeon Keeper 3, Theme Movie Studio and Genesis – another Populous-type games.
