Gremlin Graphics Software Limited, later Gremlin Interactive Limited and ultimately Infogrames Studios Limited,[1] was a British software house based in Sheffield, working mostly in the home computer market. Like many software houses established in the 1980s, their primary market was the 8-bit range of computers such as the ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, MSX, Commodore 16 and Commodore 64. The company was acquired by French video game publisher Infogrames in 1999 and was renamed Infogrames Studios in 2000. Infogrames Studios closed down in 2003.
 Logo used from 1994 to 2000 | |
| Formerly |
|
|---|---|
| Company type | Subsidiary |
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | 1984 |
| Founder |
|
| Defunct | 2003 |
| Fate | Dissolved by parent, former employees formed Sumo Digital. Assets acquired by Zoo Digital, later reacquired by Urbanscan. |
| Successor | Sumo Digital |
| Headquarters | , |
Key people | Paul Porter (studio manager) |
| Parent | Infogrames (1999-2003) |
History
editThe 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] with US Gold's Geoff Brown owning 75% of the company[3]: 65 until mid-1989.[4] Gremlin's early success was based on games such as Wanted: Monty Mole for the ZX Spectrum and Thing on a Spring for the Commodore 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 the Zool and Premier Manager series in the early 1990s, and then with Actua Soccer, the first football game in full 3D; other successful games included the Lotus racing series; a futuristic racing game, Motorhead; a stunt car racing game, Fatal Racing (1995); and the 1998 flight simulator Hardwar. Following EA's success with the EA Sports brand, Gremlin also released their own sports videogame series, adding Golf, Tennis and Ice Hockey to their Actua Sports series. During this time, they used a motif from the Siegfried Funeral March from Götterdämmerung as introductory music.
The company was floated on the stock market to raise funds.[6]
In 1997, Gremlin acquired Imagitec Design[7] and DMA Design (creators of Grand Theft Auto and Lemmings). In 1999, they themselves were bought by Infogrames for 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-named Atari.[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 by Warner Bros Entertainment.[12][13][14]
Key staff
editGremlin 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
editAs Gremlin Interactive
edit- Monty Mole series (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)
- Lotus series (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 (aka Spacewrecked) (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 Manager series (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 Sports series (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 from the original on 22 July 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
- ^ a b c d e "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. ISBN 9780993131530.
- ^ "Snippets". New Computer Express. Future Publishing. 5 August 1989. p. 5. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
- ^ "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 from the original on 22 March 2005. Retrieved 2 November 2009.
- ^ "Investegate |Zoo Digital Group Announcements | Zoo Digital Group: Acquisition". Archived from the original on 4 January 2022. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
- ^ "Gremlin Graphics presents: Bounder's World and the return of Super Cars". 22 July 2011.
- ^ "GREMLIN – UK00001122987". trademarks.ipo.gov.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
- ^ "GREMLIN – UK00001313745". trademarks.ipo.gov.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
- ^ "g Gremlin – UK00002032262". trademarks.ipo.gov.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
- ^ "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 profile Archived 18 March 2017 at the Wayback Machine from MobyGames