505 Games
Encyclopedia
505 Games, formerly known as 505 Game Street, is an Italian
video game publishing
division of Italian
company Digital Bros. group founded in 2006. The company also maintains a UK
division in Milton Keynes
and a North American division in Los Angeles
opened in May 2008.
and North America
n territories for the PlayStation 2
, PlayStation 3
, Wii
, Xbox 360
, Nintendo DS
, PSP
, and Windows
operating system, and previously for the Game Boy Advance
, PlayStation
and Xbox
.
Some of the more high-profile games published by the company in PAL regions include IL2-Sturmovik, Cooking Mama
, ArmA: Armed Assault, ArmA II, Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life Special Edition, Magna Carta: Tears of Blood, Stella Deus: The Gate of Eternity
, Fashion Designer: Style Icon
and titles in the Bust-a-Move
and Armored Core
series. Additionally they have published certain more obscure niche titles, such as the games Graffiti Kingdom
and Michigan, which may not have gained a PAL release otherwise. The first game released by the US branch was a game adaptation of the film Hotel for Dogs
.
In addition to the full-price games, the company also published the Simply 20 line of budget titles for the PlayStation 2, most of which originate from D3 Publisher
's Simple 2000 series
. The range also includes games from companies other than D3, notably a large number of 2D shoot 'em up
s licensed through Taito
. However, D3 Publisher of Europe now has the European publishing rights to the Simple series, and it appears 505's Simply 20 line has been discontinued because of this. 505 Games' Australian distributor, Red Ant Enterprises
went into receivership on January 16, 2009 and many of their high profile publishers, Capcom
Europe and Konami
of Europe cut the distribution deals with Red Ant along with Rising Star Games
and other smaller publishers.
505 Games is working with several partners to develop games based on key intellectual properties, including games based on Grease
and Michael Phelps
. Over the years, 505 Games has formed strategic partnerships with Hasbro
, Sony
, Rolling Stone
, Warner Bros, Paramount
, 20th Century Fox
and Dreamworks
.
At E3 2011, it was announced that 505 Games would be publishing Blackwater.
As revealed on the DVD Johnny Test
: Super Smarty Pants, 505 Games is currently making a video game for the Nintendo DS
based on the cartoon Johnny Test
.
and Fire Pro Wrestling Returns
for example are officially released, but seem to have seen such a limited release only in France
and Italy
that many people are unsure of their very existence. Wild Arms 5
on the other hand has been announced at first for 30 November 2007, then been delayed until 22 February 2008, only to be released on 11 April 2008 in such limited quantities as the before mentioned games. Its predecessor Wild Arms 4
was also published by 505 Games, but suffered from a bug that would make the game crash if played in 50 Hz-mode. In early 2010, 505 Games has been criticized by customers for failing to release a game-fixing patch for the Xbox 360 version of IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey
, even though the same patch was released for the PS3 version. Comments by the developers of IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey
reveal that the patch has reportedly been finished, but has been sitting in limbo for months awaiting approval.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
video game publishing
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
division of Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
company Digital Bros. group founded in 2006. The company also maintains a UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
division in Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes...
and a North American division in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
opened in May 2008.
Published video games
Founded in 2006, 505 currently publishes games in PALPAL
PAL, short for Phase Alternating Line, is an analogue television colour encoding system used in broadcast television systems in many countries. Other common analogue television systems are NTSC and SECAM. This page primarily discusses the PAL colour encoding system...
and North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n territories for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
, Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
, PSP
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
, and Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
operating system, and previously for the Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
, PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
and Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
.
Some of the more high-profile games published by the company in PAL regions include IL2-Sturmovik, Cooking Mama
Cooking Mama
is a cookery simulation-styled minigame compilation video game for the Nintendo DS and iOS developed by Office Create and published by Taito, Majesco Entertainment, and 505 Games. It was awarded IGN's "Best Of E3" award for 2006 and was joined by a sequel for the DS, Cooking Mama 2: Dinner with...
, ArmA: Armed Assault, ArmA II, Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life Special Edition, Magna Carta: Tears of Blood, Stella Deus: The Gate of Eternity
Stella Deus: The Gate of Eternity
Stella Deus: The Gate of Eternity is a game for PlayStation 2 published in Japan by Atlus in North America by Atlus USA and in Europe by 505 Games. It is a Tactical RPG genre game with highly stylized artwork and animated cutscenes.-Gameplay:...
, Fashion Designer: Style Icon
Fashion Designer: Style Icon
Fashion Designer: Style Icon is a game for the Nintendo DS, developed by Creative Patterns and published by 505 Games. It was released on 9 November 2007.- Story :...
and titles in the Bust-a-Move
Puzzle Bobble
, also known as Bust-a-Move, is a 1994 arcade puzzle game created by Taito Corporation, based on Taito's popular 1986 arcade game Bubble Bobble, featuring characters and themes from the original...
and Armored Core
Armored Core
Armored Core is a mecha-based video game series developed by From Software for the PlayStation Portable, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Mobile Phone platforms. Armored Core games are Mecha Simulation/third-person shooters, in which the player pilots a large mecha called an...
series. Additionally they have published certain more obscure niche titles, such as the games Graffiti Kingdom
Graffiti Kingdom
Graffiti Kingdom, known as Rakugaki Ōkoku 2: Maōjō no Tatakai in Japan, is a video game by Taito Corporation and Garakuta Studio, which was published in America by Hot-B for the PlayStation 2 console.-Gameplay:...
and Michigan, which may not have gained a PAL release otherwise. The first game released by the US branch was a game adaptation of the film Hotel for Dogs
Hotel for Dogs (film)
Hotel for Dogs is a 2009 American children's comedy film based on the 1971 Lois Duncan novel of the same name. The film, directed by Thor Freudenthal and adapted by Jeff Lowell, Bob Schooley, and Mark McCorkle, stars Johnny Simmons, Emma Roberts, Jake T. Austin, Lisa Kudrow, Kevin Dillon, Kyla...
.
In addition to the full-price games, the company also published the Simply 20 line of budget titles for the PlayStation 2, most of which originate from D3 Publisher
D3 Publisher
D3Publisher is a Japanese video game publisher founded on February 5, 1992. Current CEO and president is Yuji Ito, and It is known for its Simple series of low-priced console games. Their games have been released for the Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 2,...
's Simple 2000 series
Simple series
The Simple series are a number of series of budget-priced console games, published by Japanese company D3 Publisher and developed by a variety of companies, covering many systems...
. The range also includes games from companies other than D3, notably a large number of 2D shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em up is a subgenre of shooter video games. In a shoot 'em up, the player controls a lone character, often in a spacecraft or aircraft, shooting large numbers of enemies while dodging their attacks. The genre in turn encompasses various types or subgenres and critics differ on exactly what...
s licensed through Taito
Taito Corporation
The is a Japanese publisher of video game software and arcade hardware wholly owned by publisher Square Enix. Taito has their headquarters in the Shinjuku Bunka Quint Building in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo, sharing the facility with its parent company....
. However, D3 Publisher of Europe now has the European publishing rights to the Simple series, and it appears 505's Simply 20 line has been discontinued because of this. 505 Games' Australian distributor, Red Ant Enterprises
Red Ant Enterprises
Red Ant Enterprises Pty Ltd was an Australian owned video game, anime, home video and PC software distributor. Red Ant is the largest such company in the country, as well as the local distributor for over 30 publishers that are based overseas, including 505 Games and Oxygen Games and previously...
went into receivership on January 16, 2009 and many of their high profile publishers, Capcom
Capcom
is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
Europe and Konami
Konami
is a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
of Europe cut the distribution deals with Red Ant along with Rising Star Games
Rising Star Games
Rising Star Games is a video games publisher formed as a joint business venture between Scandinavian distributor Bergsala and Japanese video game publisher and content developer Intergrow....
and other smaller publishers.
505 Games is working with several partners to develop games based on key intellectual properties, including games based on Grease
Grease (film)
Grease is a 1978 American musical film directed by Randal Kleiser and based on Warren Casey's and Jim Jacobs's 1971 musical of the same name about two lovers in a 1950s high school. The film stars John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Stockard Channing, and Jeff Conaway...
and Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps
Michael Fred Phelps is an American swimmer who has, overall, won 16 Olympic medals—six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008, becoming the most successful athlete at both of these Olympic Games editions...
. Over the years, 505 Games has formed strategic partnerships with Hasbro
Hasbro
Hasbro is a multinational toy and boardgame company from the United States of America. It is one of the largest toy makers in the world. The corporate headquarters is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States...
, Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
, Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
, Warner Bros, Paramount
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
, 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
and Dreamworks
DreamWorks
DreamWorks Pictures, also known as DreamWorks, LLC, DreamWorks SKG, DreamWorks II Distribution Co., LLC, DreamWorks Studios or DW Studios, LLC, is an American film studio which develops, produces, and distributes films, video games and television programming...
.
At E3 2011, it was announced that 505 Games would be publishing Blackwater.
As revealed on the DVD Johnny Test
Johnny Test
Johnny Test is an American/Canadian animated television series. It premiered on Kids' WB, on The WB Television Network, on September 17, 2005. Five months later, it was introduced to Cartoon Network UK on January 12, 2006, first, as a sneak preview on Jungle Saturdays Block, and then on June 5,...
: Super Smarty Pants, 505 Games is currently making a video game for the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
based on the cartoon Johnny Test
Johnny Test
Johnny Test is an American/Canadian animated television series. It premiered on Kids' WB, on The WB Television Network, on September 17, 2005. Five months later, it was introduced to Cartoon Network UK on January 12, 2006, first, as a sneak preview on Jungle Saturdays Block, and then on June 5,...
.
Online game portal
505 Games was also involved with the GameTribe online gaming portal, which contained Asian imports: Bust a Move Online, Kicks, KongKong and Dream of Mirror Online. The site was closed down in 2009.Criticism
The company has been criticized for their unclear publishing methods particularly regarding niche Japanese titles; the PAL-versions of Ar Tonelico, Raw DangerRaw Danger
Raw Danger!, known in Japan as is an action adventure survival game for the PlayStation 2 that was first released on March 30, 2006 in Japan by Irem, and was later released by Agetec on June 8, 2007 in Europe and on June 19, 2007 in North America...
and Fire Pro Wrestling Returns
Fire Pro Wrestling Returns
Fire Pro Wrestling Returns is a professional wrestling video game that was released in 2005 in Japan, and was released on November 13, 2007 in North America and February 8, 2008 in Italy. The game is part of the Fire Pro Wrestling series.As the title suggests, the game marks Spike's return to 2D...
for example are officially released, but seem to have seen such a limited release only in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
that many people are unsure of their very existence. Wild Arms 5
Wild Arms 5
Wild Arms 5, released in Japan as , is the fifth video game in the Wild Arms series of role-playing games. The game celebrates the series' 10th anniversary by featuring cameo appearances of characters from the previous games. Produced by Media.Vision for the Sony PlayStation 2 platform, it was...
on the other hand has been announced at first for 30 November 2007, then been delayed until 22 February 2008, only to be released on 11 April 2008 in such limited quantities as the before mentioned games. Its predecessor Wild Arms 4
Wild Arms 4
Wild Arms 4, known in Japan as , also known as Wild Arms Another Code: F at one point in production , is a role-playing game developed by Media.Vision and the fourth installment in the Wild Arms video game series...
was also published by 505 Games, but suffered from a bug that would make the game crash if played in 50 Hz-mode. In early 2010, 505 Games has been criticized by customers for failing to release a game-fixing patch for the Xbox 360 version of IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey
IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey
IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey, or Wings of Prey on the PC, is a combat flight simulator video game. As with previous installments of the PC series IL-2 Sturmovik, it depicts combat aircraft from World War II...
, even though the same patch was released for the PS3 version. Comments by the developers of IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey
IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey
IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey, or Wings of Prey on the PC, is a combat flight simulator video game. As with previous installments of the PC series IL-2 Sturmovik, it depicts combat aircraft from World War II...
reveal that the patch has reportedly been finished, but has been sitting in limbo for months awaiting approval.
External links
- 505 Games sites: UK, US
- Archived 505 Game Street site
- Digital Bros
- Game list - includes release dates and Japanese names (no longer updated as of June 2007)
- 505 Game list Continued - Playstation Collecting Community topic on the 505 Game Street releases for the Playstation 2, continued from the link above