Carbonated Games
Encyclopedia
Carbonated Games was the first-party game developer
studio for Microsoft Casual Games in Microsoft Game Studios
. It was founded and run by Joshua Howard, and was active from 2004 until its disbanding on March 27, 2008. Carbonated Games developers were located in Redmond, WA; Hyderabad, India; and Beijing, China. Its alumni went on to Hidden City Games
, Microsoft Aces (Microsoft Flight Simulator
), Hourglass Games, the Microsoft Xbox Live Arcade
group, GameHouse
, Amazing Society, Realtime Worlds
, Playdom
, PopCap Games
and DigiPen Institute of Technology
. During its tenure, the studio created games for Xbox Live Arcade
, MSN Messenger, MSN Games
, and Microsoft Surface
, including:
Carbonated Games also shipped Backgammon, Chess, Checkers, Hearts, Spades, and other casual games. In addition, Carbonated was responsible for the Microsoft games that shipped with Windows Me
, Windows XP
, and Windows 7.
Video game developer
A video game developer is a software developer that creates video games. A developer may specialize in a certain video game console, such as Nintendo's Wii, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3, or may develop for a variety of systems, including personal computers.Most developers also...
studio for Microsoft Casual Games in Microsoft Game Studios
Microsoft Game Studios
Microsoft Studios is the video game production wing for Microsoft, responsible for the development and publishing of games for the Xbox, Xbox 360, Games for Windows and Windows Phone platforms. They were established in 2002 as Microsoft Game Studios to coincide with the release of the Xbox, before...
. It was founded and run by Joshua Howard, and was active from 2004 until its disbanding on March 27, 2008. Carbonated Games developers were located in Redmond, WA; Hyderabad, India; and Beijing, China. Its alumni went on to Hidden City Games
Hidden City Games
Hidden City Entertainment, formerly known as Hidden City Games, Inc., was founded in 2004 by Peter Adkison and Jesper Myrfors. The company, started in Seattle, Washington was originally founded for the sole purpose of publishing Clout Fantasy a game invented by Jesper Myrfors.Hidden City...
, Microsoft Aces (Microsoft Flight Simulator
Microsoft Flight Simulator
Microsoft Flight Simulator is a series of flight simulator programs for the Microsoft Windows operating system, although it was marketed as a video game. It is one of the longest-running, best-known and most comprehensive home flight simulator series...
), Hourglass Games, the Microsoft Xbox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Arcade is a type of video game download distribution available primarily in a section of the Xbox Live Marketplace, Microsoft's digital distribution network for the Xbox 360, that focuses on smaller downloadable games from both major publishers and independent game developers...
group, GameHouse
GameHouse
GameHouse is a casual game developer, publisher, digital video game distributor, and portal, based in Seattle, Washington, United States-History:...
, Amazing Society, Realtime Worlds
Realtime Worlds
Realtime Worlds Ltd was a video game developer based in Dundee, Scotland from 2002 until its closure in September 2010. Realtime Worlds was the largest independent game developer in Scotland with over 200 employees as well as a small Boulder, Colorado office....
, Playdom
Playdom
Playdom is an online social network game developer popular on Facebook and on MySpace; it is currently the largest social game developer on MySpace and one of the larger ones on Facebook. The company was founded in the San Francisco Bay Area by University of California, Berkeley graduates Ling Xiao...
, PopCap Games
PopCap Games
PopCap Games is an American video game developer and publisher, based in Seattle, Washington, United States. It was founded in 2000 by John Vechey, Brian Fiete and Jason Kapalka, and currently employs about 400 people...
and DigiPen Institute of Technology
DigiPen Institute of Technology
DigiPen Institute of Technology is a college located in Redmond, Washington which has a focus on computer science, computer engineering, and art with emphasis in creating video games.- History :...
. During its tenure, the studio created games for Xbox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Arcade is a type of video game download distribution available primarily in a section of the Xbox Live Marketplace, Microsoft's digital distribution network for the Xbox 360, that focuses on smaller downloadable games from both major publishers and independent game developers...
, MSN Messenger, MSN Games
MSN Games
MSN Games is an online games site devoted primarily to casual games, both stand-alone and multi-player online games. Games are available in free on-line versions, trial versions, and full feature pay-to-play versions...
, and Microsoft Surface
Microsoft Surface
Microsoft Surface is a multi-touch product from Microsoft which is developed as a software and hardware combination technology that allows a user, or multiple users, to manipulate digital content by the use of gesture recognition. This could involve the motion of hands or physical objects. It was...
, including:
- Fable II Pub GamesFable II Pub Games-Exploits:Fable II Pub Games had suffered various exploits that allowed players to earn millions of gold. Lionhead Studios acknowledged this and released a patch removing the glitch encountered on Fortune's Tower, along with a leader board reset for the minigame...
— Xbox 360Xbox 360The 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...
(2008); the last game created by the Carbonated studio - Flowerz -- MSN GamesMSN GamesMSN Games is an online games site devoted primarily to casual games, both stand-alone and multi-player online games. Games are available in free on-line versions, trial versions, and full feature pay-to-play versions...
(2008); the last game released under the Carbonated logo - Jigsaw Too -- MSN GamesMSN GamesMSN Games is an online games site devoted primarily to casual games, both stand-alone and multi-player online games. Games are available in free on-line versions, trial versions, and full feature pay-to-play versions...
(2008) - Hexic 2Hexic 2Hexic 2 is the sequel to Alexey Pajitnov's puzzle game Hexic, developed by Carbonated Games. It was released on August 15, 2007.-Gameplay:...
— Xbox 360Xbox 360The 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...
(2007) - Aegis WingAegis WingAegis Wing is an Xbox Live Arcade game developed by three Microsoft interns and Carbonated Games. It was released on May 16, 2007. The title is available free to all Xbox Live members in North America.-Plot:...
— Xbox 360Xbox 360The 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...
(2007) - Rock, Paper, Scissors -- MSN Messenger (2007)
- Tic Tac Toe -- MSN Messenger (2007)
- Firefly -- Microsoft SurfaceMicrosoft SurfaceMicrosoft Surface is a multi-touch product from Microsoft which is developed as a software and hardware combination technology that allows a user, or multiple users, to manipulate digital content by the use of gesture recognition. This could involve the motion of hands or physical objects. It was...
(2007) - Hop It! -- MSN GamesMSN GamesMSN Games is an online games site devoted primarily to casual games, both stand-alone and multi-player online games. Games are available in free on-line versions, trial versions, and full feature pay-to-play versions...
(2007) - Solitaire In Motion -- MSN GamesMSN GamesMSN Games is an online games site devoted primarily to casual games, both stand-alone and multi-player online games. Games are available in free on-line versions, trial versions, and full feature pay-to-play versions...
(2007) - GoPets -- MSN Messenger (2007)
- Jigsaw -- MSN Messenger (2007)
- Sudoku Too -- MSN GamesMSN GamesMSN Games is an online games site devoted primarily to casual games, both stand-alone and multi-player online games. Games are available in free on-line versions, trial versions, and full feature pay-to-play versions...
(2007) - Sudoku -- MSN Messenger (2006)
- Solitaire Showdown -- MSN Messenger (2006)
- Minesweeper Flags -- MSN Messenger (2006)
- Texas Hold 'Em Poker -- MSN GamesMSN GamesMSN Games is an online games site devoted primarily to casual games, both stand-alone and multi-player online games. Games are available in free on-line versions, trial versions, and full feature pay-to-play versions...
(2006) - Uno — Xbox 360Xbox 360The 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...
, MSN GamesMSN GamesMSN Games is an online games site devoted primarily to casual games, both stand-alone and multi-player online games. Games are available in free on-line versions, trial versions, and full feature pay-to-play versions...
, MSN Messenger (2006) - Hexic HD — Xbox 360Xbox 360The 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...
(2005) - Catan: The Computer Game -- MSN GamesMSN GamesMSN Games is an online games site devoted primarily to casual games, both stand-alone and multi-player online games. Games are available in free on-line versions, trial versions, and full feature pay-to-play versions...
(2005) - You Know It! Trivia -- MSN GamesMSN GamesMSN Games is an online games site devoted primarily to casual games, both stand-alone and multi-player online games. Games are available in free on-line versions, trial versions, and full feature pay-to-play versions...
(2005) - HexicHexicHexic is a puzzle game where the player tries to rotate hexagonal tiles to create certain patterns. The game was designed by Alexey Pajitnov, best known as the creator of Tetris. It was developed by Carbonated Games and is available online as part of MSN Games, as well as a downloadable deluxe...
— XboxXboxThe 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...
, MSN GamesMSN GamesMSN Games is an online games site devoted primarily to casual games, both stand-alone and multi-player online games. Games are available in free on-line versions, trial versions, and full feature pay-to-play versions...
, MSN Messenger - 7 Hand Poker — MSN Messenger
- Mozaki Blocks -- MSN GamesMSN GamesMSN Games is an online games site devoted primarily to casual games, both stand-alone and multi-player online games. Games are available in free on-line versions, trial versions, and full feature pay-to-play versions...
Carbonated Games also shipped Backgammon, Chess, Checkers, Hearts, Spades, and other casual games. In addition, Carbonated was responsible for the Microsoft games that shipped with Windows Me
Windows Me
Windows Millennium Edition, or Windows Me , is a graphical operating system released on September 14, 2000 by Microsoft, and was the last operating system released in the Windows 9x series. Support for Windows Me ended on July 11, 2006....
, Windows XP
Windows XP
Windows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it is the second most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base...
, and Windows 7.
External links
- Q&A: Carbonated Talks Uno!, Windows Live, Gamasutra.com
- A Carbonated Games photo blog by Rachel Rutherford, circa 2006
- A "Casually Speaking" interview with Carbonated Games producer Jason Mai on Solitaire In Motion, zone.msn.com
- A "Casually Speaking" interview with Carbonated Games developer Alexander Jhin on Hop It!, zone.msn.com
- A "Casually Speaking" interview with Carbonated Games developer Paul Furio, on Hop It!, zone.msn.com