Digital Extremes
Encyclopedia
Digital Extremes is a Canadian
computer and video game developer
founded in 1993 by James Schmalz, specifically noted for its part in the highly successful Unreal series
of games. Digital Extremes' office is in London, Ontario
.
computer. After official founding Digital Extremes in 1993, the company began development on Unreal
, and continued to develop sequels within the Unreal
franchise, including Unreal Tournament
, Unreal Championship
, Unreal Tournament 2003
, and Unreal Tournament 2004
. Following the success of the Unreal games, Digital Extremes completed development on its own IP for the new generation of consoles, Dark Sector
. Released in 2008, Dark Sector used Digital Extremes proprietary engine, the Evolution Engine.
Following Dark Sector, Digital Extremes completed a PS3 port of 2K
's Bioshock
, as well as handling the Multiplayer component of sequel Bioshock 2
. Since then, Digital Extremes has been developing simultaneous projects: 2K's The Darkness II
and Paramount Digital Entertainment's Star Trek.
In between the development of these games, Digital Extremes completed the PC Multiplayer component of THQ
's first person shooter Homefront
.
, and is currently being used on in-development games, including The Darkness II
and Star Trek.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
computer and video game developer
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...
founded in 1993 by James Schmalz, specifically noted for its part in the highly successful Unreal series
Unreal series
Unreal is a series of first-person shooter video games developed by Epic Games. The series is also known for its exhibition of the Unreal Engine that powers the games and is available for other developers to license...
of games. Digital Extremes' office is in London, Ontario
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
.
History
Founded in 1993 by James Schmalz, Digital Extremes has grown from a small company of just it's founder to a studio that now employs, as of September 2011, over 150 people. Founder James Schmalz began developing games at the age of 12, creating an Ultima clone called Sorcery on an Apple IIeApple IIe
The Apple IIe is the third model in the Apple II series of personal computers produced by Apple Computer. The e in the name stands for enhanced, referring to the fact that several popular features were now built-in that were only available as upgrades and add-ons in earlier models...
computer. After official founding Digital Extremes in 1993, the company began development on Unreal
Unreal
Unreal is a first-person shooter video game developed by Epic MegaGames and Digital Extremes and published by GT Interactive in May 1998...
, and continued to develop sequels within the Unreal
Unreal
Unreal is a first-person shooter video game developed by Epic MegaGames and Digital Extremes and published by GT Interactive in May 1998...
franchise, including Unreal Tournament
Unreal Tournament
Unreal Tournament is a futuristic first-person shooter video game co-developed by Epic Games and Digital Extremes. It was published in 1999 by GT Interactive. Retrospectively, the game has also been referred to as UT99 or UT Classic to differentiate it from its numbered sequels...
, Unreal Championship
Unreal Championship
Unreal Championship is a first-person shooter video game co-developed by Epic Games and Digital Extremes. It was published by Infogrames and released on November 12, 2002, for the Xbox. Unreal Championship is essentially a console version game of the PC-based Unreal Tournament 2003, developed...
, Unreal Tournament 2003
Unreal Tournament 2003
Unreal Tournament 2003 or UT2003 is a first-person shooter video game designed mainly for multiplayer gaming. The game is part of the Unreal franchise's series of games, and is a sequel to Unreal Tournament ....
, and Unreal Tournament 2004
Unreal Tournament 2004
Unreal Tournament 2004, also known as UT2K4 and UT2004, is a futuristic first-person shooter computer game developed by Epic Games and Digital Extremes...
. Following the success of the Unreal games, Digital Extremes completed development on its own IP for the new generation of consoles, Dark Sector
Dark Sector
Dark Sector is a third-person shooter video game for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Windows developed by Digital Extremes. The game was released on March 25, 2008, in North America, March 27, 2008, in Japan and April 4, 2008, in Europe....
. Released in 2008, Dark Sector used Digital Extremes proprietary engine, the Evolution Engine.
Following Dark Sector, Digital Extremes completed a PS3 port of 2K
2K Games
2K is a global developer, marketer, distributor and publisher of interactive entertainment software games. 2K Games is a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive, which also owns Rockstar Games notable for the Grand Theft Auto series...
's Bioshock
Bioshock
BioShock is a first-person shooter video game developed by 2K Boston and designed by Ken Levine. It was released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 on August 21, 2007 in North America, and three days later in Europe and Australia. It became available on Steam on August 21, 2007...
, as well as handling the Multiplayer component of sequel Bioshock 2
BioShock 2
BioShock 2 is a first-person shooter video game developed by 2K Marin for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The sequel to the 2007 video game BioShock, it was released worldwide on February 9, 2010....
. Since then, Digital Extremes has been developing simultaneous projects: 2K's The Darkness II
The Darkness II
The Darkness II is the upcoming sequel to 2007's The Darkness. It is being developed by Digital Extremes, published by 2K Games and written by Paul Jenkins...
and Paramount Digital Entertainment's Star Trek.
In between the development of these games, Digital Extremes completed the PC Multiplayer component of THQ
THQ
THQ Inc. is an American developer and publisher of video games. Founded in 1989 in the United States, the company develops products for video game consoles, handheld game systems, as well as for personal computers and wireless devices...
's first person shooter Homefront
Homefront (video game)
Homefront is a first-person shooter video game developed by now defunct Kaos Studios and published by THQ, in which players play as members of a resistance movement fighting against a near-future Korean military occupation of the United States. The story was written by John Milius, who co-wrote...
.
Evolution Engine
The Evolution Engine is Digital Extremes' proprietary engine. The engine was first used on Dark SectorDark Sector
Dark Sector is a third-person shooter video game for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Windows developed by Digital Extremes. The game was released on March 25, 2008, in North America, March 27, 2008, in Japan and April 4, 2008, in Europe....
, and is currently being used on in-development games, including The Darkness II
The Darkness II
The Darkness II is the upcoming sequel to 2007's The Darkness. It is being developed by Digital Extremes, published by 2K Games and written by Paul Jenkins...
and Star Trek.
Games developed/co-developed
- Solar WindsSolar WindsSolar Winds I & II were top down, space-based action games released in the early-1990s.In Solar Winds, you are Jake Stone, a bounty hunter who, through several missions, uncovers a secret coalition between the government of your home solar system and a race of unidentified aliens...
– PC (1993) - Epic PinballEpic PinballEpic Pinball is a 1993 pinball video game developed by James Schmalz and published by Epic MegaGames . The initial release pre-dated Schmalz' Digital Extremes name. The game is played seen from a 2D top-down view within a scrollable window with plain raster graphics in 320x240. The music is created...
– PC (1993) - SilverballSilverballSilverball is a 1993 pinball computer game developed by Digital Extremes and Epic Games and published by MicroLeague. It is basically a set of Epic Pinball tables distributed through retail...
– PC (1993) - Extreme PinballExtreme PinballExtreme Pinball is a 1995 pinball video game published by Electronic Arts for DOS and PlayStation. It was the first game developed by Digital Extremes, though founder James Schmalz had also previously created Silverball and Epic Pinball in 1993. It was released via PlayStation Network in...
– PC (1995) - UnrealUnrealUnreal is a first-person shooter video game developed by Epic MegaGames and Digital Extremes and published by GT Interactive in May 1998...
– PC (1998) - Unreal TournamentUnreal TournamentUnreal Tournament is a futuristic first-person shooter video game co-developed by Epic Games and Digital Extremes. It was published in 1999 by GT Interactive. Retrospectively, the game has also been referred to as UT99 or UT Classic to differentiate it from its numbered sequels...
– PC (1999), PS2/Dreamcast (2000) - Unreal ChampionshipUnreal ChampionshipUnreal Championship is a first-person shooter video game co-developed by Epic Games and Digital Extremes. It was published by Infogrames and released on November 12, 2002, for the Xbox. Unreal Championship is essentially a console version game of the PC-based Unreal Tournament 2003, developed...
– 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...
(2002) - Adventure Pinball: Forgotten IslandAdventure Pinball: Forgotten IslandAdventure Pinball: Forgotten Island is a pinball video game released in 2001 by Electronic Arts for the PC only.-Gameplay: The game uses the Unreal engine which was previously only used for first-person shooter games. It provided a fresh new gameplay experience for its time, especially in the...
– PC (2001) - Unreal Tournament 2003Unreal Tournament 2003Unreal Tournament 2003 or UT2003 is a first-person shooter video game designed mainly for multiplayer gaming. The game is part of the Unreal franchise's series of games, and is a sequel to Unreal Tournament ....
– PC (2002) - Unreal Tournament 2004Unreal Tournament 2004Unreal Tournament 2004, also known as UT2K4 and UT2004, is a futuristic first-person shooter computer game developed by Epic Games and Digital Extremes...
– PC (2004) - Pariah – PC/Xbox (2005)
- WarpathWarpath (video game)Warpath is a budget-priced first-person shooter video game developed by Digital Extremes, who previously developed Pariah. The game was originally being developed as a sequel to Pariah, but since Pariah was a commercial flop, Warpath continued development as a whole new game...
– PC/Xbox (2006) - Dark SectorDark SectorDark Sector is a third-person shooter video game for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Windows developed by Digital Extremes. The game was released on March 25, 2008, in North America, March 27, 2008, in Japan and April 4, 2008, in Europe....
– PS3/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), PC (2009) - BioShockBioshockBioShock is a first-person shooter video game developed by 2K Boston and designed by Ken Levine. It was released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 on August 21, 2007 in North America, and three days later in Europe and Australia. It became available on Steam on August 21, 2007...
– PS3 (2008) - BioShock 2BioShock 2BioShock 2 is a first-person shooter video game developed by 2K Marin for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The sequel to the 2007 video game BioShock, it was released worldwide on February 9, 2010....
- PC/PS3/Xbox 360 (Multiplayer section, 2010) - HomefrontHomefront (video game)Homefront is a first-person shooter video game developed by now defunct Kaos Studios and published by THQ, in which players play as members of a resistance movement fighting against a near-future Korean military occupation of the United States. The story was written by John Milius, who co-wrote...
– PC (2011) - The Darkness IIThe Darkness IIThe Darkness II is the upcoming sequel to 2007's The Darkness. It is being developed by Digital Extremes, published by 2K Games and written by Paul Jenkins...
– PC/PS3/Xbox 360 (2012) In development - Star Trek – PC/PS3/Xbox 360 (2012) In development