Ninja Theory
Encyclopedia
Ninja Theory, Ltd. is a video game developer
based in Cambridge
, England
. Originally founded as Just Add Monsters in March 2000, the company was purchased by former Argonaut Games
CEO Jez San
in November 2004. The team developed its first game, Kung Fu Chaos
, in 2003 exclusively for the Xbox
, which was published by Microsoft Game Studios
.
Ninja Theory's second game, Heavenly Sword
for the Sony
PlayStation 3
was released in September 2007 and features a "free style" combat action system. The developer was nominated for five Develop Industry Excellence Awards for the game including best new IP, visual arts, audio accomplishment, technical innovation, and best independent developer.
In June 2008, the company licensed NaturalMotion
's morpheme animation system.
Ninja Theory's third game, titled Enslaved: Odyssey to the West
, was released for both the PlayStation 3
and Xbox 360
and was published by Namco Bandai Games
. Previously, Enslaved was believed to be a sequel to Heavenly Sword until Ninja Theory confirmed otherwise; stating that such a game is "extremely unlikely".
At the Capcom
Tokyo Games Show conference on September 15, 2010, it was announced that Ninja Theory are currently developing a prequel of the Devil May Cry
franchise, simply called DmC
.
, however soon after the announcement was made, the BBC reported that Sony Computer Entertainment had signed them up to make an exclusive video game for the upcoming PlayStation 3.
The teased Heavenly Sword 2 has been cancelled for the time being. In June 2010, Ninja Theory expressed their interest in making another title and commented that they would have made a sequel had Heavenly Sword performed better in sales.
Before the multi-platform release of Enslaved: Odyssey to the West; there were rumors claiming that the quality of the PS3 version was poor compared to the Xbox 360 version, although Ninja Theory recently addressed these rumors by stating, "I can re-assure you that through our development process neither format is favoured. In fact, all formats are developed simultaneously so it wouldn’t be possible for one format to be cared for more than the other." Despite this statement, the game was revealed to have overall inferior performance on the PS3 after release, with EuroGamer's Digital Foundry team recommending "if you own both consoles and have the choice of which version to buy, the Xbox 360 release is the one to get".
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...
based in Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Originally founded as Just Add Monsters in March 2000, the company was purchased by former Argonaut Games
Argonaut Games
Argonaut Games plc was a British video game developer. Founded as Argonaut Software by teenager Jez San in 1982 the company name is a play on his name and the movie title Jason and the Argonauts. It had its head offices in Edgware, London....
CEO Jez San
Jez San
Jeremy 'Jez' San OBE is an English game programmer and entrepreneur who founded Argonaut Software as a teenager in the 1980s. He is also a writer and helped design the Super FX chip for the Super NES.-Biography:...
in November 2004. The team developed its first game, Kung Fu Chaos
Kung Fu Chaos
Kung Fu Chaos is a 3D third-person platform game developed by Just Add Monsters and published by Microsoft Game Studios. It was released for the Xbox on February 25, 2003 in the U.S.A.- Plot :...
, in 2003 exclusively for the 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...
, which was published by 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...
.
Ninja Theory's second game, Heavenly Sword
Heavenly Sword
Heavenly Sword is a video game developed by Ninja Theory exclusively for the PlayStation 3 console and published by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe...
for the 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....
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...
was released in September 2007 and features a "free style" combat action system. The developer was nominated for five Develop Industry Excellence Awards for the game including best new IP, visual arts, audio accomplishment, technical innovation, and best independent developer.
In June 2008, the company licensed NaturalMotion
NaturalMotion
NaturalMotion is a software company with offices in Oxford and San Francisco. Founded in November 2001 as a spin-off of Oxford University, the company specialises in creating animation technology for the game and film industries.-Technology:...
's morpheme animation system.
Ninja Theory's third game, titled Enslaved: Odyssey to the West
Enslaved (video game)
Enslaved: Odyssey to the West is an action adventure platform game developed by Ninja Theory and published by Namco Bandai Games. It was released on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on October 5, October 7 and October 8, 2010 in North America, Australia, Japan and Europe respectively.The story is a...
, was released for both the 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...
and 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...
and was published by Namco Bandai Games
Namco Bandai Games
is an arcade, mobile and home video game developer and publisher based in Japan which is the product of a merger between the video game development divisions of Bandai and Namco. Namco Bandai Games is a wholly owned subsidiary of Namco Bandai Holdings and specializes in production and sales of...
. Previously, Enslaved was believed to be a sequel to Heavenly Sword until Ninja Theory confirmed otherwise; stating that such a game is "extremely unlikely".
At the 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...
Tokyo Games Show conference on September 15, 2010, it was announced that Ninja Theory are currently developing a prequel of the Devil May Cry
Devil May Cry
is an action game developed and published by Capcom, released in 2001 for the PlayStation 2. Although it is the first game in the series of the same name, the events in Devil May Cry are second in the series storyline's chronological order, taking place after Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening and...
franchise, simply called DmC
DmC (video game)
DmC Devil May Cry is an upcoming action game developed by Ninja Theory and published by Capcom for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. It will be the first title in the series not to be developed internally at Capcom...
.
Games
- Kung Fu ChaosKung Fu ChaosKung Fu Chaos is a 3D third-person platform game developed by Just Add Monsters and published by Microsoft Game Studios. It was released for the Xbox on February 25, 2003 in the U.S.A.- Plot :...
(as Just Add Monsters) (2003) - Heavenly SwordHeavenly SwordHeavenly Sword is a video game developed by Ninja Theory exclusively for the PlayStation 3 console and published by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe...
(2007) - Enslaved: Odyssey to the West (2010)
- DmCDmC (video game)DmC Devil May Cry is an upcoming action game developed by Ninja Theory and published by Capcom for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. It will be the first title in the series not to be developed internally at Capcom...
(2012)
Exclusive relationship with Sony Computer Entertainment
In May 2005, Ninja Theory were on the verge of becoming defunct due to the collapse of the gaming studio Argonaut GamesArgonaut Games
Argonaut Games plc was a British video game developer. Founded as Argonaut Software by teenager Jez San in 1982 the company name is a play on his name and the movie title Jason and the Argonauts. It had its head offices in Edgware, London....
, however soon after the announcement was made, the BBC reported that Sony Computer Entertainment had signed them up to make an exclusive video game for the upcoming PlayStation 3.
The teased Heavenly Sword 2 has been cancelled for the time being. In June 2010, Ninja Theory expressed their interest in making another title and commented that they would have made a sequel had Heavenly Sword performed better in sales.
Before the multi-platform release of Enslaved: Odyssey to the West; there were rumors claiming that the quality of the PS3 version was poor compared to the Xbox 360 version, although Ninja Theory recently addressed these rumors by stating, "I can re-assure you that through our development process neither format is favoured. In fact, all formats are developed simultaneously so it wouldn’t be possible for one format to be cared for more than the other." Despite this statement, the game was revealed to have overall inferior performance on the PS3 after release, with EuroGamer's Digital Foundry team recommending "if you own both consoles and have the choice of which version to buy, the Xbox 360 release is the one to get".