Ritual Entertainment
Encyclopedia
Ritual Entertainment was a computer game software developer established in 1996 by Robert Atkins
, Mark Dochtermann, Jim Dosé, Richard 'Levelord' Gray
, Michael Hadwin, Harry Miller
and Tom Mustaine. Based in Dallas, Texas, Ritual was formerly known as Hipnotic Interactive, during which period they began development of their signature computer game SiN
.
Members of the Ritual development team have contributed game assets to other titles such as American McGee's Alice
, Medal of Honor: Airborne
, Tomb Raider: Legend and 25 to Life
and are also the creators of "Übertools" for id Tech 3, which has been licensed for a number of other games.
On January 24, 2007, developer MumboJumbo
announced the acquisition of Ritual Entertainment. With this acquisition Ritual's focus on traditional action-oriented games was changed to casual game
s essentially "stalling" Ritual's latest game series, SiN Episodes
after releasing only one episode out of a planned nine.
The purchase followed months of departures of several key employees including chief executive officer Steve Nix who became director of business development at id Software
, vice president and co-founder Tom Mustaine who left to found Escalation Studios. Several months after the acquisition, community relations manager Steve Hessel left the company to join Splash Damage
.
Prior to the announcement, on December 6, 2006, Ritual announced the appointment of Ken Harward as the company's new studio director.
Robert Atkins
Robert Atkins may refer to:* Robert Atkins , American physician noted for the Atkins diet* Robert Atkins , British film and theatre actor...
, Mark Dochtermann, Jim Dosé, Richard 'Levelord' Gray
Richard Gray (game designer)
Richard "The Levelord" Gray is a video game designer who is best known for designing levels for 3D video games. His most famous works are perhaps the levels for Duke Nukem 3D, and SiN...
, Michael Hadwin, Harry Miller
Harry Miller
Harry Miller may refer to:*Harry Miller , American basketball player *Harry Miller , American college basketball coach at North Texas, Wichita State, Stephen F...
and Tom Mustaine. Based in Dallas, Texas, Ritual was formerly known as Hipnotic Interactive, during which period they began development of their signature computer game SiN
SiN
SiN is a computer game first-person shooter based on a modified version of the Quake II engine developed by Ritual Entertainment and published by Activision in late 1998...
.
Members of the Ritual development team have contributed game assets to other titles such as American McGee's Alice
American McGee's Alice
American McGee's Alice is a third-person action game released for PC on October 6, 2000. The game, developed by Rogue Entertainment and published by Electronic Arts, is set in an alternative universe of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland...
, Medal of Honor: Airborne
Medal of Honor: Airborne
Medal of Honor: Airborne is a World War II first-person shooter computer game and the 11th installment of the Medal of Honor series. It was developed by EA Los Angeles and was released worldwide on the PC and Xbox 360 in September 2007. A PS2 and Wii version was set to be released but was cancelled...
, Tomb Raider: Legend and 25 to Life
25 To Life
25 To Life is a third-person shooter video game for Windows, PlayStation 2 and Xbox released in 2006. The game was developed by Avalanche Software and Ritual Entertainment, and was published by Eidos Interactive....
and are also the creators of "Übertools" for id Tech 3, which has been licensed for a number of other games.
On January 24, 2007, developer MumboJumbo
MumboJumbo
Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, MumboJumbo LLC is a publisher, developer and mass marketer of casual games for PCs and game consoles including those manufactured by Nintendo, Sony Computer Entertainment and Microsoft Corporation. Established in January 2001 they originally focused exclusively on...
announced the acquisition of Ritual Entertainment. With this acquisition Ritual's focus on traditional action-oriented games was changed to casual game
Casual game
A casual game is a video game targeted at or used by a mass audience of casual gamers. Casual games can have any type of gameplay, and fit in any genre. They are typically distinguished by their simple rules and lack of commitment required in contrast to more complex hardcore games...
s essentially "stalling" Ritual's latest game series, SiN Episodes
SiN Episodes
SiN Episodes is the title of a series of episodic games for the PC that would have expanded upon the 1998 computer game SiN. A total of nine episodes were planned with only the first one released...
after releasing only one episode out of a planned nine.
The purchase followed months of departures of several key employees including chief executive officer Steve Nix who became director of business development at id Software
Id Software
Id Software is an American video game development company with its headquarters in Richardson, Texas. The company was founded in 1991 by four members of the computer company Softdisk: programmers John Carmack and John Romero, game designer Tom Hall, and artist Adrian Carmack...
, vice president and co-founder Tom Mustaine who left to found Escalation Studios. Several months after the acquisition, community relations manager Steve Hessel left the company to join Splash Damage
Splash Damage
Splash Damage is an independently-owned British game development company that specializes in multiplayer first-person shooter games. The studio is best known as the creator of the Enemy Territory franchise for id Software.-History:...
.
Prior to the announcement, on December 6, 2006, Ritual announced the appointment of Ken Harward as the company's new studio director.
Games developed by Ritual Entertainment
- Quake Mission Pack: Scourge of Armagon (1. expansion packExpansion packAn expansion pack, expansion set, or supplement is an addition to an existing role-playing game, tabletop game or video game. These add-ons usually add new game areas, weapons, objects, and/or an extended storyline to a complete and already released game...
) – (1997) (PCIBM PC compatibleIBM PC compatible computers are those generally similar to the original IBM PC, XT, and AT. Such computers used to be referred to as PC clones, or IBM clones since they almost exactly duplicated all the significant features of the PC architecture, facilitated by various manufacturers' ability to...
) developed as Hipnotic Interactive - SiNSiNSiN is a computer game first-person shooter based on a modified version of the Quake II engine developed by Ritual Entertainment and published by Activision in late 1998...
– (1998) (PC (WindowsMicrosoft WindowsMicrosoft 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...
and LinuxLinuxLinux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
), Linux on PowerPCPowerPCPowerPC is a RISC architecture created by the 1991 Apple–IBM–Motorola alliance, known as AIM...
) both Linux versions portedPortingIn computer science, porting is the process of adapting software so that an executable program can be created for a computing environment that is different from the one for which it was originally designed...
by Hyperion EntertainmentHyperion EntertainmentHyperion Entertainment CVBA is a Belgian software company which in its early years focused in porting Windows games to Amiga, Linux and Macintosh. Later on, they were contracted by Amiga Incorporated to develop AmigaOS 4 and retired from the gaming business... - Heavy Metal: F.A.K.K.²Heavy Metal: F.A.K.K.²Heavy Metal: F.A.K.K.² is a third-person shooter video game made by Ritual Entertainment in 2000. A sequel to the Heavy Metal 2000 animated movie, the game stars Julie in her quest to save her home planet of Eden from GITH, an ancient entity seeking to conquer the universe...
– (2000) (PC (Windows and Linux), Mac (Mac OSMac OSMac OS is a series of graphical user interface-based operating systems developed by Apple Inc. for their Macintosh line of computer systems. The Macintosh user experience is credited with popularizing the graphical user interface...
and Mac OS XMac OS XMac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
), Dreamcast) Linux version ported by Loki SoftwareLoki SoftwareLoki Software, Inc. was a software firm based in Tustin, California, United States, that ported several video games from Microsoft Windows to Linux...
, Mac OS Classic version ported by Contraband Entertainment, Mac OS X version ported by The Omni GroupThe Omni GroupThe Omni Group is a company that develops software for the Mac OS X platform. The Omni Group was informally founded as a NEXTSTEP consulting company in 1989 by Wil Shipley, who immediately brought on Ken Case and Tim Wood. The three incorporated together under the name Omni Development, Inc. in... - Blair Witch Volume 3: The Elly Kedward Tale – (2000) (PC)
- SiN GoldSiNSiN is a computer game first-person shooter based on a modified version of the Quake II engine developed by Ritual Entertainment and published by Activision in late 1998...
(port) – (2000) (Mac) ported by Contraband Entertainment - Counter-Strike: Condition ZeroCounter-Strike: Condition ZeroCounter-Strike: Condition Zero is a multiplayer video game and the follow-up to Counter-Strike. The game was released in 2004 using the GoldSrc Half-Life engine. CS:CZ features a multiplayer mode, which features updated character models, textures, maps and other graphical tweaks...
– (PC) Ritual Entertainment was working on the title in 2002 after Gearbox SoftwareGearbox SoftwareGearbox Software, LLC is an American video game development company based in Plano, Texas.-History:Gearbox Software was founded in January 1999 by five members of the content team from the defunct developer Rebel Boat Rocker: Randy Pitchford, Brian Martel, Stephen Bahl, Landon Montgomery, and Rob...
and before Turtle Rock StudiosTurtle Rock StudiosTurtle Rock Studios is a video game developer founded in March 2002 by Michael Booth, later acquired by Valve Corporation. Turtle Rock Studios is involved in the creation of original titles as well as the provision of consulting services to the digital entertainment industry.Turtle Rock Studios is...
took over in mid-2003 - Star Trek: Elite Force IIStar Trek: Elite Force IIStar Trek: Elite Force II is a first-person shooter computer game developed by Ritual Entertainment and published by Activision. It was released on June 20, 2003 for Microsoft Windows. Elite Force II is a sequel to 2000's Star Trek: Voyager – Elite Force...
– (2003) (PC) - Counter-StrikeCounter-StrikeCounter-Strike is a tactical first-person shooter video game developed by Valve Corporation which originated from a Half-Life modification by Minh "Gooseman" Le and Jess "Cliffe" Cliffe...
(port) – (2003) (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...
) - Legacy of Kain: DefianceLegacy of Kain: DefianceLegacy of Kain: Defiance is an action-adventure game developed by Crystal Dynamics and published by Eidos. It is the fifth and thus far final game in the Legacy of Kain series. It was released in North America in November and December 2003, and in Europe in February 2004...
– (2003) (PlayStation 2PlayStation 2The 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...
, Xbox, PC) External collaboration with Crystal DynamicsCrystal DynamicsCrystal Dynamics is an American video game developer based in the San Francisco Bay Area and founded in 1992 by Judy Lang, Madaline Canepa and Dave Morris... - Delta Force: Black Hawk Down: Team SabreDelta Force: Black Hawk Down: Team SabreDelta Force: Black Hawk Down: Team Sabre is the expansion pack to Delta Force: Black Hawk Down. Team Sabre adds more weapons, that can be used in servers that only have Delta Force: Black Hawk Down. The Team Sabre expansion gives the player a new character to choose, the British elite commando...
(expansion) – (2004) (PC) - SiN EpisodesSiN EpisodesSiN Episodes is the title of a series of episodic games for the PC that would have expanded upon the 1998 computer game SiN. A total of nine episodes were planned with only the first one released...
: Emergence – (2006) (PC)
Unreleased
- The Lord of the Rings: The Two TowersThe Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game)The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is a 2002 cross-platform video game based on Peter Jackson's New Line Cinema films The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers...
– (PC) cancelled - SiN II publisher demo – (2003) (PC) Ritual Entertainment made a game demoGame demoA game demo is a freely distributed demonstration or preview of an upcoming or recently released video game. Demos are typically released by the game's publisher to help consumers get a feel of the game before deciding whether to buy the full version....
to show potential publishers. - Legacy of Kain: The Dark Prophecy (2004) – cancelled
- SiN Episode 2 - Status unknown, possibly cancelled.