Wideload Games
Encyclopedia
Wideload Games is an American
game developer located in Chicago
, Illinois
.
It was founded in 2003 by Alexander Seropian—the co-founder of Bungie and head behind the games Halo: Combat Evolved
, Myth
, and Marathon
—and 6 other former Bungie Studios employees 3 years after Bungie's acquisition by Microsoft Corporation.
Wideload focuses on a core team and many external developers in developing games. The goal was to counteract the growing development costs associated with the current game industry, and to prove that smaller companies with relatively modest funds could make a game that could still sell well compared to releases from larger corporations.
Wideload's first project was Stubbs the Zombie in "Rebel Without a Pulse", a 3D-action-adventure game
in which the player takes control of the zombie Stubbs in a plot filled with black humor. It uses a heavily modified version of the Halo Engine
. It was published in fall 2005 for Macintosh, Windows
-PCs
, and Microsoft's Xbox
by Aspyr Media.
Their sophomore project, Hail to the Chimp
, was released June 23, 2008 by Gamecock Media Group
for seventh-generation consoles
. Additionally, Wideload has recently released information on their new group, Wideload Shorts. Wideload Shorts will be making smaller games systems like Xbox Live Arcade
. The first game from Wideload Short, Cyclomite, was released in March of 2008 on the InstantAction
game platform.
Wideload Games was acquired on September 8, 2009 by The Walt Disney Company
. Under the Disney Interactive name, Wideload will develop original video game properties for Disney. They most recently developed Guilty Party
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
game developer located in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
.
It was founded in 2003 by Alexander Seropian—the co-founder of Bungie and head behind the games Halo: Combat Evolved
Halo: Combat Evolved
Halo: Combat Evolved, frequently referred to as Halo: CE, or Halo 1, is a first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie and published by Microsoft Game Studios. The first game of the Halo franchise, it was released on November 15, 2001 as a launch title for the Xbox gaming system, and is...
, Myth
Myth (computer game)
Myth is a series of real-time tactics computer games. The games are:*Myth: The Fallen Lords*Myth II: Soulblighter*Myth III: The Wolf Age...
, and Marathon
Marathon (computer game)
Marathon is a first-person shooter video game with a science fiction theme developed and published by Bungie released in December 1994 for the Apple Macintosh. The game was Bungie's second foray into the emerging genre of games with a first-person perspective, the first being Pathways into...
—and 6 other former Bungie Studios employees 3 years after Bungie's acquisition by Microsoft Corporation.
Wideload focuses on a core team and many external developers in developing games. The goal was to counteract the growing development costs associated with the current game industry, and to prove that smaller companies with relatively modest funds could make a game that could still sell well compared to releases from larger corporations.
Wideload's first project was Stubbs the Zombie in "Rebel Without a Pulse", a 3D-action-adventure game
Action-adventure game
An action-adventure game is a video game that combines elements of the adventure game genre with various action game elements. It is perhaps the broadest and most diverse genre in gaming, and can include many games which might better be categorized under narrow genres...
in which the player takes control of the zombie Stubbs in a plot filled with black humor. It uses a heavily modified version of the Halo Engine
Halo (video game series)
Halo is a multi-million dollar science fiction video game franchise created by Bungie and now managed by 343 Industries and owned by Microsoft Studios. The series centers on an interstellar war between humanity and a theocratic alliance of aliens known as the Covenant...
. It was published in fall 2005 for Macintosh, 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...
-PCs
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
, and Microsoft's 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...
by Aspyr Media.
Their sophomore project, Hail to the Chimp
Hail to the Chimp
Hail to the Chimp is a video game developed by Wideload Games and published by Gamecock Media Group. The game was released on June 23, 2008 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It was later added to the PlayStation 3's online PlayStation Store in European and Australian markets on April 10, 2009...
, was released June 23, 2008 by Gamecock Media Group
Gamecock Media Group
Gamecock Media Group was a video game publisher based in Austin, Texas. It was founded in 2007 by video game industry veterans Mike Wilson, Harry Miller, and Rick Stults, original founders of Gathering of Developers. They used a more hands-off approach and allowed developers creative freedom with...
for seventh-generation consoles
History of video game consoles (seventh generation)
In the history of video games, the seventh generation of consoles is the current generation , and includes consoles released since late by Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony...
. Additionally, Wideload has recently released information on their new group, Wideload Shorts. Wideload Shorts will be making smaller games systems like 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...
. The first game from Wideload Short, Cyclomite, was released in March of 2008 on the InstantAction
InstantAction
InstantAction was a web gaming site and digital distributor featuring 3D, browser-based games.The site was created by game and technology developer GarageGames after its acquisition in 2007 and released a year later. InstantAction's goal was to allow publishers and developers the ability to embed...
game platform.
Wideload Games was acquired on September 8, 2009 by The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
. Under the Disney Interactive name, Wideload will develop original video game properties for Disney. They most recently developed Guilty Party
Guilty Party
Guilty Party is a party/puzzle game for Wii, developed by Wideload Games and published by Disney Interactive. The goal of the game is to discover the identity of the culprit in a whodunit-style mystery...
External links
- Wideload Official Site
- Hail to the Chimp Official Site
- Gamecock Media Group Official Site
- Aspyr Media Official Site
- Wideload Games Fan Site
- The Wide Load Fan Site
- Wideload Games entry at MobyGamesMobyGames-Platforms not yet included:- Further reading :* Rusel DeMaria, Johnny L. Wilson, High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games, McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media; 2 edition , ISBN 0-07-223172-6...