Black Isle Studios
Encyclopedia
Black Isle Studios was a division of the computer and video game developer
and publisher
Interplay Entertainment
. Black Isle Studios was a division that developed computer role-playing games, and also published several games from other developers. It was based in Orange County
, California
, USA. The division was formed during 1996, adopting the name "Black Isle Studios" during 1998. The idea for the division's name came from the Black Isle
in Scotland
- founder Feargus Urquhart
's native country. Black Isle Studios is most famous for working on Planescape: Torment
, though they also achieved success with the Fallout, Icewind Dale
and Baldur's Gate
series of computer role-playing games, though it merely published the Baldur's Gate series.
, left Interplay to form Troika Games
after they "were unable to come to an agreement with Interplay as to how [their] next team should be structured". On December 8, 2003, in the midst of serious financial difficulties, Interplay
laid off the entire Black Isle Studios staff. By then, most members had moved on to found a new company called Obsidian Entertainment
(2003–present).
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...
and publisher
Video game publisher
A video game publisher is a company that publishes video games that they have either developed internally or have had developed by a video game developer....
Interplay Entertainment
Interplay Entertainment
Interplay Entertainment Corporation is an American video game developer and publisher, founded in 1983 as Interplay Productions by Brian Fargo. The company had been a quality developer until they started publishing their own games in 1988, like Neuromancer and Battle Chess. The company was renamed...
. Black Isle Studios was a division that developed computer role-playing games, and also published several games from other developers. It was based in Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, USA. The division was formed during 1996, adopting the name "Black Isle Studios" during 1998. The idea for the division's name came from the Black Isle
Black Isle
The Black Isle is an eastern area of the Highland local government council area of Scotland, within the county of Ross and Cromarty. The name nearly always includes the article "the"....
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
- founder Feargus Urquhart
Feargus Urquhart
Feargus Urquhart is a Scottish computer game developer and CEO of Obsidian Entertainment.-Career:Urquhart is best known for his work at Interplay Entertainment, particularly as leader of Black Isle Studios...
's native country. Black Isle Studios is most famous for working on Planescape: Torment
Planescape: Torment
Planescape: Torment is a computer role-playing game developed for Windows by Black Isle Studios and released on December 12, 1999 by Interplay Entertainment. It takes place in Planescape, an Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy campaign setting...
, though they also achieved success with the Fallout, Icewind Dale
Icewind Dale
Icewind Dale is a computer role-playing game developed for Windows by Black Isle Studios and published by Interplay Entertainment. Released on June 30, 2000, it takes place in the Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms campaign setting, and is based on the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition...
and Baldur's Gate
Baldur's Gate
Baldur's Gate is a computer role-playing game developed by BioWare and released in 1998 by Interplay Entertainment. The game takes place in the Forgotten Realms, a high fantasy campaign setting, using modified Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition rules...
series of computer role-playing games, though it merely published the Baldur's Gate series.
Developed
- Fallout 2Fallout 2Fallout 2 is a computer role-playing game developed by Black Isle Studios and published by Interplay in 1998. The game's story takes place in 2241, 80 years after the events of Fallout...
(1998) - Planescape: TormentPlanescape: TormentPlanescape: Torment is a computer role-playing game developed for Windows by Black Isle Studios and released on December 12, 1999 by Interplay Entertainment. It takes place in Planescape, an Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy campaign setting...
(1999) - Icewind DaleIcewind DaleIcewind Dale is a computer role-playing game developed for Windows by Black Isle Studios and published by Interplay Entertainment. Released on June 30, 2000, it takes place in the Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms campaign setting, and is based on the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition...
(2000) - Icewind Dale: Heart of WinterIcewind Dale: Heart of WinterIcewind Dale: Heart of Winter is an official expansion pack to the computer role-playing game Icewind Dale developed by Black Isle Studios. It introduced many changes and additions to the original game, and included an all-new campaign...
(2001) - Icewind Dale: Heart of Winter - Trials of the LuremasterIcewind Dale: Heart of WinterIcewind Dale: Heart of Winter is an official expansion pack to the computer role-playing game Icewind Dale developed by Black Isle Studios. It introduced many changes and additions to the original game, and included an all-new campaign...
(2001) - Icewind Dale IIIcewind Dale IIIcewind Dale II is a role-playing video game developed by Black Isle Studios and published by Interplay Entertainment, released on August 27, 2002. Like its 2000 predecessor Icewind Dale, the game is set in the Forgotten Realms fantasy setting in the Icewind Dale region...
(2002) - Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance IIBaldur's Gate: Dark Alliance IIBaldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II is an action role-playing game released for the PlayStation 2 on December 2, 2003 and the Xbox on January 20, 2004...
(2004)
Published
- Baldur's GateBaldur's GateBaldur's Gate is a computer role-playing game developed by BioWare and released in 1998 by Interplay Entertainment. The game takes place in the Forgotten Realms, a high fantasy campaign setting, using modified Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition rules...
(1998) - Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword CoastBaldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword CoastBaldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast is a computer role-playing game in a high fantasy setting, developed by BioWare and published by Interplay in April 1999. Released as an expansion pack for Baldur's Gate from 1998, it adds about 20–30 hours of extra gameplay to the original game...
(1999) - Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of AmnBaldur's Gate II: Shadows of AmnBaldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn is a computer role-playing game developed by BioWare and released on September 26, 2000. The game is the sequel to Baldur's Gate, and, opening only a few months after the events of the earlier game, continues the story of the player character, whose unique heritage...
(2000) - Baldur's Gate II: Throne of BhaalBaldur's Gate II: Throne of BhaalBaldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal is the expansion pack for the computer role-playing game Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, and is the final chapter in the Baldur's Gate series. It adds a multi-level dungeon called Watcher's Keep to the game and completes the main plot...
(2001) - Lionheart: Legacy of the CrusaderLionheart: Legacy of the CrusaderLionheart: Legacy of the Crusader is an action role-playing game, developed for the PC by Reflexive Entertainment, and released on August 13, 2003. The game is viewed from a 3/4 isometric camera angle...
(2003)
Compilations
Two compilations bearing their name were also released:- Black Isle Compilation (2002)
- Black Isle Compilation Part Two (2004)
Canceled
Canceled Projects include:- Stonekeep 2: GodmakerStonekeepStonekeep is a 1995 computer role-playing game for DOS by Interplay Entertainment. It is a first-person dungeon adventure with pre-rendered environments and live-action cinematic sequences. Five years in production, Stonekeep was ranked #6 in Gamespot's top ten vaporware hall of shame...
(2001) - TornBlack Isle's TornBlack Isle's Torn was a role-playing video game developed for Windows by Black Isle Studios, announced on March 22, 2001 and cancelled in July of that year. The game was to use a modified version of the SPECIAL role-playing system, which had been implemented in the Fallout series...
(2001) - Fallout 3 (Van Buren) (2003)
- Baldur's Gate III: The Black HoundBaldur's Gate III: The Black HoundBaldur's Gate III: The Black Hound was the sequel to Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn and Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal and was to be the third entry in the Dungeons & Dragons Baldur's Gate series and was to be developed by Black Isle Studios. It was codenamed FR6 and Project Jefferson, this is...
(2003) - Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance III (2004)
Closure
In 1998, several key members responsible for FalloutFallout (computer game)
Fallout is a computer role-playing game produced by Tim Cain, developed and published by Interplay in 1997. The game has a post-apocalyptic and retro-futuristic setting in the mid-22nd century, featuring an alternate history which deviates some time after World War II, where technology, politics...
, left Interplay to form Troika Games
Troika Games
Troika Games was a video game developer created by the key people behind the first of the critically acclaimed Fallout series of games. The company was focused on role-playing video games between 1998 and 2005, best known for Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura and Vampire: The Masquerade –...
after they "were unable to come to an agreement with Interplay as to how [their] next team should be structured". On December 8, 2003, in the midst of serious financial difficulties, Interplay
Interplay Entertainment
Interplay Entertainment Corporation is an American video game developer and publisher, founded in 1983 as Interplay Productions by Brian Fargo. The company had been a quality developer until they started publishing their own games in 1988, like Neuromancer and Battle Chess. The company was renamed...
laid off the entire Black Isle Studios staff. By then, most members had moved on to found a new company called Obsidian Entertainment
Obsidian Entertainment
Obsidian Entertainment is an American video game developer founded in 2003 after the disestablishment of Interplay Productions' Black Isle Studios, for PC and console systems...
(2003–present).
External links
- GameSpot: "Interplay shuts down Black Isle Studios" (8 December 2003)
- Black Isle Studios profile on 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...