Frictional Games
Encyclopedia
Frictional Games is an independent video game company
located in Helsingborg
, Sweden
. The developer comprises a small core team and is led by Thomas Grip and Jens Nilsson. Certain key roles such as Music and Narrative Design are performed by external staff like Mikko Tarmia
and Tom Jubert, respectively. Linux
and Mac OS X
ports are handled by Edward Rudd.
Until now, Frictional Games specialized in adventure
s in the survival horror genre, but the team has stated that it is open for new ideas and game concepts.
All of Frictional's titles employ the in-house game engine HPL
. Penumbra
itself was originally a tech demo
created in 2006 to show off the technology.
The studio's first commercially released video game was the survival horror game Penumbra: Overture
in 2007
, followed by its sequel
Penumbra: Black Plague
in 2008
and finally the expansion Penumbra: Requiem
later in 2008.
In 2010, Frictional Games released their fourth game Amnesia: The Dark Descent
which introduces version 2 of the HPL Engine
.
With the completion of Amnesia: The Dark Descent
, Frictional Games is currently developing an untitled game, along with version 3 of the HPL Engine
. They are currently looking to expand into current gen consoles for future releases including the implementation of motion controls.
Independent video game development
Independent video game development is the process of creating video games without the financial support of a video game publisher. While large firms can create independent games, they are usually designed by an individual or a small team of as many as ten people, depending on the complexity of the...
located in Helsingborg
Helsingborg
Helsingborg is a city and the seat of Helsingborg Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden with 97,122 inhabitants in 2010. Helsingborg is the centre of an area in the Øresund region of about 320,000 inhabitants in north-west Scania, and is Sweden's closest point to Denmark, with the Danish city...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. The developer comprises a small core team and is led by Thomas Grip and Jens Nilsson. Certain key roles such as Music and Narrative Design are performed by external staff like Mikko Tarmia
Mikko Tarmia
Mikko Tarmia is a Finnish video game music composer known for working with Codeblender Software, Frictional Games, and Wolfire Games. He also founded the independent record label The Sound of Fiction....
and Tom Jubert, respectively. Linux
Linux
Linux 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...
and Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac 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...
ports are handled by Edward Rudd.
Until now, Frictional Games specialized in adventure
Adventure
An adventure is defined as an exciting or unusual experience; it may also be a bold, usually risky undertaking, with an uncertain outcome. The term is often used to refer to activities with some potential for physical danger, such as skydiving, mountain climbing and or participating in extreme sports...
s in the survival horror genre, but the team has stated that it is open for new ideas and game concepts.
All of Frictional's titles employ the in-house game engine HPL
HPL Engine
The HPL Engine is a 3D game engine created by Frictional Games. The engine, named after the initials of horror author H. P. Lovecraft, was started in 2004, as a thesis job for a 2D platform game "Energetic", released in 2005. The functionality for 3D games was added later, which culminated in...
. Penumbra
Penumbra (video game series)
Penumbra is the name of an episodic video game series by developer Frictional Games, published by Lexicon Entertainment and Paradox Interactive. The games use the HPL Engine, initially developed as a tech demo...
itself was originally a tech demo
Technology demo
A tech demo is a prototype, rough example or an otherwise incomplete version of a product, put together with the primary purpose of showcasing the idea, performance, method or the features of the product...
created in 2006 to show off the technology.
Penumbra
- Penumbra (tech demo) (non-commercial and downloadable for free) – 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...
(2006) - Penumbra: OverturePenumbra: OverturePenumbra: Overture is the first in a series of episodic first-person adventure games developed by Swedish developer Frictional Games. It was originally intended as the first episode of a trilogy. With the announcement of the second episode, Penumbra: Black Plague, it was stated that the second game...
– 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...
, 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...
, 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...
(2007) - Penumbra: Black PlaguePenumbra: Black PlaguePenumbra: Black Plague is the second installment of the Penumbra series of episodic computer games developed by Swedish developer Frictional Games. The story continues from the previous episode, Penumbra: Overture, showing the protagonist Philip moving away from the abandoned mine setting of the...
– 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...
, 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...
, 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...
(2008) - Penumbra: RequiemPenumbra: RequiemPenumbra: Requiem is an expansion pack to the game Penumbra: Black Plague by Frictional Games.- Gameplay :Like the previous games, Requiem is an exploration-based adventure game that takes place from a first-person perspective and final installment of the main series...
– 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...
, 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...
, 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...
(2008)
The studio's first commercially released video game was the survival horror game Penumbra: Overture
Penumbra: Overture
Penumbra: Overture is the first in a series of episodic first-person adventure games developed by Swedish developer Frictional Games. It was originally intended as the first episode of a trilogy. With the announcement of the second episode, Penumbra: Black Plague, it was stated that the second game...
in 2007
2007 in video gaming
-Events:*March 14: Microsoft announces Games for Windows - Live, a version of Xbox Live for the Windows platform. The service launched on May 8.*March 27: Microsoft announces the new "Xbox 360 Elite" stock-keeping unit . The revision comes with a bigger hard drive and the ability to output HDMI...
, followed by its sequel
Sequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
Penumbra: Black Plague
Penumbra: Black Plague
Penumbra: Black Plague is the second installment of the Penumbra series of episodic computer games developed by Swedish developer Frictional Games. The story continues from the previous episode, Penumbra: Overture, showing the protagonist Philip moving away from the abandoned mine setting of the...
in 2008
2008 in video gaming
Notable events of 2008 in video gaming. See also history of video games. The release dates listed in this article are the games' original release dates.-Events:...
and finally the expansion Penumbra: Requiem
Penumbra: Requiem
Penumbra: Requiem is an expansion pack to the game Penumbra: Black Plague by Frictional Games.- Gameplay :Like the previous games, Requiem is an exploration-based adventure game that takes place from a first-person perspective and final installment of the main series...
later in 2008.
Amnesia: The Dark Descent
- Amnesia: The Dark DescentAmnesia: The Dark DescentAmnesia: The Dark Descent is a survival horror video game by Frictional Games, who previously developed the Penumbra series. Released for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux platforms, the game features an unarmed protagonist exploring a dark and foreboding castle, while avoiding monsters and other...
– 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...
, 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...
, 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...
(2010)
In 2010, Frictional Games released their fourth game Amnesia: The Dark Descent
Amnesia: The Dark Descent
Amnesia: The Dark Descent is a survival horror video game by Frictional Games, who previously developed the Penumbra series. Released for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux platforms, the game features an unarmed protagonist exploring a dark and foreboding castle, while avoiding monsters and other...
which introduces version 2 of the HPL Engine
HPL Engine
The HPL Engine is a 3D game engine created by Frictional Games. The engine, named after the initials of horror author H. P. Lovecraft, was started in 2004, as a thesis job for a 2D platform game "Energetic", released in 2005. The functionality for 3D games was added later, which culminated in...
.
With the completion of Amnesia: The Dark Descent
Amnesia: The Dark Descent
Amnesia: The Dark Descent is a survival horror video game by Frictional Games, who previously developed the Penumbra series. Released for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux platforms, the game features an unarmed protagonist exploring a dark and foreboding castle, while avoiding monsters and other...
, Frictional Games is currently developing an untitled game, along with version 3 of the HPL Engine
HPL Engine
The HPL Engine is a 3D game engine created by Frictional Games. The engine, named after the initials of horror author H. P. Lovecraft, was started in 2004, as a thesis job for a 2D platform game "Energetic", released in 2005. The functionality for 3D games was added later, which culminated in...
. They are currently looking to expand into current gen consoles for future releases including the implementation of motion controls.
External links
- Frictional Games official site
- Blog of Frictional Games
- Frictional Games on TwitterTwitterTwitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
- Frictional Games on FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...