InXile Entertainment
Encyclopedia
inXile Entertainment is a video game developer
formed in late 2002 by Brian Fargo
, a founder of Interplay Productions (known for games such as The Bard's Tale, and Wasteland). The company is located in Newport Beach, California
.
While pitching his idea for a "snarky" version of the classic fantasy role-playing game The Bard's Tale at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, Brian commented that he felt as though he was in exile — hence the company's name. After assembling a team, he directed work on the new The Bard's Tale — now a console-style action adventure game based on the Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance
engine — throughout 2003.
The new Bard's Tale was released for the PS2
and Xbox
in October 2004, with a Windows
version following in 2005. The game was re-released on Steam in December 2009.
In 2003, InXile acquired the rights to Wasteland from Electronic Arts
.
On December 20, 2006, it was announced that InXile Entertainment gained console rights for the game Line Rider
. It was expected to be released on Nintendo's Wii
console and the Nintendo DS
in Spring 2007. The games did not make that release date, however.
The company claims to be planning a "next gen action adventure" game that has not yet been named. On March 20, 2007, Codemasters
announced a new criminal/bank heist action game titled HEI$T
. InXile Entertainment is attached as the developer so this game may be the unnamed "next gen action adventure" game revelation. HEI$T was cancelled in early 2010, however.
inXile is currently developing Hunted: The Demon's Forge
due to be released on June 1, 2011 in the US, and June 3 in Europe. In addition, the company is currently working on a remake to the classic Choplifter
arcade game. On March 28, 2011, a teaser for the game was released on Gametrailers
.
inXile Entertainment has a web division under the name of SparkWorkz. It hosts smaller web titles such as Line Rider
, Line Rider Racing, Fantastic Contraption
, and many others. They are generally free to play. SparkWorkz gets its revenue via in-browser advertising. Part of the revenue goes directly to the developers of the hosted games.
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...
formed in late 2002 by Brian Fargo
Brian Fargo
Brian Fargo is an American video game designer, developer, producer and executive probably best known for his company Interplay Entertainment.-Career Overview:...
, a founder of Interplay Productions (known for games such as The Bard's Tale, and Wasteland). The company is located in Newport Beach, California
Newport Beach, California
Newport Beach, incorporated in 1906, is a city in Orange County, California, south of downtown Santa Ana. The population was 85,186 at the 2010 census.The city's median family income and property values consistently place high in national rankings...
.
While pitching his idea for a "snarky" version of the classic fantasy role-playing game The Bard's Tale at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, Brian commented that he felt as though he was in exile — hence the company's name. After assembling a team, he directed work on the new The Bard's Tale — now a console-style action adventure game based on the Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance is an action role-playing game developed by Snowblind Studios for the PlayStation 2; later released for the Xbox, Nintendo GameCube and Game Boy Advance. It was re-released on the PlayStation 2 as a Greatest Hits title...
engine — throughout 2003.
The new Bard's Tale was released for the PS2
PlayStation 2
The 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...
and 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...
in October 2004, with a 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...
version following in 2005. The game was re-released on Steam in December 2009.
History
In an interview to Joystiq on February 16, 2011 inXile's President shared some of the company's history.- I (Matthew Findley, inXile's President) worked with Brian Fargo at Interplay for a number of years and we both left Interplay at the same time. We knew we wanted to stay in video games, so starting a company seemed like a good idea -- he spent 20 years at Interplay and I was there for 13. When we were first out there, trying to figure out what to do next, we kinda felt like we were in exile, and we made fake cards with a fake company name just to have a card to go to E3 with.
- And before we ever thought of the name "inXile," Brian put as his job description on the cards: "Leader in exile." People got such a kick out of that card, we kept saying "in exile, in exile, in exile" so much that we just thought, "Why not make up a new word?" And so we did.
In 2003, InXile acquired the rights to Wasteland from Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
.
On December 20, 2006, it was announced that InXile Entertainment gained console rights for the game Line Rider
Line Rider
Line Rider is an internet game. Versions are available for Microsoft Silverlight and for Flash. It was originally created in September 2006 by Boštjan Čadež , a Slovenian student...
. It was expected to be released on Nintendo's Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
console and the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
in Spring 2007. The games did not make that release date, however.
The company claims to be planning a "next gen action adventure" game that has not yet been named. On March 20, 2007, Codemasters
Codemasters
The Codemasters Software Company Limited, or Codemasters is a British video game developer founded by Richard and David Darling in 1986...
announced a new criminal/bank heist action game titled HEI$T
Heist (video game)
Heist is a cancelled video game that was under development by inXile Entertainment and would have been published by Codemasters for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360...
. InXile Entertainment is attached as the developer so this game may be the unnamed "next gen action adventure" game revelation. HEI$T was cancelled in early 2010, however.
inXile is currently developing Hunted: The Demon's Forge
Hunted: The Demon's Forge
Hunted: The Demon's Forge, is a third-person action video game set in a dark fantasy world. The game was developed by inXile Entertainment and published by Bethesda Softworks for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. Hunted: The Demon's Forge was released in North America on May 31,...
due to be released on June 1, 2011 in the US, and June 3 in Europe. In addition, the company is currently working on a remake to the classic Choplifter
Choplifter
Choplifter is a 1982 Apple II game developed by Dan Gorlin and published by Brøderbund. It was ported to other home computers and, in 1985, Sega released a coin-operated arcade game remake, which in turn received several home ports of its own...
arcade game. On March 28, 2011, a teaser for the game was released on Gametrailers
GameTrailers
GameTrailers is a media website that specializes in video game related content. It provides free access to original programming , game trailers and recorded game play. Along with standard definition , many of the video clips are offered in a higher resolution .Users can upload videos, create...
.
Games by InXile Entertainment
- The Bard's Tale (PC/Xbox/PS2) (2004)
- Line RiderLine RiderLine Rider is an internet game. Versions are available for Microsoft Silverlight and for Flash. It was originally created in September 2006 by Boštjan Čadež , a Slovenian student...
(2008) (Flash/Silverlight/DS/Wii/iOS) - HEI$THeist (video game)Heist is a cancelled video game that was under development by inXile Entertainment and would have been published by Codemasters for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360...
(2010) (cancelled) - Fantastic Contraption (2008) (Flash/iPhone/iPodTouch)
- Super Stacker (2009) (iPhone/iPodTouch)
- Super Stacker 2 (2009) (iPhone/iPodTouch)
- Shape Shape (2009) (iPhone/iPodTouch)
- Super Stacker Party (2010) (PSN)
- Hunted: The Demon's ForgeHunted: The Demon's ForgeHunted: The Demon's Forge, is a third-person action video game set in a dark fantasy world. The game was developed by inXile Entertainment and published by Bethesda Softworks for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. Hunted: The Demon's Forge was released in North America on May 31,...
(2011) (Playstation 3, XBOX 360, PC) - Choplifter HDChoplifter HDChoplifter HD is an upcoming game from inXile Entertainment based on the classic Choplifter, and will be released in 2011 for Windows and PlayStation 3.It is scheduled for release in North America Q3 2011....
(2011) (Playstation Network, PC)
Subdivisions
inXile Entertainment has a web division under the name of SparkWorkz. It hosts smaller web titles such as Line Rider
Line Rider
Line Rider is an internet game. Versions are available for Microsoft Silverlight and for Flash. It was originally created in September 2006 by Boštjan Čadež , a Slovenian student...
, Line Rider Racing, Fantastic Contraption
Fantastic Contraption
Fantastic Contraption is a Flash-based physics game created by Colin Northway, released September 16, 2008. Northway sold the rights to the game to inXile Entertainment who released the game for iOS on January 26, 2009. A sequel, Fantastic Contraptions 2, was released July 27, 2010...
, and many others. They are generally free to play. SparkWorkz gets its revenue via in-browser advertising. Part of the revenue goes directly to the developers of the hosted games.