Microïds
Encyclopedia
Microïds is a French
software brand belonging to Anuman Interactive that publishes and develops video games. In recent years the company's collection of brands and game licenses has grown since being a part of MC2 France
. In late 2007 the Microïds brand was relaunched and since the beginning of 2010 Microïds has been a part of Anuman
.
. The company also then expanded worldwide with a publisher in Milan
, Italy
(Microïds Italy), distributor in Milton Keynes
, United Kingdom
(Microïds Ltd) and a developer in Montréal
, Canada
(Microïds Canada Inc.).
which subsequently merged with Microïds. In September 2003 MC2-Microïds acquired Wanadoo Edition as part of a deal with the French government for Microïds to emerge from bankruptcy protection. As part of the deal, Wanadoo
also became a 12% shareholder of Microïds. Emmanuel Olivier became CEO when Elliot Grassiano left the company. In February 2004 the company had more than 150 employees including 95 in Montréal.
In March 2005 Ubisoft
announced their intention to acquire MC2-Microïds (Microïds Canada) and to integrate it into Ubisoft's Montreal studios. This deal only included fifty of MC2-Microïds' employees and technical equipment; however, the agreement did not include any transfer of intellectual property
. The UK arm Microids Ltd was wound up between 2003 and 2005, and Microïds Italy split off from the company in 2005, turning into the Italian publisher Blue Label Entertainment.
On November 28, 2007 MC2 France officially relaunched the Microïds brand, with all of the company's future productions to be released either under the MICROÏDS Montreal or MICROÏDS Paris brands. The headquarters of the company are in Montrouge
a suburb of Paris
and they have a development studio in Montreal
, Canada
, hence the two brands. In December 2007 they opened an online store, powered by Metaboli
; this was later improved and relaunched the following year.
On 20 October 2008 Microïds acquired the brands and intellectual property of Cryo Interactive
, who had been declared bankrupt in 2002. Microïds is also publishing games of Kheops Studio
.
On 8 April 2010 Microïds announced their strategy for 2010; this includes the PC development of Dracula 4 and Syberia 3 and the adaptation of many of Microïds game licences into episodic games for Apple's iPad
and iPhone.
series including Syberia
and Post Mortem / Still Life
. Other notable games that Microïds has produced include Far Gate
and the Nicky Boum
series of action games for the Commodore Amiga.
In recent years through mergers and buyouts the parent company has acquired licences of many games from companies such as Index+, Wanadoo Edition and Cryo Interactive
. Acquired game licences which they intend to build upon include Dracula and Egypt
.
, Mzone Studio, TOTM Studio, GameCo Studios and White Birds Productions.
As of 2010 the company is currently developing and adapting games for PC, Mac, iPad and iPhone, as well as looking into games for Web browser, Facebook, online gaming Consoles (PSN, Xbox Live
) and Web TV.
), where Encore would publish Microïds entire catalogue in North America
. This deal was extended in August where Legacy Interactive
would distribute Microïds adventure video games as digital downloads in North America. A deal with cdv Software Entertainment to distribute games such as Still Life 2 in France was announced in April 2009.
In September 2009 the company announced a long-term distribution deal with Iceberg Interactive for the United Kingdom and the Benelux countries.
, also use similar simple drawings of birds as their logo. In the mid-1990s the company changed their logo slightly to contain the colours of the rainbow, but without a background. This logo remained until the merger with MC2 France, when a red/grey logo was used. By the time of Still Life being released the company was using a logo containing a blocky stylised letter M and dot below it. In 2005 this had a smooth typeface and no dots above the letter i. By the relaunch of the brand in 2007 the previous design had an Umlaut
placed above the letter i and a different typeface.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
software brand belonging to Anuman Interactive that publishes and develops video games. In recent years the company's collection of brands and game licenses has grown since being a part of MC2 France
MC2 France
MC2 France is a French software company that develops and publishes video games focusing on adventure games. It was formed in 2003 when Emmanuel Olivier merged Microïds and Wanadoo Edition...
. In late 2007 the Microïds brand was relaunched and since the beginning of 2010 Microïds has been a part of Anuman
Anuman
Anuman Interactive SA is a French video game publisher and distributor. They publish games for formats including PC, Mac, interactive-DVD, Nintendo DS and Wii, Sony PSP and Apple iPhone.-History:Anuman Interactive was founded in 2000 by Stéphane Longeard....
.
Company foundation (1985–2003)
Microïds was founded in 1985 by Elliot Grassiano. For the first 10 years, Microïds was a development house, but in 1995 they expanded into publishing and distribution as well. Microïds France at this time was located in Vélizy (near Paris), FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The company also then expanded worldwide with a publisher in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
(Microïds Italy), distributor in Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
(Microïds Ltd) and a developer in Montréal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
(Microïds Canada Inc.).
Merger with MC2 France (2003–2009)
In 2003, Emmanuel Olivier (founder of Index+) created a new company called MC2 FranceMC2 France
MC2 France is a French software company that develops and publishes video games focusing on adventure games. It was formed in 2003 when Emmanuel Olivier merged Microïds and Wanadoo Edition...
which subsequently merged with Microïds. In September 2003 MC2-Microïds acquired Wanadoo Edition as part of a deal with the French government for Microïds to emerge from bankruptcy protection. As part of the deal, Wanadoo
Wanadoo
Wanadoo is the former name of the ISP division of Orange SA, which is a subsidiary of France Télécom. It operated in France, Spain, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Senegal, Mauritius, Madagascar, Lebanon, and Jordan...
also became a 12% shareholder of Microïds. Emmanuel Olivier became CEO when Elliot Grassiano left the company. In February 2004 the company had more than 150 employees including 95 in Montréal.
In March 2005 Ubisoft
Ubisoft
Ubisoft Entertainment S.A. is a major French video game publisher and developer, with headquarters in Montreuil, France. The company has a worldwide presence with 25 studios in 17 countries and subsidiaries in 26 countries....
announced their intention to acquire MC2-Microïds (Microïds Canada) and to integrate it into Ubisoft's Montreal studios. This deal only included fifty of MC2-Microïds' employees and technical equipment; however, the agreement did not include any transfer of intellectual property
Intellectual property
Intellectual property is a term referring to a number of distinct types of creations of the mind for which a set of exclusive rights are recognized—and the corresponding fields of law...
. The UK arm Microids Ltd was wound up between 2003 and 2005, and Microïds Italy split off from the company in 2005, turning into the Italian publisher Blue Label Entertainment.
On November 28, 2007 MC2 France officially relaunched the Microïds brand, with all of the company's future productions to be released either under the MICROÏDS Montreal or MICROÏDS Paris brands. The headquarters of the company are in Montrouge
Montrouge
Montrouge is a commune in the southern Parisian suburbs, located from the center of Paris, France. It is one of the most densely populated municipalities in Europe...
a suburb of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and they have a development studio in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, hence the two brands. In December 2007 they opened an online store, powered by Metaboli
Metaboli
Metaboli is an online video game service with headquarters in France. Users pay a monthly fee so that they can access the company's library of games. Depending on their subscription, subscribers can access from over 150 to over 600 games.- History :...
; this was later improved and relaunched the following year.
On 20 October 2008 Microïds acquired the brands and intellectual property of Cryo Interactive
Cryo Interactive
Cryo Interactive Entertainment is a French video game development and publishing company founded in 1992, but existing unofficially since 1989 as a developer group under the name Cryo...
, who had been declared bankrupt in 2002. Microïds is also publishing games of Kheops Studio
Kheops Studio
Kheops Studio is an independent video game development studio created in September 2003. The company was co-founded by Benoît Hozjan , who also serves as the Creative Director for the studio and Stéphane Petit , who serves as Technical Director...
.
Purchase by Anuman Interactive (2010–present)
On 23 November 2009 Anuman Interactive announced that they were acquiring the mark of and all the associated licences of Microïds. The Microïds deal between Anuman and MC2 was completed on 1 January 2010.On 8 April 2010 Microïds announced their strategy for 2010; this includes the PC development of Dracula 4 and Syberia 3 and the adaptation of many of Microïds game licences into episodic games for Apple's iPad
IPad
The iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc., primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. The iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010 by Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs. Its size and...
and iPhone.
Games
Microïds is well known for the development of adventure gameAdventure game
An adventure game is a video game in which the player assumes the role of protagonist in an interactive story driven by exploration and puzzle-solving instead of physical challenge. The genre's focus on story allows it to draw heavily from other narrative-based media such as literature and film,...
series including Syberia
Syberia
Syberia is a 2002 computer adventure game conceived by Benoît Sokal, developed by Microïds and published through The Adventure Company. It follows the protagonist Kate Walker as she attempts to wrap up a sale on the behalf of her law firm...
and Post Mortem / Still Life
Still Life (video game)
Still Life is a 2005 computer adventure game by Microïds. While not sharing its name, Still Life is a sequel to Post Mortem. A sequel, Still Life 2, was released in 2009. The game has since sold 240,000 copies worldwide....
. Other notable games that Microïds has produced include Far Gate
Far Gate
Far Gate is a 2001 video game released for personal computers. It was developed by Super X Studios and published by Microïds. The gameplay consists of 3D space-based real time strategy, and allows players to play as any of three distinct factions employing different units and structures...
and the Nicky Boum
Nicky Boum
Nicky Boum is a side-scrolling platform game published for the Commodore Amiga, Atari ST and MS-DOS by Microïds in 1992.-Story:...
series of action games for the Commodore Amiga.
In recent years through mergers and buyouts the parent company has acquired licences of many games from companies such as Index+, Wanadoo Edition and Cryo Interactive
Cryo Interactive
Cryo Interactive Entertainment is a French video game development and publishing company founded in 1992, but existing unofficially since 1989 as a developer group under the name Cryo...
. Acquired game licences which they intend to build upon include Dracula and Egypt
Egypt (European video game)
Egypt: 1156 B.C.: Tomb of the Pharaoh is a 1999 adventure video game by Canal+Multimédia, Cryo Interactive Entertainment and Réunion des Musées Nationaux. It was released for PC....
.
Recent game development
In 2007 Microïds announced that it was working on a number of games in collaboration with various development studios such as Elektrogames, Kheops StudioKheops Studio
Kheops Studio is an independent video game development studio created in September 2003. The company was co-founded by Benoît Hozjan , who also serves as the Creative Director for the studio and Stéphane Petit , who serves as Technical Director...
, Mzone Studio, TOTM Studio, GameCo Studios and White Birds Productions.
As of 2010 the company is currently developing and adapting games for PC, Mac, iPad and iPhone, as well as looking into games for Web browser, Facebook, online gaming Consoles (PSN, Xbox Live
Xbox Live
Xbox Live is an online multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery service created and operated by Microsoft Corporation. It is currently the only online gaming service on consoles that charges users a fee to play multiplayer gaming. It was first made available to the Xbox system in 2002...
) and Web TV.
Publishing rights
In 2008 Microïds announced they had entered into a publishing agreement with Encore (part of Navarre CorporationNavarre Corporation
Navarre Corp. is a public distribution and publishing company founded in 1983 by Eric H. Paulson. The company is headquartered in New Hope, Minnesota...
), where Encore would publish Microïds entire catalogue in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. This deal was extended in August where Legacy Interactive
Legacy Interactive
Legacy Interactive is a video game developer and media company based in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1998 by Ariella Lehrer, Legacy initially developed medical simulations such as Emergency Room and Pet Pals: Animal Doctor. Since 2004 Legacy has focused almost entirely on creating casual...
would distribute Microïds adventure video games as digital downloads in North America. A deal with cdv Software Entertainment to distribute games such as Still Life 2 in France was announced in April 2009.
In September 2009 the company announced a long-term distribution deal with Iceberg Interactive for the United Kingdom and the Benelux countries.
Corporate identity
Since the creation of Microïds in 1984 the company has had a number of different logos. During the mid-1980s the company used a logo with white writing and a yellow shape to the left. From around 1986 until 1995 they used a logo showing a curvy stylised letter M, which may look like a simple drawing of a bird; initially this had a background depicting a 3D scene. Fellow French video game developer with links to Microïds, White BirdsWhite Birds
White Birds Productions was a French video game developer. White Birds was founded by Benoît Sokal, Olivier Fontenay, Jean-Philippe Messian and Michel Bams in August 2003...
, also use similar simple drawings of birds as their logo. In the mid-1990s the company changed their logo slightly to contain the colours of the rainbow, but without a background. This logo remained until the merger with MC2 France, when a red/grey logo was used. By the time of Still Life being released the company was using a logo containing a blocky stylised letter M and dot below it. In 2005 this had a smooth typeface and no dots above the letter i. By the relaunch of the brand in 2007 the previous design had an Umlaut
Umlaut (diacritic)
The diaeresis and the umlaut are diacritics that consist of two dots placed over a letter, most commonly a vowel. When that letter is an i or a j, the diacritic replaces the tittle: ï....
placed above the letter i and a different typeface.
External links
- Microïds.com
- Microïds 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...