Big Huge Games is a video game developer located in Timonium, Maryland. The company was founded in February 2000 by four veteran game industry developers: Tim Train, David Inscore, Jason Coleman and Brian Reynolds (lead designer of Alpha Centauri, et al.). Their first game, Rise of Nations, was a critical and commercial hit.
History and events[ | ]
Although Brian Reynolds was a founding member of Firaxis Games, he and the others left Firaxis to found a new company based on their desire to apply the complexity and concepts of the turn-based strategy genre to the real-time strategy genre.[3]
In February 2007, Big Huge Games announced that Ken Rolston, the lead designer behind The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, had come out of retirement to join the company as Lead Designer on an untitled role playing game (RPG).[4] Later that May it was announced that THQ would publish the title in 2009.[5] This will mark the first title from Big Huge Games that is not distributed by Microsoft.
On January 15, 2008, THQ acquired the developer.[6]
On July 30, 2008, Grant Kirkhope joined the Big Huge Games team as an Audio Director. He had previously worked for Rare, composing for the Banjo-Kazooie and Perfect Dark games (among others).[7]
On March 18, 2009, THQ announced that due to declining economic conditions, it would close Big Huge Games unless an outside buyer could be found in the next 60 days.[8]
On May 27, 2009, 38 Studios announced that they were acquiring Big Huge Games and retaining 70 employees out of approximately 120 who were at THQ.[1]
Game titles[ | ]
| Release Date |
Title | Genre | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Rise of Nations | Real-time strategy | |
| 2004 | Rise of Nations: Thrones and Patriots | Real-time strategy | Expansion pack |
| 2006 | Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends | Real-time strategy | |
| 2007 | Catan | German-style board game | Xbox Live Arcade |
| 2007 | Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties | Real-time strategy | Expansion pack |
Unfinished titles[ | ]
At the time of their move from THQ to 38 Studios, Big Huge Games was working on two large game projects, which are now presumed to be canceled.[9]
Game engine[ | ]
Big Huge Games made use of their internally developed game engine, the Big Huge Engine, in both Rise of Nations and Catan. The engine features support for a variety of applications and technologies, including physics, artificial intelligence, animation, and others.[13]
References[ | ]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Dance, Scott (2009-05-27). Big Huge Games acquired by Curt Schilling's 38 Studios. Washington Business Journal.
- ↑ Fear, Ed (May 27, 2009). 38 Studios snaps up Big Huge Games. Develop. Retrieved on 2009-05-27
- ↑ Brian Reynolds interview on GameSpy. GameSpy (2002-05-02). Retrieved on 2009-05-13
- ↑ "Acclaimed 'Oblivion' Designer Heads To Big Huge Games". Totalgaming.net. 2007-02-20. http://tgnforums.stardock.com/?aid=144850. Retrieved 2007-05-03.
- ↑ "Big Huge Games RPG Gets Publisher, Date". Totalgaming.net. 2007-05-03. http://tgnforums.stardock.com/?forumid=141&aid=151776. Retrieved 2007-05-03.
- ↑ Gamasutra: THQ Acquires BHG
- ↑ Music 4 Games: Grant Kirkhope resigns from Rare, joins Big Huge Games as Audio Director
- ↑ McWhertor, Michael (2009-03-18). THQ Cuts Down Big Huge Games, Lets Go Two More. Kotaku.
- ↑ Big Huge Games Experiences Big Huge Media Leak, Oblivion Designer's Game Reportedly Canceled. Chris Fayler, Shack News (2009-04-09). Retrieved on 2009-10-06
- ↑ BHG and THQ join hands. THQ Investor Relations (2007-05-03). Retrieved on 2007-05-03
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Plunkett, Luke (April 9, 2009). What Were Big Huge Games Working On (And Have They Found A Buyer)?. Kotaku. Retrieved on 2009-04-14
- ↑ BHG Big Huge Games now working on Wii title (2007-08-28). Retrieved on 2007-08-28
- ↑ Big Huge Engine. Big Huge Games. Retrieved on 2007-05-07[dead link]