DC Studios Inc.
TypePrivate
IndustryVideo games
Founded3 December 1999 (1999-12-03) in Glasgow, Scotland
FounderMark Greenshields
Defunct25 September 2007 (2007-09-25)
FateDissolved
SuccessorFirebrand Games
Headquarters
Montreal, Quebec
,
Canada
Key people
Mark Greenshields (CEO)
Number of employees
55 (2006)

DC Studios Inc. was a British video game developer based in Montreal, Canada. Founded by Mark Greenshields in December 1999, it was originally located in Glasgow, and later expanded to Montreal, Edinburgh, and Dublin. Following the underperformance of State of Emergency 2, which the company had acquired from VIS Entertainment, DC Studios closed its Scotland operations in June 2006. The remaining Montreal office was closed in September 2007. Both offices were replaced by ones for Greenshields' newer venture, Firebrand Games.

History

DC Studios was founded on 3 December 1999.[1] Mark Greenshields set it up in Glasgow, after leaving Steel Monkeys, another Scotland-based development studio, earlier that year.[2][3] In November 2000, the company expanded with a second outfit located in Montreal.[4] In August 2003, Andrew McLennan left his position as commercial director from Steel Monkeys, at the time run by his brother Derek as managing director, to join DC Studio as business development director.[3][5] In April 2005, backed by the Irish government, DC Studios opened a development studio in Dublin, seeking to employ 50 further staff.[6]

In May 2005, the company acquired the rights to State of Emergency 2 from the defunct developer VIS Entertainment.[7][8] Following its release, however, the game severely underperformed in sales, due to which DC Studios announced on 4 June 2006 that it had ceased all operations in the United Kingdom, laying off all 29 staff from its Edinburgh office.[9][10] The Montreal office remained open, at the time with 55 employees.[11] It was eventually shut down in favour of opening a Florida office for Greenshields' newer venture, Firebrand Games, on 25 September 2007.[12][13]

Games developed

Year Title Platform(s) Publisher(s)
1999 Mia Hamm Soccer 64 Nintendo 64 SouthPeak Games
2000 NBA Jam 2001 Game Boy Color Acclaim Sports
2001 Activision TV Game Dedicated console Toymax
Army Men Advance Game Boy Advance The 3DO Company
2002 Salt Lake 2002 Ubi Soft
NBA Jam 2002 Acclaim Sports
Bratz Game Boy Advance, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation Ubi Soft
Atari TV Game Dedicated console Jakks Pacific
Taxi 2 PlayStation Ubi Soft
Jim Henson's Bear in the Big Blue House
2003 Le Tour de France: 1903-2003 – Centenary Edition PlayStation 2 Konami
Charmed J2ME In-Fusio
Cartoon Network Speedway Game Boy Advance Majeso Sales
2004 XS Moto XS Games
Fear Factor: Unleashed Hip Interactive
Kenny vs. Spenny: Versusville Microsoft Windows Breakthrough New Media
The Cat in the Hat PlayStation NewKidCo
2005 Rayman DS Nintendo DS Ubisoft
Disney's Cinderella: Magical Dreams Game Boy Advance Disney Interactive
Whac-A-Mole Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS Activision Value
Winx Club Game Boy Advance, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2 Konami Digital Entertainment
2006 State of Emergency 2 PlayStation 2 SouthPeak Games
VeggieTales: LarryBoy and the Bad Apple Game Boy Advance Crave Entertainment
Hannah Montana Buena Vista Games
Disney's Chicken Little: Ace in Action Nintendo DS
2007 Code Lyoko The Game Factory
Thrillville: Off the Rails LucasArts

References

  1. ↑ "Five Years Old and Financially Fit" (Press release). DC Studios. 3 December 2004. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018 – via GamesIndustry.biz.
  2. ↑ Fahey, Rob (2 July 2004). "Focus On: DC Studios' Mark Greenshields". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  3. 1 2 "Director leaves brother's games company to join rival". The Scotsman. 3 August 2003. Archived from the original on 1 February 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  4. ↑ Johnson, Ian (3 August 2001). "British game developer takes business to new level in Montreal". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on 28 November 2020. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  5. ↑ Jenkins, David (14 August 2003). "DC Studios Appoint New Biz Dev Director". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  6. ↑ Jenkins, David (12 April 2005). "DC Studios Creates Government-Approved Irish Wing". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  7. ↑ "New State of Emergency declared as Glasgow firm takes on game". The Scotsman. 1 May 2005. Archived from the original on 1 February 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  8. ↑ Gibson, Ellie (3 May 2005). "DC Studios picks up State of Emergency 2". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  9. ↑ "State Of Emergency spells end for 29 staff GAMING: REDUNDANCIES". The Herald. 4 June 2006. Archived from the original on 1 February 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  10. ↑ Jenkins, David (5 June 2006). "DC Studios Closes Scottish Development HQ". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  11. ↑ Fahey, Rob (5 June 2006). "DC Studios shuts Scottish operation as State of Emergency tanks". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on 1 February 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  12. ↑ "'Montreal is not an efficient place to run a business'". MCV/Develop. 17 March 2008. Archived from the original on 31 January 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  13. ↑ Boyer, Brandon (25 September 2007). "Race Game Developer Firebrand Gets U.S. Office". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on 2 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
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