{{Short description|German video game developer and publisher}}{{Use British English|date=July 2018}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}} {{Infobox company | name = Deck13 Interactive GmbH | logo = Deck13.png | former_name = TriggerLab GmbH (2001–2002) | type = Subsidiary | industry = Video games | predecessor = Artex Software | founded = {{Start date and age|df=yes|2001}} | founders = {{Unbulleted list|Jan Klose|Florian Stadlbauer}} | hq_location_city = Frankfurt | hq_location_country = Germany | area_served = Worldwide | key_people = {{Unbulleted list|Lars Janssen|(CEO)|Mathias Reichert|(COO)}} | products = {{Unbulleted list|''Ankh'' series|''Jack Keane'' series|''Lords of the Fallen''|''The Surge'' series}} | num_employees = 90<ref name="GamesWirtschaft: Die größten">{{cite web |url=https://www.gameswirtschaft.de/wirtschaft/groesste-games-studios-deutschland-2024-150824/ |title=Die größten Games-Studios in Deutschland 2024 |language=de |trans-title=The largest game studios in Germany in 2024 |first=Petra |last=Fröhlich |date=15 August 2024 |website=GamesWirtschaft |access-date=15 August 2024 |archive-date=15 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240815103001/https://www.gameswirtschaft.de/wirtschaft/groesste-games-studios-deutschland-2024-150824/ |url-status=live}}</ref> | num_employees_year = 2024 | parent = Focus Entertainment (2020–present) | subsid = Deck13 Hamburg <br/> Deck13 Montreal | website = {{URL|https://www.deck13.com/|deck13.com}} }}
'''Deck13 Interactive GmbH''' (formerly '''TriggerLab GmbH''') is a German video game developer and publisher based in Frankfurt. The company was founded in July 2001 by the team behind Artex Software, a studio that primarily developed video games for RISC OS, such as ''Ankh: The Tales of Mystery''. Originally bearing the name TriggerLab, the company was renamed to Deck13 after the release of its first game, ''Stealth Combat'', in 2002. Deck13 is best known for developing the action role-playing games ''Lords of the Fallen'' and ''The Surge''. Deck13 also operates a Hamburg-based subsidiary studio, Deck13 Hamburg.
== History == Deck13 is the successor to Artex Software, a development team that created the game ''Ankh'' for RISC OS.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://adventuregamers.com/articles/view/34703/page2 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190903192504/https://adventuregamers.com/articles/view/34703/page2 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=3 September 2019 |title=Adventures in Germany and Beyond round table (Part 1) – Page 2 |first=Ingmar |last=Böke |date=12 March 2018 |website=Adventure Gamers}}</ref> The company was founded as TriggerLab in 2001 by Jan Klose and Florian Stadlbauer.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fnp.de/wirtschaft/naechste-grosse-ding-visier-10530978.html |title="Das nächste große Ding" im Visier |language=de |trans-title=Aiming for "the next big thing" |date=20 August 2016 |website=Frankfurter Neue Presse}}</ref> TriggerLab developed ''Stealth Combat'', which was first released in Germany on 25 February 2002; shortly thereafter, on 2 April 2002, the company was renamed as Deck13 Interactive.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.triggerlab.de/Deutsch/newsger.html |title=News |language=de |date=2002 |website=TriggerLab |access-date=3 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021008171759/http://www.triggerlab.de/Deutsch/newsger.html |archive-date=8 October 2002 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The name "Deck13" was derived from "DM-Deck16", a game map from ''Unreal Tournament'' (1999).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.deck13.com/company/ |title=Company / Deck13 Interactive |author=Deck13 Interactive GmbH |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230329171908/https://www.deck13.com/company/ |archivedate=2023-03-29 |accessdate=2023-06-29 |quote=The small team back then came up with the name Deck13, inspired by the Unreal Tournament Map Deck 16. }}</ref>
In 2005, the humorous adventure game ''Ankh'' was released, which was a remake of the 1997 game ''Ankh: The Tales of Mystery'' by Artex Software. As the product sold very well and won several awards (especially in Germany), the sequel ''Ankh: Heart of Osiris'' was produced and released almost exactly one year later, reusing elements of the previous title. In August 2007, the adventure game ''Jack Keane'' was released which was similar to the ''Ankh'' series in terms of graphics and gameplay but which was set in England and colonial India. The third part of the ''Ankh'' series, ''The Battle of the Gods'', was released in Germany on 19 November 2007. One of their latest games, the role-playing game called ''Venetica'' was released in September 2009 and was the first RPG to be published by the company. Afterwards, Deck13 Interactive was working on ''Blood Knights'', a comic hack-and-slash for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, which was released in 2013.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pcgames.de/Blood-Knights-Spiel-19138/News/Blood-Knights-Launch-Trailer-mit-Alysa-veroeffentlicht-1095467/ |title=Blood Knights: Launch-Trailer mit Alysa zum heutigen Xbox 360-Release |trans-title=Blood Knights: Launch trailer with Alyse for today's Xbox 360 release |first=Tom |last=Sauer |date=1 November 2013 |website=PC Games |language=de |access-date=23 September 2016 |archive-date=24 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160924024405/http://www.pcgames.de/Blood-Knights-Spiel-19138/News/Blood-Knights-Launch-Trailer-mit-Alysa-veroeffentlicht-1095467/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In 2015, Deck13 released ''Lords of the Fallen'' in co-operation with CI Games. While a sequel was announced by the publisher, Deck13 was not named as the developer.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-05-29-lords-of-the-fallen-2-will-launch-in-2017 |title=Lords of the Fallen 2 to launch in 2017 |first=Robert |last=Purchese |date=29 May 2015 |website=Eurogamer |access-date=23 September 2016}}</ref> Instead, the studio was announced to be working with Focus Home Interactive on the then-upcoming ''The Surge''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.focus-home.com/en/news/940-latest-deck13-game-officially-announced-as-the-surge |title=Latest Deck13 game officially announced as The Surge |date=7 August 2015 |website=Focus Home Interactive |access-date=23 September 2016}}</ref> In September 2016, managing director Florian Stadlbauer announced that he had left the company and had since been replaced by Mathias Reichert.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gameswirtschaft.de/karriere/deck-13-florian-stadlbauer/ |title=Deck 13-Crew segelt künftig ohne Florian Stadlbauer |trans-title=Deck 13 crew to sail without Florian Stadlbauer going forward |date=1 September 2016 |website=GamesWirtschaft |language=de |access-date=23 September 2016}}</ref>
In June 2020, Focus Home Interactive acquired the company for €7.1 million.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gematsu.com/2020/06/focus-home-interactive-acquires-deck13-interactive|title=Focus Home Interactive acquires Deck13 Interactive |date=25 June 2020 |website=Gematsu}}</ref>
In February 2021, Deck13 opened a development studio in Montreal.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gematsu.com/2021/02/deck13-interactive-opens-montreal-studio|title= Deck13 Interactive opens Montreal studio |date=8 February 2021 |website=Gematsu}}</ref>
== Games developed == {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Year ! Title ! Publisher(s) |- | 2002 | ''Stealth Combat'' | Modern Games, Cryo Interactive |- | 2004 | ''Carnival Cruise Lines Tycoon 2005: Island Hopping'' | Activision Value |- | rowspan="2" | 2005 | ''Ankh'' | BHV Software, Viva Media |- | ''Luka und das geheimnisvolle Silberpferd'' | Polizeiliche Kriminalprävention der Länder und des Bundes |- | 2006 | ''Ankh: Heart of Osiris'' | Xider |- | rowspan="2" | 2007 | ''Jack Keane'' | 10tacle Studios, Strategy First |- | ''Ankh: Battle of the Gods'' | Daedalic Entertainment, Xider |- | 2008 | ''Luka und der verborgene Schatz'' | Polizeiliche Kriminalprävention der Länder und des Bundes |- | 2009 | ''Venetica'' | DTP Entertainment |- | rowspan="3" | 2010 | ''Black Sails: The Ghost Ship'' | Astragon |- | ''Jade Rousseau: The Secret Revelations – Episode 1: The Fall of Sant' Antonio'' | Phenomedia |- | ''Reading the Dead'' | Astragon |- | 2011 | ''Haunted'' | DTP Entertainment, Viva Media |- | 2012 | ''Jack Keane 2: The Fire Within'' | Astragon |- | 2013 | ''Blood Knights'' | Kalypso Media |- | rowspan="2" | 2014 | ''Moorhuhn: Tiger and Chicken'' | Koch Media |- | ''Lords of the Fallen'' | CI Games |- | 2015 | ''Imagoras'' | Städel Museum |- | 2017 | ''The Surge'' | Focus Home Interactive |- | 2019 | ''The Surge 2'' | Focus Home Interactive |- | 2023 | ''Atlas Fallen'' | Focus Entertainment |}
=== Cancelled === * ''The Mystery of the Seven Symbols'' * ''Jade Rousseau: Die Geheimen Evangelien – Episode 2: Die Bruderschaft'' * ''Jade Rousseau: Die Geheimen Evangelien – Episode 3: Das geheime Dossier'' * ''Jade Rousseau: Die Geheimen Evangelien – Episode 4: Der Weg in die Finsternis'' * ''Jade Rousseau: Die Geheimen Evangelien – Episode 5: Die Geister der Vergangenheit'' * ''Jade Rousseau: Die Geheimen Evangelien – Episode 6: Der Zorn Gottes''
== Games published == {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Year ! Title ! Developer(s) !{{Refh}} |- | rowspan="3" | 2015 | ''The Adventures of Bertram Fiddle – Episode 1: A Dreadly Business'' | Rumpus Animation | |- | ''Super Sky Arena'' (early access) | Hammer Labs | |- | ''Super Snow Fight'' | Patrick God | |- | rowspan="4" | 2016 | ''Obliteracers'' | Varkian Empire | |- | ''Hover Cubes: Arena'' (early access) | Gametology | |- | ''Flat Heroes'' | Parallel Circles | |- | ''The Shape of Heart'' (early access) | Dragon Whisper Games | |- | rowspan="2" | 2017 | ''Shift Happens'' | Klonk Games | |- | ''The Adventures of Bertram Fiddle – Episode 2: A Bleaker Predicklement'' | Rumpus Animation | |- | rowspan="4" | 2018 | ''Wartile'' | Playwood Project | |- | ''To Hell with Hell'' | Lazurite Games | |- | ''vridniX'' | Uncanaut | |- | ''CrossCode'' | Radical Fish Games | |- | 2019 | ''The Shattering'' | SuperSexySoftware | |- | 2020 | ''Resolutiion'' | Monolith of Minds | |- | 2021 | ''Faraday Protocol'' | Red Koi Box | |- |rowspan="4" | 2022 | ''Highrise City'' | FourExo Entertainment | |- | ''Holomento'' (early access) | Sean Weech | |- |''Lunistice'' |A Grumpy Fox |<ref>{{Cite web |last=LeClair |first=Kyle |date=2022-05-07 |title=3D Platforming Throwback Lunistice Receives Release Date - Hardcore Gamer |url=https://hardcoregamer.com/news/3d-platforming-throwback-lunistice-receives-release-date/422273/ |access-date=2022-11-17 |website=hardcoregamer.com |language=en-US |archive-date=16 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116071201/https://hardcoregamer.com/news/3d-platforming-throwback-lunistice-receives-release-date/422273/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> |- | ''Chained Echoes'' | Matthias Linda | |- | 2023 | ''Highrise City: Metro & Planes'' (DLC) | FourExo Entertainment | |- |rowspan="2"| 2024 | ''Drova: Forsaken Kin'' | Just2D |- | ''Highrise City: Vacation Season'' (DLC) | FourExo Entertainment | |- |2026 |''Pocket Wheels'' |Florian Wolf | |- |2027 |''Forge of the Fae'' |Datadyne | |}
==See also== *Daedalic Entertainment – German adventure game developer *House of Tales – German adventure game developer *King Art Games – German adventure game developer
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{Official website|https://www.deck13.com/}}
{{Deck13}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Companies based in Frankfurt Category:Focus Entertainment Category:German companies established in 2001 Category:Video game companies established in 2001 Category:Video game companies of Germany Category:Video game development companies Category:Video game publishers Category:2020 mergers and acquisitions