{{Short description|American video game developer}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2021}} {{Infobox company | name = Liquid Entertainment | logo = Liquid Entertainment logo.png | type = Private | genre = | founded = April 1999 | defunct = 2018 | founders = Ed Del Castillo, Mike Grayford | hq_location_city = La Cañada Flintridge, California | hq_location_country = U.S. | hq_location = | num_locations = | area_served = | key_people = Ed Del Castillo, Holly Newman | industry = Video games | products = ''Battle Realms''<br>''Dragonshard''<br>''Desperate Housewives'' | services = | revenue = | operating_income = | net_income = | assets = | equity = | owner = | num_employees = | parent = | divisions = | subsidiaries = | slogan = | website = {{URL|goliquid.us}} | footnotes = | intl = | fate = Dissolved<ref>[https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/Document/RetrievePDF?Id=199903210059-24600528 DISSOLUTION] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180904200907/https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/Document/RetrievePDF?Id=199903210059-24600528 |date=September 4, 2018 }}, California Secretary of State</ref> }} '''Liquid Entertainment''' was an American independent video game developer based in Pasadena, California. The studio was founded in April 1999 by Ed Del Castillo and Mike Grayford.
== History == Liquid Entertainment was founded in April 1999 by Ed Del Castillo and Mike Grayford.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespy.com/articles/697/697083p19.html |title=GameSpy Retro: Developer Origins, Page 19 of 19 |first=John |last=Keefer |date=March 31, 2006 |website=GameSpy |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070609133230/http://www.gamespy.com/articles/697/697083p19.html |archive-date=June 9, 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="gamespy">{{Cite web|url=http://www.gamespy.com/company/027/027172.html|title=Liquid Entertainment|last=<!--no byline-->|date=<!--no definitive date-->|publisher=GameSpy|access-date=May 17, 2018}}</ref>
Liquid's first game was ''Battle Realms'', published by Crave Entertainment in November 2001 to critical acclaim.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/battle-realms/details/?platform=pc |title=Battle Realms Details and Credits for PC |last=<!--no byline--> |date=<!--no definitive date--> |publisher=Metacritic |access-date=May 17, 2018}}</ref> ''Battle Realms'' is a real-time strategy PC game for Windows that features an unconventional approach to resource management and unit development. It was well received by reviewers,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages4/256847.asp |title=Battle Realms for PC |last=<!--no byline--> |date=<!--no source date--> |publisher=GameRankings |accessdate=May 17, 2018}}</ref> many of whom praised its at-the-time state of the art 3D engine and East Asian-inspired setting and aesthetics but sale numbers were disappointing. It was also chosen for Computer Gaming World's Top 10 Games of E3 2001.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamershell.com/news_2879.html |title=''Battle Realms Winter of the Wolf'' announced |publisher=gamershell.com |access-date=May 25, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120414201614/http://www.gamershell.com/news_2879.html |archive-date=April 14, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''Battle Realms'' was followed up with a stand-alone expansion pack, ''Battle Realms: Winter of the Wolf'' in April 2002. ''Winter of the Wolf'' was received with less enthusiasm than ''Battle Realms'' by the gaming community;<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages2/561880.asp |title=''Battle Realms: Winter of the Wolf'' reviews |publisher=GameRankings |accessdate=November 5, 2006}}</ref> some reviewers compared it unfavorably to 2002's blockbuster real-time strategy titles ''Warcraft III'' and ''Age of Mythology''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Kasavin |first=Greg |title=Battle Realms: Winter of the Wolf review |author-link=Greg Kasavin |url=http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/battlerealmswinteroftw/review.html |publisher=GameSpot |date=November 21, 2002 |accessdate=November 5, 2006 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20061202141834/http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/battlerealmswinteroftw/review.html |archivedate=December 2, 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Battle Realms: Winter of the Wolf review |url=http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3103232 |publisher=1UP.com |date=January 1, 2000 |accessdate=November 5, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927192652/http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3103232 |archive-date=September 27, 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Since the release of ''Winter of the Wolf'', Liquid has developed two real-time strategy PC games based on intellectual property licenses: In November 2003, Sierra released ''The Lord of the Rings: War of the Ring'', based on Vivendi Universal's license to Tolkien's literary works, and in October 2005 Atari published the Dungeons & Dragons PC game ''Dragonshard''. ''Dragonshard'' has since been re-released on GOG.com.
In October 2006, Buena Vista Games released ''Desperate Housewives: The Game'', a life simulation computer game adaptation of the popular television series ''Desperate Housewives''. ''Desperate Housewives: The Game'' won ''PC Gamer'' Adventure Game of the Year for 2007.
Liquid's next game ''Rise of the Argonauts'', released in December 2008 and published by Codemasters, is a Greek mythology-themed action role-playing game for ''Windows'', ''PlayStation 3'' and ''Xbox 360'' that received mixed reviews,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/rise-of-the-argonauts/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |title=Rise of The Argonauts PC Reviews |publisher=Metacritic |accessdate=3 October 2023}}</ref> with criticisms centering on technical problems, derivative art direction and repetitive gameplay.<ref>{{cite web |title=''Rise of the Argonauts'' Review |website=Eurogamer|date=February 2, 2009|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/rise-of-the-argonauts-review_1}}</ref> In 2011 Sega published Liquid's second console game for Xbox 360 and PS3 ''Thor: God of Thunder'' that coincided with Marvel Studios's release of the film ''Thor'' in May 2011.
In 2012 Liquid pivoted into developing casual games for Facebook. They did some contract work on ''InstantJam'', a music rhythm game for Facebook, ''Deadline Hollywood: Game'' based on the popular Hollywood news blog ''Deadline Hollywood'' by Nikki Finke and Paramount Digital Entertainment for Facebook and iOS and ''Dungeons and Dragons: Heroes of Neverwinter'', a turn-based strategy game published by Atari on Facebook.
Later in 2013 and 2014 they continued their pivot into mobile games with titles like ''Karateka'' (console and mobile), ''Cuddle Pets'', ''Paper Galaxy'', and ''Max Steel''. By the end of 2014, Ed decided to downsize Liquid to its current position as a holding company and consultancy; selling off some of its holdings, licensing some of its technology, and keep the rest for future opportunities.
Liquid currently manages a number of properties that are available online and published ''Battle Realms: Zen Edition'' as Early Access on Steam in December, 2019.<ref>{{cite web |title=Battle Realms Steam Page is Up and Future Plan of Ed Del Castillo for the Game Franchise (Interview) |url=https://gamingph.com/2019/11/battle-realms-steam-page-is-up-and-future-plan-of-ed-del-castillo-for-the-game-franchise-interview/ |website=GamingPH |date=November 2019 |last=Bantilan |first=Erwin |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220703063001/https://gamingph.com/2019/11/battle-realms-steam-page-is-up-and-future-plan-of-ed-del-castillo-for-the-game-franchise-interview/ |archive-date=July 3, 2022 |url-status=live |accessdate=October 3, 2023 }}</ref>
== Games developed == {|class="wikitable" ! Year !! Title !! Publisher |- | 2001 || ''Battle Realms'' || rowspan="2" | Crave Entertainment<br>Ubi Soft |- | 2002 || ''Battle Realms: Winter of the Wolf'' |- | 2003 || ''The Lord of the Rings: War of the Ring'' || Sierra Entertainment |- | 2005 || ''Dungeons & Dragons: Dragonshard'' || Atari |- | 2006 || ''Desperate Housewives: The Game'' || Buena Vista Games |- | 2008 || ''Rise of the Argonauts'' || Codemasters |- | 2011 || ''Thor: God of Thunder'' || Sega |- | rowspan="5" | 2012 || ''Instant Jam: Facebook'' || GarageGames |- | ''Deadline Hollywood: The Game'' || Paramount Digital Entertainment |- | ''Dungeons and Dragons: Heroes of Neverwinter'' || Atari |- | ''Paper Galaxy'' || Liquid Entertainment |- | ''Karateka'' || Karateka, LLC |- | 2013 || ''Cuddle Pets'' || Digital Capital |- | 2014 || ''Max Steel'' || Mattel |}
=== Nominations === {|class="wikitable" ! Title !! Nomination |- | ''Battle Realms'' || 2002 nomination in "PC Strategy" category for The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) awards<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.interactive.org/awards/award_category_details.asp?idAward=2002&idGameAwardType=118 |title=Award Category Details |last=<!--no byline--> |date=<!--no source date--> |website=2002 5th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards |publisher=Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences |access-date=May 17, 2018}}</ref> |- | ''Desperate Housewives: The Game'' || 2007 nomination in "Outstanding Achievement in Character Performance – Female" category for the AIAS awards<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.interactive.org/awards/award_category_details.asp?idAward=2007&idGameAwardType=87 |title=Awards Category Details |last=<!--no byline--> |date=<!--no source date--> |website=2007 10th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards |publisher=Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences |access-date=May 17, 2018}}</ref> |}
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == *{{official|http://www.liquidentertainment.net/}} *[http://www.mobygames.com/company/liquid-entertainment ''Liquid Entertainment''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606232631/http://www.mobygames.com/company/liquid-entertainment |date=June 6, 2014 }} on MobyGames *[http://www.giantbomb.com/liquid-entertainment/65-4402/ ''Liquid Entertainment''] on GiantBomb
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Category:American companies established in 1999 Category:American companies disestablished in 2018 Category:Defunct video game companies of the United States Category:Video game companies established in 1999 Category:Video game companies disestablished in 2018 Category:Video game development companies Category:Companies based in Pasadena, California Category:1999 establishments in California Category:2018 disestablishments in California Category:Defunct companies based in Greater Los Angeles