{{Short description|German video game company}} {{use dmy dates|date=February 2021}} {{Infobox company | name = NGDEV | logo = | logo_size = | industry = Video games | founded = {{start date and age|2001}} | founders = Timm and René Hellwig | location = Germany | products = Video games | website = {{URL|http://www.ngdevteam.com|ngdevteam.com}} }}
'''NGDEV''', formerly '''NG:Dev.Team''', is a German video game developer and publisher. Founded in 2001 by brothers Timm and René Hellwig, it is known for developing 2D homebrew games with arcade gameplay for the Neo Geo and Dreamcast.
== History == German brothers Timm and René Hellwig began developing doujin video games in 2000.<ref name="gama">{{cite web|last=Barnholt|first=Ray|url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/134745/keeping_the_dream_alive_the_men_.php|title=Keeping the Dream Alive: The Men Behind Dreamcast Homebrew|work=Gamasutra|publisher=UBM Technology Group|date=May 12, 2011|pages=1–3|access-date=2021-02-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180111165322/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/134745/keeping_the_dream_alive_the_men_.php|archive-date=2018-01-11|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Euro">{{cite web|last=McFerran|first=Damien|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-06-04-never-neglect-the-niche-ng-dev-team-on-developing-for-dead-systems|title=Never Neglect the Niche: NG Dev Team on developing for dead systems - Germany's indie darlings speak exclusively about their new Neo Geo game, Gunlord|work=Eurogamer|publisher=Gamer Network|date=June 4, 2012|access-date=2021-02-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210107153717/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-06-04-never-neglect-the-niche-ng-dev-team-on-developing-for-dead-systems|archive-date=2021-01-07|url-status=live}}</ref> Being fans of the Neo Geo, they started reverse engineering the hardware and were able to start developing prototypes.<ref name="Euro" /> They founded NG:Dev.Team in 2001.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=About us|url=http://www.ngdevteam.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=54&Itemid=55|access-date=2021-02-05|website=NGDEV}}</ref> In 2006, NG:Dev.Team released their first game, ''Last Hope''.<ref name="Euro" /> Only 60 copies were produced for the Neo Geo.<ref name="Euro" /> Realizing an opportunity for greater commercial success, they signed with homebrew publisher RedSpotGames in 2007 to release copies for the Dreamcast.<ref name="GSpot">{{cite web|last=Brown|first=Peter|url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/german-studio-ngdevteam-keeps-the-spirit-of-the-neo-geo-alive/1100-6400972/|title=German Studio NG:DEV.TEAM Keeps the Spirit of the Neo Geo Alive - The Neo Geo scene continues to thrive thanks to the dedicated Hellwig brothers, who in 2000 began developing original games for SNK's 16-bit powerhouse|work=GameSpot|publisher=CBS Interactive|date=December 3, 2012|access-date=2021-02-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210106212653/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/german-studio-ngdevteam-keeps-the-spirit-of-the-neo-geo-alive/1100-6400972/|archive-date=2021-01-06|url-status=live}}</ref> Surprised by the success of the Dreamcast version, the Hellwigs turned their game development hobby into full-time work,<ref name="gama" /> and began development on their next game ''Fast Striker''.<ref name="Euro" /> NG:Dev.Team use KallistiOS to develop Dreamcast games, an open source development environment for making Dreamcast homebrew.<ref name="gama" /> While the cost of producing Neo Geo carts is expensive and the community is small, the team considers this when planning their business.<ref name="Euro" />
In 2011, Timm Hellwig claimed roadblocks with publishing on modern consoles, saying it requires publisher and hardware manufacturer approval, while that is not necessary for publishing on old consoles.<ref name="gama" /> He also claimed the market for homebrew on retro consoles was declining, noting that sales of ''Fast Striker'' only totaled to 60% of ''Last Hope'' before it. In an effort to compromise, they expanded to more active platforms like the Wii and iPhone.<ref name="gama" /> Max Scharl of RedSpotGames disagreed with Timm's assessment, saying NG:Dev.Team does not promote their games well, and cited the commercial success of his Dreamcast game ''Sturmwind'' as further evidence.<ref name="gama" /> In 2012, Timm stated that ''Fast Striker'' was not successful on the iOS marketplace and blamed its niche appeal. He also claimed that retro-style games on Xbox and PlayStation marketplaces were only popular if they had a "hipster feel" which their team was not interested in exploring.<ref name="Euro" /> In 2019, the company rebranded themselves from NG:Dev.Team to NGDEV.<ref name=":0" />
== Games == {|class="wikitable sortable" !Year !Title !Original platform(s) !Publisher !{{Abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}} |- !2006 |''Last Hope'' |Dreamcast, Neo Geo, Neo Geo CD |NG:Dev.Team, RedSpotGames |<ref name="GSpot"/> |- !2009 |''Last Hope: Pink Bullets'' |Dreamcast, Neo Geo |NG:Dev.Team |<ref name="GSpot"/> |- !2010 |''Fast Striker'' |Dreamcast, iOS, Neo Geo, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita |NG:Dev.Team, Eastasiasoft |<ref>{{cite web|last=Benefield|first=Nick|url=http://operationrainfall.com/2018/12/07/review-fast-striker/|title=REVIEW: Fast Striker|publisher=Oprainfall|date=December 7, 2018|access-date=2021-02-05|archive-date=2021-01-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210103200818/http://operationrainfall.com/2018/12/07/review-fast-striker/|url-status=live}}</ref> |- !2012 |''Gunlord'' |Dreamcast, Neo Geo |NG:Dev.Team |<ref>{{cite web|last=Brown|first=Fraser|url=https://www.destructoid.com/stories/gunlord-coming-to-dreamcast-and-neo-geo-214523.phtml|title=GunLord coming to Dreamcast and Neo Geo|work=Destructoid|publisher=Enthusiast Gaming|date=October 10, 2011|access-date=2021-02-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210124195242/https://www.destructoid.com/stories/gunlord-coming-to-dreamcast-and-neo-geo-214523.phtml|archive-date=2021-01-24|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Verdin|first=Guillaume|url=https://mag.mo5.com/actu/36868/gunlord-enfin-disponible-sur-neogeo-aes/|title=GunLord enfin disponible sur Neo·Geo AES|work={{ill|MO5.com|lt=MO5.com|fr|MO5.com}}|publisher=Association MO5.COM|date=April 16, 2013|access-date=2021-02-05|language=fr|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031170635/https://mag.mo5.com/actu/36868/gunlord-enfin-disponible-sur-neogeo-aes/|archive-date=2020-10-31|url-status=live}}</ref> |- !2013 |''Neo XYX'' |Dreamcast, Neo Geo |NG:Dev.Team |<ref>{{cite web|last=Zamora|first=Alonso|url=https://www.levelup.com/noticias/217663/Inicia-la-distribucion-de-Neo-XYX-para-arcades-Neo-Geo|title=Inicia la distribución de Neo XYX para arcades Neo Geo - Todavía se lanzan shooters para el sistema MVS|work=LevelUp|publisher=BuscaCorp|date=October 29, 2013|access-date=2021-02-05|language=es|archive-date=2021-01-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210112021147/https://www.levelup.com/noticias/217663/Inicia-la-distribucion-de-Neo-XYX-para-arcades-Neo-Geo|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Cowan|first=David|url=http://www.joystiq.com/2014/02/13/neo-xyx-joins-the-dreamcasts-library-next-week/|title=Neo XYX joins the Dreamcast's library next week|work=Joystiq|publisher=AOL|date=February 13, 2014|access-date=2021-02-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006195451/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/02/13/neo-xyx-joins-the-dreamcasts-library-next-week/|archive-date=2014-10-06|url-status=live}}</ref> |- !2014 |''Razion'' |Neo Geo |NG:Dev.Team |<ref name="HCG">{{cite web|last=Hannley|first=Steve|url=https://hardcoregamer.com/2014/06/04/ngdev-team-announces-new-neo-geo-mvs-game-razion/87441/|title=NG:DEV.TEAM Announces New Neo Geo MVS Game, Razion|work=Hardcore Gamer|publisher=Hardcore Gamer LLC|date=June 4, 2014|access-date=2021-02-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170625065205/https://hardcoregamer.com/2014/06/04/ngdev-team-announces-new-neo-geo-mvs-game-razion/87441/|archive-date=2017-06-25|url-status=live}}</ref> |- ! rowspan="2" |2019 |''Kraut Buster'' |Neo Geo |NGDEV |<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.retromaniac.es/2019/02/el-espectacular-arcade-para-neo-geo.html|title=El espectacular arcade para Neo-Geo Kraut Buster está terminado, pero no parece que llegará a otras plataformas - Sus diseñadores trabajan en nuevas producciones para consolas actuales|publisher=RetroManiac|date=February 6, 2019|access-date=2021-02-05|language=es|archive-date=2020-09-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929074452/https://www.retromaniac.es/2019/02/el-espectacular-arcade-para-neo-geo.html|url-status=live}}</ref> |- |''Gunlord X'' |Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 |Eastasiasoft |<ref>{{cite news|last=Romano|first=Sal|url=https://www.gematsu.com/2019/05/eurostyle-platformer-gunlord-x-coming-to-switch-on-may-22|title='Eurostyle platformer' Gunlord X coming to Switch on May 22|work=Gematsu|date=May 8, 2019|access-date=2021-02-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191216111135/https://www.gematsu.com/2019/05/eurostyle-platformer-gunlord-x-coming-to-switch-on-may-22|archive-date=2019-12-16|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Guglielmo|first=Samuel|url=https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2019/12/09/gunlord-x-ps4-release-date/|title=Indie Action Shooter Gunlord X Makes its Way to PS4 Tomorrow With Extra Content|work=PlayStation LifeStyle|publisher=Mandatory|date=December 9, 2019|access-date=2021-02-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200103014521/https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2019/12/09/gunlord-x-ps4-release-date/|archive-date=2020-01-03|url-status=live}}</ref> |- !2021 |''Razion EX'' |Nintendo Switch |NGDEV |<ref>{{cite web|last=McFerran|first=Damien|url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2021/04/this_insanely_expensive_neo_geo_shmup_is_coming_to_switch_in_physical_form|title=This Insanely Expensive Neo Geo Shmup Is Coming To Switch In Physical Form - Raze hell for Razion EX|work=Nintendo Life|publisher=Nlife Media|date=April 28, 2021|access-date=2021-05-05|archive-date=2021-04-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210430044502/https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2021/04/this_insanely_expensive_neo_geo_shmup_is_coming_to_switch_in_physical_form|url-status=live}}</ref> |- !2022 |''Gunvein'' |Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One |NGDEV |<ref>{{cite news|last=Romano|first=Sal|url=https://www.gematsu.com/2021/12/ngdev-announces-shoot-em-up-gunvein-for-ps4-xbox-one-switch-and-pc|title=NGDEV announces shoot 'em up GUNVEIN for PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC|work=Gematsu|date=December 23, 2021|access-date=2023-04-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211229202817/https://www.gematsu.com/2021/12/ngdev-announces-shoot-em-up-gunvein-for-ps4-xbox-one-switch-and-pc|archive-date=2021-12-29|url-status=live}}</ref> |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{official website|http://www.ngdevteam.com/}}
{{Portal|Companies|Germany|Video games}}
{{NGDEV}}
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