{{Short description|British holding company}} {{Use British English|date=March 2019}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2019}} {{Infobox company | name = TT Games Limited | logo = TT Games.png | type = Subsidiary | industry = Video games | founded = {{Start date and age|df=yes|2005}} | hq_location_city = Knutsford | hq_location_country = England | key_people = {{Unbulleted list|Michael Denny|(studio head)<ref>{{cite news |last1=Taylor |first1=Ivy |title=European studio boss Michael Denny leaves Sony after 25 years |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/european-studio-boss-michael-denny-leaves-sony-after-25-years |access-date=17 March 2025 |work=GamesIndustry.biz}}</ref>|Jonathan Smith|(strategic manager)}} | products = Lego video games | parent = Warner Bros. Games (2007–present) | subsid = {{Unbulleted list|Traveller's Tales|TT Games Publishing|TT Fusion|TT Odyssey}} | website = {{URL|https://www.ttgames.com|ttgames.com}} }}
'''TT Games Limited''' is a British holding company and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Games. The company was established in 2005 through the merger of developer Traveller's Tales and publisher Giant Interactive (now TT Games Publishing). Its other branches include developer TT Fusion, animation studio TT Animation and mobile game studio TT Odyssey. The company is best known for its video games based on the Lego construction toy.
== History == In 2003, The Lego Group's video game division, Lego Interactive, commenced plans to develop ''Lego Star Wars: The Video Game'', based on the company's licensed Lego Star Wars toy sets.<ref name="Wallis">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/pc/playing-catch-up-traveller-s-tales-jon-burton |title=Playing Catch Up: Traveller's Tales' Jon Burton |first=Alistair |last=Wallis |date=9 November 2006 |website=Game Developer |access-date=4 March 2022 |archive-date=27 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210827101233/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/pc/playing-catch-up-traveller-s-tales-jon-burton |url-status=live }}</ref> They contracted Traveller's Tales to develop the game, though Lego soon stepped out of the video game industry.<ref name="Wallis" /> Tom Stone and Jonathan Smith of Lego Interactive's senior management formed Giant Interactive, gaining the exclusive licence for Lego video games.<ref name="Wallis" /> As work progressed, Traveller's Tales manager Jon Burton recognised the potential of the game and the Lego licence, and how effectively the two companies worked together.<ref name="Wallis" /> ''Lego Star Wars'' was released in 2005 to positive reviews and strong sales, wherefore Traveller's Tales acquired Giant Interactive in April, forming TT Games.<ref name="Wallis" /><ref name="Maragos">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/pc/traveller-s-tales-acquires-giant-entertainment |title=Traveller's Tales Acquires Giant Entertainment |first=Nich |last=Maragos |date=14 April 2005 |website=Game Developer |access-date=4 March 2022 |archive-date=27 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210827095429/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/pc/traveller-s-tales-acquires-giant-entertainment |url-status=live }}</ref>
TT Games continued to produce Lego games to considerable success; ''Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy'' received several awards and nominations in 2006, including the Best Gameplay Award at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts' 3rd British Academy Games Awards.<ref name="Wallis" /> In 2007, under advice from Farleys Solicitors, TT Games acquired developer Embryonic Studios and motion capture studio Centroid, which became TT Fusion and TT Centroid, respectively.<ref name="French">{{cite web |url=https://www.mcvuk.com/development/tt-games-buys-centroid |title=TT Games buys Centroid |first=Michael |last=French |date=31 May 2007 |website=MCV}}</ref> On 8 November 2007, TT Games was bought by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and became part of its video game division, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment (now Warner Bros. Games).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/49831/warner-bros-buys-tt-games |title=Warner Bros. Buys TT Games, Developer of LEGO Star Wars, LEGO Indiana Jones, and LEGO Batman |first=Chris |last=Faylor |date=8 November 2007 |website=Shacknews |access-date=4 March 2019 |archive-date=6 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306043316/https://www.shacknews.com/article/49831/warner-bros-buys-tt-games |url-status=live }}</ref> For Burton's share, which amounted to an ownership of 80% in TT Games, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment paid roughly {{GBP|100 million|link=yes}} ({{US$|210 million|link=yes}}).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.engadget.com/2007-11-12-report-tt-games-sold-to-warner-bros-for-approx-210-million.html |title=Report: TT Games sold to Warner Bros. for approx. $210 million |first=Ludwig |last=Kietzmann |date=21 November 2007 |website=Engadget |access-date=2022-03-04 |archive-date=10 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220310092013/https://www.engadget.com/2007-11-12-report-tt-games-sold-to-warner-bros-for-approx-210-million.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
TT Games expanded into mobile games with the acquisition of Playdemic in February 2017 and the opening of TT Odyssey (originally named TT Games Brighton) in January 2018.<ref name="Sinclair">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2017-02-08-tt-games-acquires-playdemic |title=TT Games acquires Playdemic |first=Brendan |last=Sinclair |date=8 February 2017 |website=GamesIndustry.biz |access-date=4 March 2019 |archive-date=29 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200529060640/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2017-02-08-tt-games-acquires-playdemic |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Taylor">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2018-01-30-tt-games-opens-new-uk-based-studio-to-develop-lego-games-for-mobile |title=TT Games opens new UK studio to develop LEGO titles for mobile |first=Haydn |last=Taylor |date=30 January 2018 |website=GamesIndustry.biz |access-date=4 March 2019 |archive-date=29 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200329042325/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2018-01-30-tt-games-opens-new-uk-based-studio-to-develop-lego-games-for-mobile |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="White">{{cite web |url=http://bricksfanz.com/new-lego-mobile-studio-renamed-tt-odyssey/ |title=New LEGO Mobile Studio Renamed TT Odyssey |first=Adam |last=White |date=22 March 2018 |website=BricksFanz |access-date=18 June 2018 |archive-date=13 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191213201615/http://bricksfanz.com/new-lego-mobile-studio-renamed-tt-odyssey/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
On 20 January 2022, a report published by ''Polygon'' detailed the amount of crunch that occurred at TT Games during the development of ''Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga'', including dozens inside the company being at odds with management, due to expressing frustration over tight development schedules, the company's crunch culture, and outdated development tools. In addition, the use of NTT (a new in-house engine that was being developed to replace TT's previous engine in attempt to avoid paying royalties for using a third-party engine like Unreal Engine or Unity) was extremely controversial within the company, as many employees had been pushing to instead use Unreal Engine. NTT turned out to be incredibly difficult to use, with some animations taking hours more to produce than they would on the old engine. As a result, ''The Skywalker Saga'' would end up being the only game developed by TT Games to use NTT, with the company deciding to use Unreal Engine going forward for its future projects.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Yarwood|first=Jack|date=2022-01-20|title=Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga has led to extensive crunch at TT Games|url=https://www.polygon.com/features/22891555/lego-star-wars-the-skywalker-saga-has-led-to-extensive-crunch-at-tt-games|access-date=2022-01-20|website=Polygon|language=en-US|archive-date=20 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220120152859/https://www.polygon.com/features/22891555/lego-star-wars-the-skywalker-saga-has-led-to-extensive-crunch-at-tt-games|url-status=live}}</ref> Follow-up reporting by Fanbyte revealed that management was dismissive of ''Polygon''{{'}}s investigation and attempted to bury it by releasing a trailer for the game on the same day. They also report that Director of Game Development Eric Matthews and Head of Game Mark Green, who had been identified as nepotistic hires, were a continuing source of conflict and miscommunication from management.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Yarwood |first=Jack |date=2022-05-04 |title=More TT Games Employees Speak Out After Skywalker Saga Report |url=https://www.fanbyte.com/features/more-tt-games-employees-speak-out-after-skywalker-saga-report/ |access-date=2022-05-04 |website=Fanbyte |archive-date=4 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220504162725/https://www.fanbyte.com/features/more-tt-games-employees-speak-out-after-skywalker-saga-report/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
== Subsidiaries ==
=== Traveller's Tales === {{Main|Traveller's Tales}} Traveller's Tales was founded in 1989 by Jon Burton and Andy Ingram.<ref name="Wallis" /> Traveller's Tales is based in Knutsford, England.<ref name="Location">{{cite web |url=http://ttgames.com/contact.php |title=Contact |website=TT Games |access-date=4 March 2019 |archive-date=16 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190716205104/http://www.ttgames.com/contact.php |url-status=dead }}</ref>
=== TT Games Publishing === TT Games Publishing was founded as Giant Interactive Entertainment in 2004 by managing director Tom Stone and head of production Jonathan Smith.<ref name="Boyes">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/qanda-lego-star-wars-producer-jonathan-smith/1100-6165669/ |title=Q&A: Lego Star Wars producer Jonathan Smith |first=Emma |last=Boyes |date=9 February 2007 |website=GameSpot |access-date=4 March 2019 |archive-date=21 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190821183842/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/qanda-lego-star-wars-producer-jonathan-smith/1100-6165669/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Both Stone and Smith were formerly in the senior management of Lego Interactive, the video game division of The Lego Group, before that company closed.<ref name="Wallis" /> Giant Interactive took over the publishing duties for Traveller's Tales' ''Lego Star Wars: The Video Game'', which were formerly handled by Lego Interactive, and became the exclusive licensee for Lego video games.<ref name="Wallis" /> Giant Interactive was acquired by Traveller's Tales in April 2005, and the two companies created TT Games.<ref name="Wallis" /><ref name="Maragos" /> As a result, Giant Interactive became TT Games Publishing.<ref name="Boyes" /> TT Games Publishing is based in Maidenhead, England.<ref name="Location" />
=== TT Fusion === thumb|250x250px TT Fusion was founded as Embryonic Studios by Nick Elms, the co-founder of Warthog, in 2005.<ref name="Jenkins">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/pc/traveller-s-tales-acquires-embryonic-studios |title=Traveller's Tales Acquires Embryonic Studios |first=David |last=Jenkins |date=4 January 2007 |website=Game Developer |access-date=4 March 2022 |archive-date=12 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210912225357/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/pc/traveller-s-tales-acquires-embryonic-studios |url-status=live }}</ref> TT Games announced the acquisition of the studio on 4 January 2007, at which point Embryonic employed 20 people in its offices in Bollington.<ref name="Jenkins" /> The deal was overseen by Farleys Solicitors, and the studio was renamed TT Fusion.<ref name="French" /> TT Fusion is based in Wilmslow, England,<ref name="Location" /> developing ports of TT's games for handheld platforms and mobile phones.<ref>{{Cite web |title=TT Fusion |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/companies/tt_fusion |access-date=2022-07-22 |website=Nintendo Life |date=14 March 2013 |language=en-GB |archive-date=22 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220722103723/https://www.nintendolife.com/companies/tt_fusion |url-status=live }}</ref>
=== TT Animation === TT Animation is TT Games' animation studio for film and television, run by ''Fraggle Rock'' co-creator Jocelyn Stevenson.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mcvuk.com/business/batman-and-beyond |title=Batman and Beyond |publisher=MCV Editors |date=22 August 2008 |website=MCV}}</ref> The studio produced the film ''Lego Batman: The Movie – DC Super Heroes Unite'', which was released in May 2013.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2013/02/27/lego-batman-the-movie-dc-super-heroes-unite-release-date |title=LEGO Batman: The Movie – DC Super Heroes Unite Release Date |date=27 February 2013 |website=IGN |access-date=4 March 2019 |archive-date=21 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190821183842/https://www.ign.com/articles/2013/02/27/lego-batman-the-movie-dc-super-heroes-unite-release-date |url-status=live }}</ref> The company also co-produced an original children's television property: ''What's Your News?'', with Canadian studio Original Pictures.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.originalpicturesinc.com/projects/tv-series/what%E2%80%99s-your-news | title=Our Projects | Original Pictures Inc | access-date=10 May 2022 | archive-date=21 June 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220621211614/https://www.originalpicturesinc.com/projects/tv-series/what%E2%80%99s-your-news | url-status=live }}</ref>
=== TT Odyssey === TT Games announced the formation of TT Games Brighton, a mobile game development studio based in Brighton, England, on 30 January 2018.<ref name="Taylor" /> Jason Avent, who formerly headed Boss Alien, became the studio's head of studio.<ref name="Taylor" /> In March that year, TT Games Brighton was rebranded TT Odyssey.<ref name="White" />
=== Former ===
==== TT Centroid ==== Centroid Motion Capture Limited, a motion capture studio, was acquired by TT Games on 31 May 2007.<ref name="Boyer">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/pc/tt-games-acquires-motion-capture-studio-centroid |title=TT Games Acquires Motion Capture Studio Centroid |first=Brandon |last=Boyer |date=31 May 2007 |website=Game Developer |access-date=4 March 2022 |archive-date=4 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220304064529/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/pc/tt-games-acquires-motion-capture-studio-centroid |url-status=live }}</ref> Its assets, including 10 employees in its England headquarters, plus another 12 employees in its subsidiary studio in Serbia, were absorbed by a new entity, TT Centroid Limited and the company moved to Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire, England.<ref name="Boyer" /> The deal was overseen by Farleys Solicitors.<ref name="French" /> They spun off in 2008.<ref>{{Cite web|title=CENTROID (UK) LIMITED - Overview|url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/06114127|access-date=2020-11-16|website=Companies House|archive-date=2 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210302114723/https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/06114127|url-status=live}}</ref>
==== Playdemic ==== Playdemic was founded in 2010 by Paul Gouge and Alex Rigby as a developer of Facebook Platform games.<ref name="Sinclair" /><ref name="Caoili">{{cite web|last=Caoili|first=Eric|date=13 January 2011|title=RockYou Buys UK Social Game Dev Playdemic|url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/rockyou-buys-uk-social-game-dev-playdemic|website=Gamasutra|access-date=4 March 2019|archive-date=6 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306044750/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/32429/RockYou_Buys_UK_Social_Game_Dev_Playdemic.php|url-status=live}}</ref> The company was acquired by RockYou in January 2011, and Gouge switched positions from chief executive officer to vice-president and general manager.<ref name="Caoili" /> When RockYou faced financial instability later that year, Playdemic performed a management buyout.<ref name="Sinclair" /> In February 2013, Ian Livingstone was appointed as the company's chairman.<ref>{{cite web|last=Chapple|first=Craig|date=27 February 2013|title=Playdemic appoints Ian Livingstone as chairman|url=https://www.mcvuk.com/development/playdemic-appoints-ian-livingstone-as-chairman|website=MCV}}</ref> TT Games announced on 8 February 2017 that it had acquired Playdemic to bolster its mobile game development capabilities.<ref name="Sinclair" /> At the time, Playdemic had 33 employees in its Wilmslow offices.<ref name="Sinclair" /> In June 2021, Playdemic was sold to Electronic Arts for $1.4 billion.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Electronic Arts Acquires Playdemic, Makers of the Highly Successful Golf Clash Mobile Game, From Warner Bros. Games and AT&T|url=https://ir.ea.com/press-releases/press-release-details/2021/Electronic-Arts-Acquires-Playdemic-Makers-of-the-Highly-Successful-Golf-Clash-Mobile-Game-From-Warner-Bros.-Games-and-ATT/default.aspx|access-date=2021-06-23|website=EA|archive-date=23 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210623130706/https://ir.ea.com/press-releases/press-release-details/2021/Electronic-Arts-Acquires-Playdemic-Makers-of-the-Highly-Successful-Golf-Clash-Mobile-Game-From-Warner-Bros.-Games-and-ATT/default.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Electronic Arts buys mobile game studio Playdemic for $1.4 billion|url=https://techcrunch.com/2021/06/23/electronic-arts-buys-mobile-game-studio-playdemic-for-1-4-billion/|access-date=2022-03-04|website=TechCrunch|date=23 June 2021|archive-date=4 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220304064527/https://techcrunch.com/2021/06/23/electronic-arts-buys-mobile-game-studio-playdemic-for-1-4-billion/|url-status=live}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{Official website|https://www.ttgames.com/}}
{{Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment}} {{Warner Bros.}} {{Authority control}}
Category:2005 establishments in England Category:2007 mergers and acquisitions Category:British companies established in 2005 Category:British subsidiaries of foreign companies Category:Companies based in Maidenhead Category:Video game companies established in 2005 Category:Video game companies of the United Kingdom Category:Video game development companies Category:Video game publishers Category:Warner Bros. Games