Blitz Games Studios

{{Short description|British video game developer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}} {{Use British English|date=June 2013}} {{Infobox company | name = Blitz Games Studios Limited | logo = BlitzGamesStudios logo.svg | former_name = {{Unbulleted list|class=nowrap|Dizzy Enterprises Limited (1990–1994)|Interactive Studios Limited (1994–2000)|Blitz Games Limited (2000–2008)}} | type = Private | industry = Video games | founded = {{Start date and age|1990}} | founders = {{Unbulleted list|Andrew and Philip Oliver}} | defunct = {{End date|2013|09|12}} | fate = Dissolved | successor = Radiant Worlds | hq_location_city = Leamington Spa | hq_location_country = England | key_people = {{Unbulleted list|class=nowrap|Philip Oliver (CEO)|Andrew Oliver (CTO)|Richard Smithies (COO)}} | num_employees = 230+<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.us.playstation.com/2009/06/29/droplitz-drops-in-to-psn |title=Droplitz Drops in to PSN – PlayStation.Blog |publisher=Blog.us.playstation.com |access-date=2013-09-13}}</ref> | num_employees_year = 2009 | divisions = {{Unbulleted list|Blitz Games|Blitz Arcade|Volatile Games|TruSim|Blitz Academy|BlitzTech}} | homepage = {{URL|https://www.blitzgames.com/}} }}

'''Blitz Games Studios Limited''' was a British video game developer based in Leamington Spa. Founded in 1990 by the Oliver Twins, who ran the company until its closure in 2013, it is best known for producing games such as ''The Fairly OddParents'', ''Bratz'', ''SpongeBob SquarePants'', ''The Biggest Loser'', and ''Karaoke Revolution''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Warr |first=Philippa |url=https://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2013-09/12/blitz-games-studio-closes |title=Blitz Games Studios announces closure after 23 years |publisher=Wired.co.uk |access-date=2013-09-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130915073849/http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2013-09/12/blitz-games-studio-closes |archive-date=15 September 2013}}</ref> The company was initially named Dizzy Enterprises, then Interactive Studios, until it was finally changed to Blitz Games in 2000, because the Interactive Studios name was too generic.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Co-Founder |first=Gestalt |last2=Editor-in-Chief |first2=former |date=2000-08-11 |title=Philip Oliver of Blitz Games |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/i-blitz |access-date=2025-12-20 |website=Eurogamer.net |language=en}}</ref>

==Divisions== ===Blitz Games=== Blitz Games (originally Interactive Studios until 2000)<ref name=":0" /> created the games that the company first became well known for: family titles, often licensed on popular characters and existing intellectual property.

===Blitz Arcade=== ''Blitz Arcade'' was founded in 2006 with a team of 35 people. It was focused on developing downloadable titles of a small scope.<ref>{{cite web|last=Stuart|first=Keith|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/gamesblog/2009/mar/12/gameculture-playstation |title=Blitz Games Studios: altruism, recession and the arcade business |newspaper=The Guardian |date=12 March 2009 |access-date=13 November 2019}}</ref> Its first release was an advergame series created for the US Burger King chain. After that, Blitz Arcade turned its focus to downloadable titles and had success with its first game of this type: ''SpongeBob SquarePants: Underpants Slam''. They also developed shooter ''PowerUp Forever'', puzzler ''Droplitz'' and the 3DTV-compatible beat 'em up ''Invincible Tiger: The Legend of Han Tao''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cubed3.com/news/12810 |title=C3 Exclusive Interview | Seeing Double: The Oliver Twins (Blitz Games Studios) #1 at Nintendo Cubed3 |publisher=Cubed3.com |access-date=2013-09-13}}</ref>

===Volatile Games=== '''Volatile Games''' was responsible for the company's mature games. The division dates from 2005.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Blitz Creates Volatile Games Division |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/blitz-creates-volatile-games-division |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240918105203/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/blitz-creates-volatile-games-division |archive-date=2024-09-18 |access-date=2026-04-22 |language=en}}</ref> The company and the division ended in 2013.<ref name="history">{{cite web |url=https://volatilegames.com/ |title=U.K. Blitz Game Studios Closes After 23 Years |publisher=Volatile Games |access-date=13 May 2018}}</ref>

Video games created by this division include ''Reservoir Dogs'', runner-up in the 2006 BAFTA awards for Best Soundtrack.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bafta.org/site/page413.html |title=BAFTA Awards |publisher=Bafta.org |access-date=2013-09-13}}</ref> Despite allowing the player to complete the game without firing a single shot, the game was considered so realistic in its depictions of violence that it was banned in Australia.<ref>{{cite web |author= 5:42PM PDT |url=http://uk.gamespot.com/news/6153207.html?sid=6153207 |title=Reservoir Dogs game banned in Australia - GameSpot.com |publisher=Uk.gamespot.com |date=2006-08-25 |access-date=2013-09-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930161148/http://uk.gamespot.com/news/6153207.html?sid=6153207 |archive-date=30 September 2007}}</ref> They released ''Dead to Rights: Retribution'' on 27 April 2010. A proposed game, ''Possession'', was put on hold in 2007.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-04-20 |title=Blitz zombie game on hold, 'major new project' in the works |url=https://www.engadget.com/2007-04-20-possession-will-wait-blitz-puts-development-of-game-on-hold.html |access-date=2026-04-22 |website=Engadget |language=en-US}}</ref>

===TruSim=== ''TruSim'' was the serious games division. The idea was to bring commitment to training through video games.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/business/playtime-at-work-3100313 |title=Playtime at work |work=Coventry Telegraph |date=7 March 2008|access-date=13 November 2019}}</ref> It is best known for its work on medical-related training programs including the award-winning Interactive Trauma Trainer.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iecs.bham.ac.uk/hit/sg_research.htm |title=School of Electronic, Electrical and Computer Engineering - University of Birmingham |publisher=Iecs.bham.ac.uk |access-date=2013-09-13}}</ref>

===BlitzTech=== BlitzTech created and licensed the game development engine and toolchain.

=== Earlier divisions ===

====Virtual Experience Company==== Past projects include the Tintern Abbey virtual tour.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ancient abbey's virtual world|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/south_east/2958778.stm|date=3 June 2003|work=BBC News|access-date=29 July 2009}}</ref> The company was acquired by Blitz Games at the end of 2006 but was sold back to former owner Mike Gogan in May 2009.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Virtual Experience Company Parts From Blitz Games Studios|url=http://seriousgames.ning.com/group/gamesandvirtualworldsforcultureandheritage/forum/topics/630751:Topic:40217|date=7 May 2008|publisher=Serious Games|access-date=29 July 2009}}</ref>

====Blitz 1UP==== In 2008 Blitz Games Studios launched the Blitz1UP programme to help independent developers bring their games to market. The programme provided free help and advice on all aspects of game production as well as crowd sourced QA. The programme was closed in 2011 and was replaced by IndieCity, an online indie game marketplace.

== Awards == '''2007''' * Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards 2007 - Favourite Videogame – SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab * Edge award for Training and Development of young people * ICT Excellence in Skills * Blitz Games wins Develop Industry Excellence Award for Business Development * Cannes Titanium Grand Prix Award for the Burger King games * Golden Clio Award for Burger King games

'''2006''' * Blitz Games CEO Philip Oliver named Best Industry Player by TIGA [http://www.tiga.org/index.php?action=showNewsDetails&newsId=39] * Warwickshire Employer of Choice Awards 2006 for creating an exceptional working environment [https://web.archive.org/web/20080607234635/http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/Web/corporate/pages.nsf/Links/504E3FCF32EB39C28025723E003C4E25].

==Closure== On 12 September 2013, the company announced that it was closing after 23 years of business.<ref name="bbc">{{cite web|last=Lee |first=Dave |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24066065 |title=UK games developer Blitz Games Studios shuts down |publisher=bbc.co.uk |date=2013-09-12 |access-date=2013-09-15}}</ref> The closure came as a result of the company struggling to raise money to support future development projects, with the demise of THQ, a major client, said by Philip Oliver to have hit the company particularly hard.<ref name="bbc" /><ref>{{cite news|last1=Yin-Poole|first1=Wesley|title=There have been a lot of men crying, including me|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-09-12-there-have-been-a-lot-of-men-crying-including-me|access-date=8 August 2017|work=Eurogamer|date=12 September 2013}}</ref> The company is reported to have owed £2.2 million to staff and creditors.<ref>{{cite news|title=Creditors owed £2.2m after games firm collapse|url=http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/business/creative/2m-debts-leamington-based-blitz-games-6237612|access-date=8 August 2017|work=Birmingham Post|date=24 October 2013}}</ref>

The Oliver brothers along with the former company's COO Richard Smithies almost immediately formed a new company, Radiant Worlds, in the same town, and were reported to have recruited up to 50 former Blitz staff.<ref name="indie">{{cite news|first=David |last=Crookes |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/ukbased-blitz-games-studios-to-close-after-23-years-8814834.html |title=UK-based Blitz Games Studios to close after 23 years - News - Gadgets & Tech |newspaper=The Independent |date=2013-07-29 |access-date=2013-09-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/defunct-blitz-games-studios-returns-as-radiant-worlds|title=Defunct Blitz Games Studios returns as Radiant Worlds|last=Rose|first=Mike|date=27 November 2013|work=Gamasutra|publisher=Think Services|access-date=27 November 2013}}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == * [https://www.blitzgames.com/ Official website] * {{MobyGames company|blitz-games-studios-ltd}}

Category:British companies established in 1990 Category:Companies based in Leamington Spa Category:Defunct companies of England Category:Defunct video game companies of the United Kingdom Category:Video game companies disestablished in 2013 Category:Video game companies established in 1990 Category:Video game development companies