Core Design

Last updated

Rebellion (Derby) Ltd
FormerlyCore Design Limited (1988–2006)
Company type Subsidiary
Industry Video games
Founded13 May 1988;36 years ago (1988-05-13)
Defunct17 March 2010 (2010-03-17)
Fate Dissolved
Headquarters,
England
Products Rick Dangerous series
Chuck Rock series
Thunderhawk series
Tomb Raider series
Fighting Force series
Number of employees
5 (2010)
Parent
Website core-design.com

Core Design Limited (known as Rebellion (Derby) Ltd between 2006 and 2010) was a British video game developer based in Derby. Founded in May 1988 by former Gremlin Graphics employees, it originally bore the name Megabrite until rebranding as Core Design in October the same year. The company was acquired by umbrella company CentreGold in December 1994, which in turn was acquired by Eidos Interactive in April 1996. In May 2006, the Core Design personnel and assets were acquired by Rebellion Developments, and the company became Rebellion Derby, which was then shut down in March 2010.

Contents

History

Based in the city of Derby, England, Core Design was founded in 1988 by Chris Shrigley, Andy Green, Rob Toone, Terry Lloyd, Simon Phipps, Dave Pridmore, Jeremy Heath-Smith, Kevin Norburn and Greg Holmes. Most were former employees of Gremlin Graphics. [1] The studio was part of distribution company CentreGold when it was acquired by Eidos Interactive in 1996. [1] Heath-Smith regarded the acquisition as a relief, commenting, "The funding of development is so expensive that I doubt we could have continued to fund ourselves as an independent company." [2] Eidos subsequently sold most of CentreGold, but retained U.S. Gold, the owners of Core Design.

The company is widely known for the Tomb Raider series. The first game was created by Toby Gard and Paul Douglas, released in 1996, and followed by several sequels. The success of the first Tomb Raider has been credited with making Eidos Interactive a major force in the industry, [2] and turned Eidos's 1996 pretax loss of $2.6 million into a $14.5 million profit. [3] In September 1997, Sony Computer Entertainment's U.S. arm, SCEA, signed an agreement with Eidos [4] [5] to make the sequel exclusive to the PlayStation console. The deal was extended to include Tomb Raider III . Fourth and fifth games in the franchise, Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation and Tomb Raider: Chronicles respectively, followed.

After the critical failure of Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness in 2003, parent company Eidos put Crystal Dynamics, another Eidos-owned studio, in charge of Tomb Raider franchise development. [6] This prompted members of the Core Design management team, including Heath-Smith, and development staff to leave the company and establish a new company, Circle Studio. [7]

In May 2006, Eidos announced that independent developer Rebellion Developments had acquired Core Design's assets and staff, [8] while the Core brand and intellectual property, including Tomb Raider, remained in Eidos' possession. [9] [10]

In June 2006, Crystal Dynamics was confirmed to have a PSP anniversary edition of the original Tomb Raider in development. [11] Remnants of the Core Design team (under the banner of Rebellion) went on to work on several titles in years since, including Shellshock 2: Blood Trails and Rogue Warrior . [12] Starting in January 2010, due to an expiring lease on Rebellion Derby's offices, Rebellion Developments started seeking restructuring opportunities for the studio. [13] As no other possibility than closure was found, Rebellion Derby was closed down effective on 17 March 2010. [14]

Legacy

In July 2010, shortly after the closure of the studio, a nearby road in Derby was named "Lara Croft Way", in honour of the studio's contribution to the creative industries. [15]

Games developed

YearGamePlatform(s)
1988 Action Fighter Amiga, Atari ST, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum
1989 Dynamite Düx
Rick Dangerous Amiga, Atari ST, MS-DOS, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum
Saint and Greavsie Amiga
Switchblade Amiga, Atari ST, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad GX4000
1990 Torvak the Warrior Amiga, Atari ST
Corporation Amiga, Atari ST, MS-DOS
Monty Python's Flying Circus: The Computer Game Amiga, Atari ST, MS-DOS, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum
Axel's Magic Hammer Amiga, Atari ST
Skidz
Impossamole Amiga, Atari ST, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, Turbografx-16
Rick Dangerous 2 Amiga, Atari ST, MS-DOS, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum
CarVup Amiga
1991War Zone
Chuck Rock Acorn, Amiga, Amiga CD32, Atari ST, Commodore 64, Sega CD, Game Gear, Sega Genesis, SNES, Master System
Heimdall Acorn, Amiga, Atari ST, MS-DOS, Sega CD
FreneticAmiga, Atari ST
1992Doodlebug
Chuck Rock II: Son of Chuck Amiga, CD32, Sega CD, Game Gear, Sega Genesis, Master System
Curse of Enchantia Amiga, MS-DOS
Hook Sega CD, Sega Genesis
Premiere Amiga, CD32
The AdventurersAmiga
Thunderhawk Amiga, Atari ST, MS-DOS, Sega CD
Wolfchild Amiga, Atari ST, Sega CD, Game Gear, Sega Genesis, SNES
Jaguar XJ220 Amiga, Sega CD
Wonder Dog
1993 Asterix and the Great Rescue Game Gear, Sega Genesis, Master System
EncoreMS-DOS
BlastarAmiga
Blob
Cyberpunks
Darkmere
1994Corkers
BC Racers Sega 32X, 3DO, Sega CD, MS-DOS
Heimdall 2 Amiga, CD32, MS-DOS
Universe
Banshee Amiga, CD32
Dragonstone
Battlecorps Sega CD
Soulstar
Bubba 'n' Stix Amiga, CD32, Sega Genesis
1995Skeleton Krew
Asterix and the Power of the Gods Sega Genesis
The Big Red Adventure Amiga, MS-DOS
The Scottish Open: Virtual GolfMS-DOS, PlayStation, Saturn
Firestorm: Thunderhawk 2
1996 Shellshock
Tomb Raider
Blam! Machinehead PlayStation, Saturn
1997 Swagman
Fighting Force Microsoft Windows, PlayStation
Tomb Raider II
1998 Ninja: Shadow of Darkness PlayStation
Tomb Raider III Classic Mac OS, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation
1999 Fighting Force 2 Dreamcast, PlayStation
Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation Dreamcast, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation
2000 Tomb Raider: Chronicles
Tomb Raider Game Boy Color
2001 Tomb Raider: Curse of the Sword
Project Eden Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2
Thunderhawk: Operation Phoenix PlayStation 2
2002 Herdy Gerdy
Tomb Raider: The Prophecy Game Boy Advance
2003 Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2
2005 Smart Bomb PlayStation Portable
2007 Free Running

Related Research Articles

<i>Tomb Raider</i> Video game franchise

Tomb Raider, known as Lara Croft: Tomb Raider from 2001 to 2008, is a media franchise that originated with an action-adventure video game series created by British video game developer Core Design. The franchise is currently owned by CDE Entertainment; it was formerly owned by Eidos Interactive, then by Square Enix Europe after Square Enix's acquisition of Eidos in 2009 until Embracer Group purchased the intellectual property alongside Eidos in 2022. The franchise focuses on the fictional British archaeologist Lara Croft, who travels around the world searching for lost artefacts and infiltrating dangerous tombs and ruins. Gameplay generally focuses on exploration, solving puzzles, navigating hostile environments filled with traps, and fighting enemies. Additional media has been developed for the franchise in the form of film adaptations, comics and novels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lara Croft</span> Fictional protagonist of Tomb Raider

Lara Croft is a character and the main protagonist of the video game franchise Tomb Raider. She is presented as a highly intelligent and athletic British archaeologist who ventures into ancient tombs and hazardous ruins around the world. Created by a team at British developer Core Design that included Toby Gard, the character first appeared in the video game Tomb Raider in 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rebellion Developments</span> Video game company

Rebellion Developments Limited is a British video game developer based in Oxford, England. Founded by Jason and Chris Kingsley in December 1992, the company is best known for its Sniper Elite series and multiple games in the Alien vs. Predator series. Sister company Rebellion Publishing has published comic books since 2000, when it purchased 2000 AD, the publisher of characters such as Judge Dredd and Rogue Trooper.

Crystal Dynamics, Inc. is an American video game developer based in San Mateo, California. The studio is best known for its games in the Tomb Raider, Legacy of Kain, and Gex series.

Eidos Interactive Limited was a British video game publisher based in Wimbledon, London. Its games series included Championship Manager (1992), Tomb Raider (1996) and Hitman (2000). Domark was founded by Mark Strachan and Dominic Wheatley in 1984. In 1995, it was acquired by software company Eidos. Ian Livingstone, who held a stake in Domark, became executive chairman of Eidos and held various roles including creative director. Eidos took over U.S. Gold in 1996, which included developer Core Design, and merged its operations including Domark, which created publishing subsidiary Eidos Interactive. The company acquired Crystal Dynamics in 1998, and owned numerous other assets. In 2005, parent Eidos was taken over by games publisher SCi. The combined company, SCi Entertainment Group, which was briefly renamed Eidos, was itself taken over by Square Enix in 2009.

<i>Tomb Raider: Chronicles</i> 2000 video game

Tomb Raider: Chronicles is an action-adventure video game developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive. It was first released for PlayStation, Windows, and Dreamcast in 2000, then on Mac OS the following year. It is the fifth installment in the Tomb Raider series. The narrative continues from Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation with archaeologist-adventurer Lara Croft presumed dead, and three friends recall adventures from her early career. Gameplay follows Lara through linear levels, solving puzzles and fighting enemies. Some levels incorporate additional gameplay elements such as stealth.

<i>Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation</i> 1999 video game

Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation is an action-adventure video game developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive. It was first released for PlayStation and Microsoft Windows in 1999, then on Dreamcast and Mac OS the following year. It is the fourth instalment in the Tomb Raider series. The narrative follows archaeologist-adventurer Lara Croft as she races to imprison the Egyptian god Set after accidentally setting him free. Gameplay features Lara navigating levels split into multiple areas and room complexes, fighting enemies and solving puzzles to progress.

<i>Tomb Raider III</i> 1998 video game

Tomb Raider III is an action-adventure video game developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive. It was released for the PlayStation and Microsoft Windows platforms in 1998. Tomb Raider III is the third title in the Tomb Raider series and a sequel to Tomb Raider II. The story of the game follows archaeologist-adventurer Lara Croft as she embarks upon a quest to recover four pieces of a meteorite that are scattered across the world. To progress through the game, the player must complete a series of levels that involve solving puzzles, traversing dangerous locations, and defeating enemies.

<i>Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness</i> 2003 action-adventure video game

Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness is a 2003 action-adventure game developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive for PlayStation 2 and Microsoft Windows. A Mac OS X port was developed by Beenox and published by Aspyr the same year. It is the sixth instalment in the Tomb Raider series, acting as a direct sequel to Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation and Tomb Raider: Chronicles. The storyline follows Lara Croft as she attempts to clear herself of being the suspect of her former mentor Werner Von Croy's murder while investigating the activities of a black magic cult. The gameplay follows series tradition, with Lara navigating platforming environments while incorporating stealth and character growth elements.

<i>Tomb Raider: Legend</i> 2006 video game

Tomb Raider: Legend is an action-adventure video game developed by Crystal Dynamics and published by Eidos Interactive. It is the seventh main entry in the Tomb Raider series and a reboot of the series that reimagined the origins and character of series protagonist Lara Croft. The game was released in 2006 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360, PlayStation Portable, GameCube, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, and mobile phones. A PlayStation 3 port was released in 2011 as part of The Tomb Raider Trilogy.

<i>Tomb Raider</i> (1996 video game) 1996 video game

Tomb Raider is a 1996 action-adventure video game developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive as the debut entry in the Tomb Raider media franchise. It was first released on the Sega Saturn, followed shortly by versions for MS-DOS and the PlayStation. Later releases came for Mac OS (1999), Pocket PC (2002), N-Gage (2003), iOS (2013) and Android (2015). The game follows archaeologist-adventurer Lara Croft, who is hired by businesswoman Jacqueline Natla to find an artefact called the Scion of Atlantis. Gameplay features Lara navigating levels split into multiple areas and room complexes while fighting enemies and solving puzzles to progress. An expansion pack subtitled Unfinished Business was released in 1997, containing new standalone levels.

<i>Tomb Raider: Anniversary</i> 2007 video game

Tomb Raider: Anniversary is an action-adventure video game developed by Crystal Dynamics and Buzz Monkey Software and published by Eidos Interactive in 2007 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, PlayStation Portable, Wii and mobile phones. It was later ported to OS X in 2008 and PlayStation 3 in 2011. The eighth overall entry in the Tomb Raider series and second in the Legend trilogy, Anniversary is a remake of the first Tomb Raider game, originally released in 1996.

<i>Tomb Raider: The Prophecy</i> 2002 video game

Tomb Raider: The Prophecy is a 2002 action-adventure video game developed by Ubi Soft Milan and published by Ubi Soft for the Game Boy Advance. A spin-off of the Tomb Raider series, it follows protagonist Lara Croft as she explores multiple temples in search of keys to a world-destroying power. Gameplay features exploration, combat and platforming displayed from a top-down isometric perspective.

<i>Tomb Raider: Curse of the Sword</i> 2001 video game

Tomb Raider: Curse of the Sword is an action-adventure video game, part of the Tomb Raider series, developed by Core Design and published by Activision under license from Eidos Interactive. It was released for the Game Boy Color in 2001, and is a sequel to the first Tomb Raider for the same system. The next Tomb Raider game for a handheld system was Tomb Raider: The Prophecy for the Game Boy Advance.

<i>Tomb Raider</i> (Game Boy Color video game) 2000 video game

Tomb Raider is a 2000 action-adventure video game developed by Core Design and published by THQ for the Game Boy Color under license from series owner Eidos Interactive. Following series protagonist Lara Croft as she searches ruins in South America for a powerful artefact, the gameplay features platforming and puzzle-solving on a 2D side-scrolling environment.

<i>Tomb Raider: Underworld</i> 2008 video game

Tomb Raider: Underworld is an action-adventure video game developed by Crystal Dynamics and published by Eidos Interactive for Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii and Nintendo DS in November 2008. Later versions were released for mobile in December 2008, PlayStation 2 in 2009, and OS X in 2012. Various companies ported or developed the different versions. The ninth overall entry in the Tomb Raider series and third in the Legend trilogy, Underworld follows archaeologist-adventurer Lara Croft as she searches for Mjolnir, an artefact key to entering the realm of Helheim, while confronting adversaries from her past. Gameplay features Lara navigating levels set across the world through platforming, fighting enemies and solving puzzles to progress.

<i>Tomb Raider II</i> 1997 video game

Tomb Raider II is a 1997 action-adventure video game developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive. It was first released on Windows and PlayStation. Later releases came for Mac OS (1998), iOS (2014) and Android (2015). It is the second entry in the Tomb Raider series, and follows archaeologist-adventurer Lara Croft hunting the magical Dagger of Xian in competition with an Italian cult. Gameplay features Lara navigating levels split into multiple areas and room complexes while fighting enemies and solving puzzles to progress, with some areas allowing for or requiring the use of vehicles. An expansion pack subtitled The Golden Mask was released the following year, containing new levels focused on Lara's quest to find a golden mask in Alaska.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Square Enix Montreal</span> Canadian video game developer

Square Enix Montréal was a Canadian video game developer based in Montreal. It created the Go series of turn-based puzzle games for mobile devices based on former Eidos Interactive intellectual properties.

References

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  2. 1 2 Rider, David; Semrad, Ed (December 1997). "British Invasion". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 101. Ziff Davis. pp. 168, 175.
  3. Newsweek staff (9 November 1997). "Lara Croft, The Bit Girl". Newsweek Inc.
  4. "Sony Computer Entertainment America Signs Exclusive Deal with Eidos for Tomb Raider Franchise; Lara Croft Videogames to Be Exclusive to the PlayStation for Game Consoles" (Press release). Foster City, Calif.: Sony Computer Entertainment America. 18 September 1997. Archived from the original on 17 May 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  5. "Sony Computer Entertainment America Signs Exclusive Deal with Eidos for Tomb Raider Franchise; Lara Croft Videogames to Be Exclusive to the PlayStation for Game Consoles". Business Wire. CBS Interactive Business UK. 18 September 1997. Retrieved 20 January 2010.
  6. "Lara leaves UK". BBC News. 31 July 2003. Retrieved 1 July 2009.
  7. Fox, Fennec (15 July 2003). "Tomb Raider Co-Creator Steps Down". GamePro.com. Archived from the original on 23 January 2008. Retrieved 1 July 2009.
  8. Gibson, Ellie (16 June 2006). "Rebellion acquires Core Design staff and assets". GamesIndustry.biz .
  9. Elliott, Phil (16 June 2006). "Rebellion finalizes Core buyout". GameSpot.
  10. "History of the company". Core Design. 2006: The company is acquired by Rebellion (Rebellion Derby), but Eidos retains the name and IPs. Rebellion Derby closed its doors later in 2010.
  11. McWhertor, Michael (17 June 2006). "PSP: Tomb Raider 10th Anniversary Edition Cancelled, Announced". Kotaku.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2009. Retrieved 1 July 2009.
  12. Robinson, Martin (14 January 2010). "Aliens vs. Predator Campaign Hands-on". ign.com. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
  13. "Rebellion confirms restructure - MCV/DEVELOP". MCV. 12 January 2010.
  14. "Rebellion confirms Derby closure, cuts at Oxford studio". 17 March 2010.
  15. "20 years on, the Tomb Raider story told by the people who were there". Eurogamer . 30 October 2016.