Cinemaware

2025-10-23T19:34:49Z

2003:F2:6703:A700:19BB:3013:951B:4D7B:

{{Short description|Video game developer}}
{{More citations needed|date=October 2010}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Cinemaware
| logo = Cinemaware logo.png
| logo_caption = Cinemaware logo from 2008
| type =
| foundation = January 1986<ref name="maher20150416" />
| defunct = 1991
| fate =
| predecessor =
| successors =
| location = [[Langhorne Borough, Pennsylvania|Langhorne, PA]]
| key_people =
| industry = [[Video game industry|Video games]]
| products = ''[[Defender of the Crown]]'' ''[[It Came from the Desert]]'' ''[[Wings (1990 video game)|Wings]]''
| num_employees =
| founders = Robert Jacob Phyllis Jacob
| parent =
| divisions =
| subsid =
| homepage = [https://web.archive.org/web/20070312003725/http://cinemaware.com/ cinemaware.com] (archived)
}}
'''Cinemaware''' was a [[video game developer]] and [[video game publisher|publisher]]. It had released several titles in the 1980s based on various [[film]] themes. The company was resurrected in 2000, before being acquired by [[eGames (video game developer)|eGames]] in 2005.

== Cinemaware Corp. (1986–1991) ==
The company was founded in January 1986 by Phyllis and Robert “Bob” Jacob. Cinemaware's first title was ''[[Defender of the Crown]]'', a strategy computer game originally released for the [[Amiga|Commodore Amiga]]. Bob Jacob was a film buff, and Cinemaware released other games based on classic film genres which were made as an attempt to emphasize action, graphics, and ease of play.<ref name="maher20150416">{{cite web | url=https://www.filfre.net/2015/04/defender-of-the-crown/ | title=Defender of the Crown | publisher=The Digital Antiquarian | date=2015-04-16 | access-date=16 April 2015 | author=Maher, Jimmy | quote = Jacob pulled the trigger on Cinemaware at last in January of 1986}}</ref> Its games generally debuted on the most graphically powerful [[home computer]]s of the era, the Amiga, [[Apple IIGS|Apple IIGS]], and [[Atari ST]], and then [[Porting|ported]] to others, such as the [[Commodore 64]], [[IBM PC compatible|PC]] (running under [[MS-DOS]]), and the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]]. ''Defender of the Crown'' is the most ported Cinemaware game.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cinemaware Corporation games |url=https://www.mobygames.com/company/36706/cinemaware-corporation/games/ |access-date=2024-02-02 |website=MobyGames |language=en}}</ref>

Cinemaware expanded to [[sports game]]s, with its "TV Sports" line, which featured elements of sports telecasts such as studio announcers. The "TV Sports" line covered [[basketball]], [[ice hockey]], and [[American football|football]]. Some of the titles were only known by the generic name "TV Sports" in Europe such as''TV Sports: Boxing'' and ''TV Sports: Baseball'', which were released in the United States by [[Data East]] as ''[[ABC Wide World of Sports Boxing]]'' and ''[[Bo Jackson Baseball]]'', respectively. In 1989, the company debuted its Spotlight Software label in order to release foreign titles for the American market, most notably ''[[Speedball (video game)|Speedball]]''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=March 1989 |title=Cinemaware To Debut Spotlight Software |pages=9 |work=[[Computer Entertainer]] |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/6/60/ComputerEntertainer_US_Vol.7_12.pdf |access-date=September 30, 2023}}</ref>

By 1990, the [[NEC]] owned 15% of Cinemaware.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Special Report: To Cinemaware, "Coin-Op, Home Games & Computer Games Are All One Industry |magazine=RePlay |date=February 1990 |volume=15 |issue=5 |page=48 |url=https://archive.org/details/re-play-volume-14-issue-no.-5-february-1990-600dpi/RePlay%20-%20Volume%2014%2C%20Issue%20No.%205%20-%20February%201990/page/48}}</ref> Cinemaware went bankrupt in 1991. While porting ''[[S.D.I. (video game)|S.D.I.]]'' to another system, one of the company's owners demanded the [[game programmer|programmers]] add more features, increasing the programming time and delaying the product's release.{{Citation needed|date=September 2008}} Coupled with falling sales of their other titles amid an economic downturn, the company suffered. The company also suffered from software piracy, threatening to stop publishing Amiga games at several points because of the ease by which video games could be copied. Many of their games, including ''[[Wings (1990 video game)|Wings]]'', were cracked and spread amongst gamers before release.{{Citation needed|date=September 2008}}

=== Releases ===
Cinemaware's titles include the following:

* ''[[Defender of the Crown]]'' (swashbuckling movies; 1986, [[Apple IIGS|Apple IIGS]], Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, MS-DOS, Macintosh, CD-I)
* ''[[S.D.I. (video game)|S.D.I.]]'' ([[Cold War]] era space drama; 1986, Amiga, Atari ST, Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum, MS-DOS, Macintosh)
* ''[[The King of Chicago]]'' (inspired by [[Mafia|mob]] movies; 1987, [[Apple IIGS|Apple IIGS]], Amiga, Atari ST, MS-DOS, Macintosh)
* ''[[Sinbad and the Throne of the Falcon]]'' ([[Sinbad]] and [[Arabian nights]] movies; 1987, [[Apple IIGS|Apple IIGS]], Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, MS-DOS)
* ''[[The Three Stooges (video game)|The Three Stooges]]'' (''The Three Stooges'' short subjects; 1987, [[Apple IIGS|Apple IIGS]], Amiga, Commodore 64, MS-DOS)
* ''[[Rocket Ranger]]'' (1950s [[science fiction]] serials; 1988, [[Apple IIGS|Apple IIGS]], Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, MS-DOS)
* ''[[TV Sports: Football]]'' (1988, Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, TG-16)
* ''[[Lords of the Rising Sun]]'' (Japanese [[Samurai]] movies; 1988, Amiga, Atari ST, MS-DOS, TG-16, CD-I)
* ''[[Disney's Cartoon Arcade]]'' (1989 Viewmaster Interactive Vision)
* ''[[It Came from the Desert]]'' (1950s science fiction/monster movies; 1989, Amiga, Mega Drive, TG-16, MS-DOS)
* ''[[TV Sports: Baseball]]'' (1989, Amiga, TG-16)
* ''[[TV Sports: Basketball]]'' (1990, Amiga, MS-DOS, TG-16)
* ''[[It Came from the Desert#Expansion set|Antheads: It Came from the Desert 2]]'' (1990, Amiga)
* ''[[Wings (1990 video game)|Wings]]'' ([[World War I]] movies; 1990, Amiga)
* ''[[TV Sports: Boxing]]'' (1991, Amiga, MS-DOS)

== Cinemaware Inc. (2000–2005) ==
Lars Fuhrken-Batista later bought the Cinemaware trademark and associated intellectual property, founding Cinemaware Inc. in 2000.<ref name=allgame>{{citation | url=http://www.allgame.com/cg/agg.dll?p=agg&sql=3:27772 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130116184149/http://www.allgame.com/cg/agg.dll?p=agg&sql=3:27772 | url-status=dead | archive-date=January 16, 2013 | title=Cinemaware, Inc. | access-date=2008-08-20 | publisher=Macrovision}}</ref> Cinemaware developed recreations of its past titles, updated for [[Microsoft Windows]] and the [[Apple Macintosh]]. Dubbed the "Digitally Remastered" editions, these games feature the same gameplay as the originals, but with updated graphics. They also ported some of their older games to handheld systems, such as the [[Game Boy Advance]]. On their website, they have also released [[disk image]]s of their original titles for use with [[emulator]]s and some are emulated via [[Macromedia Shockwave]].

The new Cinemaware developed newer versions of their classic games. Their first game in this endeavor was ''[[Robin Hood: Defender of the Crown]]'', featuring an improved [[3D computer graphics|3D]] [[game engine|engine]] and was released in September 2003 for [[Windows]], [[PlayStation 2]], and [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]]. Since the 1.02 [[Patch (computing)|patch]] for ''Robin Hood: Defender of the Crown'' in December 2003, Cinemaware has made no official announcements for its other games. One [[Software developer|developer]] made a statement in the website's forums in October 2004 stating Cinemaware is still working on these projects, but no other announcements have been made since. {{Citation needed|date=November 2022}}

=== Releases ===
* ''[[Robin Hood: Defender of the Crown]]'' (2003, PS2, Xbox, Windows)
* ''[[Defender of the Crown]]'' (2002, GBA)
* ''[[The Three Stooges (video game)|The Three Stooges]]'' (GBA, [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]])
* ''[[Wings (1990 video game)|Wings]]'' (2003, GBA)
* ''[[Torrente (video game)]] '' (2003, Windows)
* ''Defender of the Crown: Digitally Remastered Edition'' (Windows, Macintosh)
* ''The Three Stooges: Digitally Remastered Edition'' (2002, Windows, Mac)
* ''Wings: Digitally Remastered Edition'' (postponed, Windows, Mac)
* ''Lords of the Rising Sun: Digitally Remastered Edition'' (postponed, Windows, Mac)
* ''Wings Remastered'' (2014, Windows, Mac)

=== Acquisition ===
{{Main|eGames (video game developer)}}

On October 6, 2005, Cinemaware was acquired by predominantly family-oriented game publisher [[EGames (video game developer)|eGames, Inc.]], and Lars Furken-Batista became Vice President of Development.<ref name=allgame /> Shortly after the acquisition, eGames announced the launch of Cinemaware Marquee, a publishing label to be used to bring new games to the U.S. market. Their first published game was ''[[Space Rangers 2]]'', a critically acclaimed space adventure. Under their new label, they have brought ''[[Darwinia (video game)|Darwinia]]'' from [[Introversion Software]], ''Moscow to Berlin'' from [[Monte Cristo (company)|Monte Cristo]], and ''Neighbours from Hell: On Vacation'' and ''Buccaneer's Bounty'' from German publisher [[Ascaron]] to the American market. In 2007, eGames released an [[Adobe Flash]] version of ''[[Defender of the Crown]]'', allowing more users to play the game. The website was titled ''Defender of the Crown: Heroes Live Forever''.<ref>{{citation | url=http://www.cinemawaremarquee.com/index.php?f=news&id=39 | title=To Arms! New Defender of the Crown Unleashed on www.eGames.com | publisher=[[eGames (video game developer)|eGames]] | access-date=2008-08-20 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20070619121032/http://www.cinemawaremarquee.com/index.php?f=news&id=39 | archive-date=2007-06-19 | url-status=dead }}</ref>

== Cinemaware rights acquisition by Starbreeze (2016) ==
In May 2016, Swedish game developer and publisher [[Starbreeze]] acquired all Cinemaware intellectual property rights from Cinemaware.

* The Cinemaware brand
* ''[[Defender of the Crown]]''
* ''[[Wings (1990 video game)|Wings]]''
* ''[[The King of Chicago]]''
* ''[[Sinbad and the Throne of the Falcon]]''
* ''[[Lords of the Rising Sun]]''
* ''[[Rocket Ranger]]''
* ''[[It Came from the Desert]]''
* [[It Came from the Desert#Expansion set|''Antheads: It Came from the Desert 2'']]
* ''[[S.D.I. (video game)|S.D.I.]]''
* ''[[TV Sports: Basketball]]''
* ''[[Bo Jackson Baseball|TV Sports: Baseball]]''
* ''[[ABC Wide World of Sports Boxing|TV Sports: Boxing]]''
* ''[[TV Sports: Football]]''
* ''TV Sports: Hockey''

The rights include all brands, websites, existing products, and licenses including the Cinemaware label.<ref>Starbreeze pressrelease: [https://www.starbreeze.com/2016/05/starbreeze-acquires-rights-cinemawares-classic-video-game-catalogue-including-came-dessert-defender-crown-wings/ Starbreeze acquires the rights to Cinemaware’s classic video game catalogue, including “It Came From the Desert”, “Defender of the Crown” & “Wings”] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191221023138/https://www.starbreeze.com/2016/05/starbreeze-acquires-rights-cinemawares-classic-video-game-catalogue-including-came-dessert-defender-crown-wings/ |date=2019-12-21 }}, 31 May 2016, Retrieved on 21 August 2017.</ref>

== Cinemaware rights acquisition by Nordcurrent (2024) ==
In January 2024, Lithuanian game developer and publisher [[Nordcurrent]] acquired all Cinemaware intellectual property rights from Starbreeze. The company states that this aligns with the company's vision to establish its division Nordcurrent Labs in the PC and console games publishing sector.<ref>{{Cite web |title="Nordcurrent expands its portfolio with acquisition of legendary Cinemaware catalog " - Games Press |url=https://www.gamespress.com/en-US/Nordcurrent-expands-its-portfolio-with-acquisition-of-legendary-Cinema |access-date=2024-02-02 |website=www.gamespress.com}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070312003725/http://cinemaware.com/ Official website] (archived via [[Wayback Machine]])
*{{MobyGames company|company=cinemaware-corporation}}

{{Cinemaware}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1985 establishments in California]]
[[Category:1991 disestablishments in California]]
[[Category:2000 establishments in California]]
[[Category:2005 disestablishments in California]]
[[Category:Cinemaware games| ]]
[[Category:Companies based in Burlingame, California]]
[[Category:Defunct companies based in the San Francisco Bay Area]]
[[Category:Defunct video game companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Re-established companies]]
[[Category:Defunct computer companies based in California]]
[[Category:Video game companies based in the San Francisco Bay Area]]
[[Category:Video game companies established in 1985]]
[[Category:Video game companies disestablished in 1991]]
[[Category:Video game companies established in 2000]]
[[Category:Video game companies disestablished in 2005]]
[[Category:Video game development companies]]
[[Category:American companies established in 1985]]
[[Category:American companies disestablished in 1991]]
[[Category:American companies established in 2000]]
[[Category:American companies disestablished in 2005]]

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Cinemaware