View source for Underground Development

{{Short description|American video game developer}}
{{Use American English|date=August 2018}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2018}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Underground Development, Ltd.
| logo = Z-Axis Games logo.png
| former_name = Z-Axis, Ltd. {{small|(1994–2008)}}
| type = [[Subsidiary]]
| industry = [[Video game industry|Video games]]
| fate = [[Dissolution (law)|Dissolved]]
| founded = {{Start date and age|1994}} in [[San Mateo, California]], U.S.
| founder = David Luntz
| defunct = {{End date|2010|02|12}}
| hq_location_city = [[Foster City, California]]
| hq_location_country = U.S.
| num_employees = <45
| num_employees_year = 2008
| parent = [[Activision]] {{small|(2002–2010)}}
}}

'''Underground Development, Ltd.''' (formerly '''Z-Axis, Ltd.''') was an American [[video game developer]] based in [[Foster City, California]]. It was founded in 1994 by David Luntz and sold to [[Activision]] in May 2002. Following a rebranding to Underground Development in February 2008, the company was closed in February 2010.

== History ==
Z-Axis was founded by David Luntz in 1994,<ref name="Luntz">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/107632/QA_Nunchuck_Games_Luntz_On_Testing_His_Ninja_Reflex.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120512192243/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/107632/QA_Nunchuck_Games_Luntz_On_Testing_His_Ninja_Reflex.php |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 12, 2012 |title=Q&A: Nunchuck Games' Luntz On Testing His Ninja Reflex |first=Christian |last=Nutt |website=gamasutra.com |date=January 4, 2008 |access-date=August 11, 2018}}</ref> originally located in [[San Mateo, California]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/1998/02/19/z-axis-dunks-high |title=Z-Axis Dunks High |author=IGN Staff |date=February 18, 1998 |website=ign.com |access-date=August 11, 2018}}</ref> On May 22, 2002, [[Activision]] announced that they had acquired Z-Axis in exchange for a payment of {{US$|20.5&nbsp;million|link=no}} in cash and stock, and up to 93,446 additional shares in Activision linked to the studio's performance.<ref name="Acquire">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/92243/Activision_Acquires_Dave_Mirra_Developer_ZAxis.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180811195948/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/92243/Activision_Acquires_Dave_Mirra_Developer_ZAxis.php |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 11, 2018 |title=Activision Acquires Dave Mirra Developer, Z-Axis |website=gamasutra.com |date=May 22, 2002 |access-date=August 11, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/article_46084 |title=Activision goes straight up |date= June 3, 2002|website=eurogamer.net |access-date=August 11, 2018}}</ref> At the time, the studio was located in [[Hayward, California]].<ref name="Acquire" /> In February 2008, Z-Axis was rebranded as Underground Development.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vg247.com/2008/02/14/z-axis-renamed-to-underground-development/ |title=Z-Axis renamed to Underground Development - VG247 |date=February 14, 2008 |website=vg247.com |access-date=August 11, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.mcvuk.com/development/activision-rebrands-one-of-its-internal-studios |title=Activision rebrands one of its internal studios |website=mcvuk.com |date=February 18, 2008 |access-date=August 11, 2018}}</ref>

Activision reported in April 2008 that they were closing Underground Development, which had the time had under 45 employees in a [[Foster City, California]] office, at the end of the coming May.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/activision-confirms-underground-closure |title=Activision confirms Underground closure |website=gamesindustry.biz |date=April 19, 2008 |access-date=August 11, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.mcvuk.com/development/activision-closing-underground-developments |title=Activision closing Underground Developments? |website=mcvuk.com |date=April 18, 2008 |access-date=August 11, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.engadget.com/2008/04/21/activision-closes-underground-development-studio/ |title=Activision closes Underground Development studio |website=engadget.com |date=April 21, 2008 |access-date=August 11, 2018}}</ref> The studio was fully closed on February 12, 2010.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://kotaku.com/5470149/activision-shutters-guitar-hero-creators-gh-van-halen-developers-update |title=Activision Shutters Guitar Hero Creators, GH: Van Halen Developers [Update] |first=Luke |last=Plunkett |website=kotaku.com |date=February 12, 2010 |access-date=August 11, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.engadget.com/2010/02/12/activision-shuts-down-redoctane-underground-development/ |title=Activision shuts down RedOctane, Underground Development |website=engadget.com |date=February 13, 2010 |access-date=August 11, 2018}}</ref>

== Games developed as Z-Axis ==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year
! Title
! Platform(s)
|-
| 1996
| ''[[Madden NFL '96]]''
| [[Sega Genesis]]
|-
| 1998
| ''[[Fox Sports College Hoops '99]]''
| [[Nintendo 64]]
|-
| rowspan="3" | 1999
| ''[[Alexi Lalas International Soccer]]''
| [[PlayStation 1|PlayStation]], [[Microsoft Windows]], [[Game Boy Color]]
|-
| ''[[List of Space Invaders video games|Space Invaders]]''
| [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]], [[Microsoft Windows]], [[Nintendo 64]]
|-
| ''[[Thrasher Presents Skate and Destroy]]''
| [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]]
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2000
| ''[[Freestyle Motocross: McGrath vs Pastrana]]''
| [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]]
|-
| ''[[Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX (video game)|Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX]]''
| [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]], [[Game Boy Color]], [[Dreamcast]], [[Microsoft Windows]]
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2001
| ''[[Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX: Maximum Remix]]''
| [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]]
|-
| ''[[Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2]]''
| [[PlayStation 2]], [[GameCube]], [[Game Boy Advance]], [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]]
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2002
| ''[[Aggressive Inline (video game)|Aggressive Inline]]''
| [[PlayStation 2]], [[GameCube]], [[Game Boy Advance]], [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]]
|-
| ''[[BMX XXX]]''
| [[PlayStation 2]], [[GameCube]], [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]]
|-
| 2006
| ''[[X-Men: The Official Game]]''
| [[PlayStation 2]], [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]], [[Xbox 360]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |Cancelled
|''Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX 3''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Activision Nabs Z-Axis - News |url=http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/7426/activision-nabs-z-axis |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=Nintendo World Report}}</ref>
|[[PlayStation 2]], [[GameCube]], [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]]
|-
|''Iron Man''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Perry |first=Douglass C. |date=2003-11-21 |title=Z-Axis Hiring for Iron Man, X-Men |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2003/11/21/z-axis-hiring-for-iron-man-x-men-2 |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=IGN |language=en}}</ref>
|[[PlayStation 2]], [[GameCube]], [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]]
|}

== Games developed as Underground Development ==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year
! Title
! Platform(s)
|-
| 2009
| ''[[Guitar Hero: Van Halen]]''
| [[PlayStation 2]], [[PlayStation 3]], [[Wii]], [[Xbox 360]]
|-
|Cancelled
|''[[Call of Duty#Call of Duty: Devil's Brigade|Call of Duty: Devil's Brigade]]''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://kotaku.com/what-was-call-of-duty-devils-brigade-5539160|title=What Was Call of Duty: Devil's Brigade?|date=May 14, 2010 }}</ref>
| [[Xbox 360]]
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Activision}}

[[Category:Defunct video game companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Software companies based in the San Francisco Bay Area]]
[[Category:Video game companies based in California]]
[[Category:Video game development companies]]
[[Category:Defunct Activision subsidiaries]]
[[Category:Companies based in Foster City, California]]
[[Category:Video game companies established in 1994]]
[[Category:Video game companies disestablished in 2010]]
[[Category:1994 establishments in California]]
[[Category:2010 disestablishments in California]]
[[Category:Defunct companies based in the San Francisco Bay Area]]


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{{Activision-stub}}