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{{short description|German video game company}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Ubisoft Blue Byte GmbH
| logo = UbisoftBlueByte.png
| former_name = Blue Byte (1988–2017)
| type = [[Subsidiary]]
| industry = [[Video game industry|Video games]]
| founded = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1988|10}} in [[Mülheim]], Germany
| founders = {{Unbulleted list|Thomas Hertzler|Lothar Schmitt}}
| hq_location_city = [[Düsseldorf]]
| hq_location_country = Germany
| num_locations = 3 studios
| num_locations_year = 2020
| key_people = Benedikt Grindel ([[managing director]])
| products = {{Unbulleted list|''[[The Settlers]]''|''[[Battle Isle (series)|Battle Isle]]''|''[[Anno (series)|Anno]]''}}
| num_employees = 695
| num_employees_year = 2024
| parent = [[Ubisoft]] (2001–present)
| divisions = {{Unbulleted list
| Ubisoft Berlin
| Ubisoft Düsseldorf
| Ubisoft Mainz
}}
| website = {{URL|https://bluebyte.ubisoft.com/}}
}}

'''Ubisoft Blue Byte GmbH''' ('''Blue Byte''' until 2017) is a German video game holding company owned by [[Ubisoft]]. It was founded in October 1988 by Thomas Hertzler and Lothar Schmitt as a [[Video game developer|developer]] and is best known for developing the ''[[Anno (series)|Anno]]'' and ''[[The Settlers]]'' series. The studio was acquired by Ubisoft in 2001. [[Related Designs]] was merged into Blue Byte in 2013, and a third studio in Berlin was established in 2018. Since 2019, Ubisoft Blue Byte acts as the parent company of Ubisoft's three German studios, which became branded as '''Ubisoft Düsseldorf''', '''Ubisoft Mainz''' and '''Ubisoft Berlin'''. The three studios comprise 695 employees as of August 2024.<ref name="GamesWirtschaft: Die größten">{{cite web |url=https://www.gameswirtschaft.de/wirtschaft/groesste-games-studios-deutschland-2024-150824/ |title=Die größten Games-Studios in Deutschland 2024 |language=de |trans-title=The largest game studios in Germany in 2024 |first=Petra |last=Fröhlich |date=15 August 2024 |website=GamesWirtschaft |access-date=15 August 2024 |archive-date=15 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240815103001/https://www.gameswirtschaft.de/wirtschaft/groesste-games-studios-deutschland-2024-150824/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

== History ==

=== Foundation and first games (1988–1993) ===
In 1988, Thomas Hertzler and Lothar Schmitt left [[Rainbow Arts]], a German [[video game developer]], and founded their own, Blue Byte, in October that year.<ref name="Geschichte">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamestar.de/artikel/die-geschichte-von-blue-byte-vom-dachgeschoss-nach-duesseldorf,3026349.html |title=Die Geschichte von Blue Byte – Vom Dachgeschoss nach Düsseldorf |first=Jonas |last=Gössling |date=18 August 2013 |website=[[Gamestar]]}}</ref> To do so, Hertzler and Schmitt used a starting capital of 10,000 [[Deutsche Mark]] borrowed from Hertzler's parents and established an office in the attic of Hertzler's home in [[Mülheim]].<ref name="Geschichte" />

Blue Byte's first published game was the [[tennis]] simulation ''Great Courts'', released in 1989 by [[Ubi Soft]] (later renamed Ubisoft).{{citation needed|date=December 2018}} Blue Byte's first big success in Germany and [[Europe]] was the [[turn-based strategy game]] ''[[Battle Isle (video game)|Battle Isle]]'', completed in 1991. Inspired by the Japanese game ''[[Nectaris]]'' for the [[PC Engine]], ''Battle Isle'' spawned numerous add-ons and sequels, such as the World War I game ''[[History Line: 1914-1918]]''.{{citation needed|date=December 2018}} The company's next big success followed in 1993 with the release of the managerial game ''Die Siedler'', marketed internationally as ''[[The Settlers]]''. ''The Settlers'' also had numerous sequels and became the most well-known of Blue Byte's products.{{citation needed|date=December 2018}}

=== Major projects (1994–2000) ===
Over the years, Blue Byte developed and/or [[video game publisher|published]] numerous innovative titles including ''Chewy: Escape from F5'' and ''[[Albion (game)|Albion]]'', but most of them were not successful internationally. Efforts to break into the American market, usually aided with publishing by [[Accolade, Inc.|Accolade]], failed and success was limited to Germany and parts of Europe.{{citation needed|date=December 2018}} In 1995 a Chicago-based entrepreneur named Julian Pretto travelled to Germany and convinced the founders to open a North American office. Following the successful release of ''[[Battle Isle 2220]]'' in the United States, Pretto left the firm to pursue other interests. Three years later, Blue Byte moved from [[Chicago, Illinois]], to its new facilities in [[Austin, Texas]].{{citation needed|date=December 2018}}

The popular [[turn-based strategy]] [[Battle Isle (series)|''Battle Isle'' series]] from the early 1990s achieved cult status similar to ''Settlers''. However, when it was revised in 1997 as a [[3D computer graphics|3-D]] tactical game ''[[Incubation (computer game)|Incubation]]'' similar to ''[[X-COM: UFO Defense]]'' and later in 2001 ''[[Battle Isle: The Andosia War]]'', which tried to bridge the gap between turn-based strategies and [[real-time strategy|real-time strategies]], it alienated many players who came to expect that the ''Battle Isle'' brand would represent traditional turn-based strategies.{{citation needed|date=December 2018}}

=== As a subsidiary of Ubisoft (2001–present) ===
In February 2001, Blue Byte was acquired by Ubi Soft and tasked to focus on Blue Byte's two most popular series. At the time of the acquisition, Blue Byte had a staff of 64 people and was active in the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ubi-soft-acquires-blue-byte-software/1100-2683947/ |title=Ubi Soft acquires Blue Byte Software |last=Ho |first=Jennifer |date=8 February 2001 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref>

Around 2013, Blue Byte worked with [[Related Designs]] on two of its titles including ''[[Might & Magic Heroes Online]]''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Sarkar |first=Samit |date=11 April 2013 |title=Ubisoft takes full ownership of Anno developer Related Designs |url=https://www.polygon.com/2013/4/11/4213900/ubisoft-acquires-related-designs-anno |website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]}}</ref> Related Designs was acquired by Ubisoft in April 2013, from which point on the company would develop projects in tandem with Blue Byte.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2013-04-11-ubisoft-completes-related-designs-acquisition |title=Ubisoft completes Related Designs acquisition |website=gamesindustry.biz|date=11 April 2013 }}</ref> Related Designs was merged into Blue Byte in June 2014, becoming Blue Byte's second internal studio.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamezone.de/Ubisoft-Firma-15823/News/Ubisoft-Ehemaliges-Related-Designs-Studio-ab-sofort-unter-Blue-Byte-Flagge-1125838/ |title=Ubisoft: Ehemaliges Related Designs-Studio ab sofort unter Blue Byte-Flagge |website=gamezone.de |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=6 December 2018 |archive-date=12 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612232543/http://www.gamezone.de/Ubisoft-Firma-15823/News/Ubisoft-Ehemaliges-Related-Designs-Studio-ab-sofort-unter-Blue-Byte-Flagge-1125838/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2014, Blue Byte developed ''[[The Settlers: Kingdoms of Anteria]]''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Prescott |first=Shaun |date=24 June 2014 |title=The Settlers: Kingdoms of Anteria confirmed for 2014 release |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/the-settlers-kingdoms-of-anteria-confirmed-for-2014-release/ |website=[[PCGamer]]}}</ref> In 2015, the studio worked on ''[[Anno 2205]]''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Sykes |first=Tom |date=29 October 2015 |title=Anno 2205's modular buildings detailed |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/anno-2205s-modular-buildings-detailed/ |website=[[PC Gamer]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Newhouse |first=Alex |date=23 June 2014 |title=Ubisoft Promises Next City-Building PC Game Settlers Will Offer a "New Game Experience" |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ubisoft-promises-next-city-building-pc-game-settlers-will-offer-a-new-game-experience/1100-6420688/ |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref> In 2016, the studio worked on ''[[Champions of Anteria]]'', replacing ''The Settlers: Kingdoms of Anteria''. The new game was a change from the original ''The Settlers'' series, with new gameplay.<ref>{{cite news |last=Tiongco |first=Santiago |date=25 April 2016 |title='Champions Of Anteria' Is The New PC RTS From Ubisoft: Release Date, Gameplay And More |url=https://www.techtimes.com/articles/153222/20160425/champions-of-anteria-is-the-new-pc-rts-from-ubisoft-release-date-gameplay-and-more.htm |website=[[Tech Times]]}}</ref> In 2017, the studio helped on the development for the game ''[[Skull & Bones (video game)|Skull & Bones]]''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Zhang |first=Lim Min |date=15 June 2017 |title=Made-in-Singapore Skull & Bones: All you need to know about online pirate sea battle game |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/tech/games-apps/made-in-singapore-skull-bones-all-you-need-to-know-about-online-pirate-sea-battle }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Takahashi |first=Dean |date=19 June 2018 |title=Ubisoft's Skull & Bones is a surprisingly good pirate naval battle game |url=https://venturebeat.com/2018/06/19/ubisofts-skull-bones-is-a-surprisingly-good-pirate-naval-battle-game/ |website=[[TechCrunch]]}}</ref> By late 2017, it had also worked on ''[[For Honor]]'' and ''[[Rainbow Six: Siege]]''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Chang |first=Stephanie |date=16 November 2017 |title=Ubisoft Berlin will open in early 2018 and help on Far Cry series |url=https://venturebeat.com/2017/11/16/ubisoft-berlin-will-open-in-early-2018-and-help-on-far-cry-series/ |website=[[VentureBeat]]}}</ref> In 2018, the studio announced ''[[The Settlers]]'', the eighth game in the series.<ref>{{cite news |last=Skrebels |first=Joe |date=21 August 2018 |title=Ubisoft Announces New Settlers Game |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2018/08/21/ubisoft-announces-new-settlers-game |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref> Blue Byte is also developing ''[[Anno 1800]]''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Takahashi |first=Dean |date=20 August 2018 |title=Anno 1800 hands-on — being a capitalist in the age of industrialization |url=https://venturebeat.com/2018/08/20/anno-1800-hands-on-being-a-capitalist-in-the-age-of-industrialization/ |website=[[VentureBeat]] |archive-date=22 August 2018 |access-date=6 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180822015008/https://venturebeat.com/2018/08/20/anno-1800-hands-on-being-a-capitalist-in-the-age-of-industrialization/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> The studio is also working on Beyond Good and Evil 2 together with Ubisoft Montpellier.<ref>{{Citation|title=Beyond Good and Evil 2: Space Monkey Report #4 Live Stream {{!}} Ubisoft [NA]|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YzEozG5EYs|language=en|access-date=21 August 2019}}</ref>

In 2017, Blue Byte was rebranded Ubisoft Blue Byte, with a new logo introduced just prior to the [[Gamescom]] event in August.<ref name="rebrand">{{cite web |url=https://www.gameswirtschaft.de/wirtschaft/ubisoft-blue-byte-berlin-grindel-merkel-gamescom-2017/ |title=Ubisoft Berlin: Was wird aus der Marke "Blue Byte"? |language=de |trans-title=Ubisoft Berlin: What will become of the brand "Blue Byte"? |first=Petra |last=Fröhlich |date=31 August 2017 |website=GamesWirtschaft}}</ref> A third Blue Byte studio in Berlin was announced in April 2017.<ref name="berlin announcement">{{cite web |url=https://www.gameswirtschaft.de/wirtschaft/ubisoft-blue-byte-deutschland-expansion/ |title=Ubisoft Blue Byte: "Potenzial für 1.000 Jobs in Deutschland" |language=de |trans-title=Ubisoft Blue Byte: "Potential for 1,000 jobs in Germany" |first=Petra |last=Fröhlich |date=26 April 2018 |website=GamesWirtschaft}}</ref> The studio was formed out of a building formerly occupied by the [[Berliner Bank]].<ref name="berlin announcement" /> Ubisoft Blue Byte's studio operations manager, Istvan Tajnay, became the new studio's studio manager.<ref name="berlin announcement" /> Although part of Ubisoft Blue Byte, the Berlin-based studio was intentionally named "Ubisoft Berlin".<ref name="rebrand" /> Ubisoft Berlin began operating in early 2018 and held its official opening on 25 September 2018, then employing 60 people.<ref name="berlin opening">{{cite web |url=https://www.gameswirtschaft.de/wirtschaft/ubisoft-berlin-eroeffnung/ |title=Ubisoft Berlin offiziell eröffnet |language=de |trans-title=Ubisoft Berlin official opened |first=Petra |last=Fröhlich |date=26 September 2018 |website=GamesWirtschaft}}</ref> At the same time, Blue Byte's Düsseldorf and Mainz studios had 230 and 100 employees, respectively.<ref name="berlin opening" /> At Gamescom in August 2019, Ubisoft Blue Byte revealed a new corporate identity in which its self-branded studios were renamed Ubisoft Düsseldorf and Ubisoft Mainz.<ref name="corporate identity">{{cite web |url=https://www.gameswirtschaft.de/wirtschaft/ubisoft-studios-deutschland-1000-jobs/ |title=1.000 Jobs bis 2023: Ubisoft will Belegschaft verdoppeln |language=de |trans-title=1,000 jobs by 2023: Ubisoft wants to double workforce |first=Petra |last=Fröhlich |date=19 August 2019 |website=GamesWirtschaft}}</ref> The move primarily aimed at attracting further employees as Ubisoft Blue Byte expected to expand from 520 staff members at the time to 1,000 by 2023.<ref name="corporate identity" /> All three studios remain under the Ubisoft Blue Byte legal umbrella.<ref name="gibiz bb">{{cite web | url = https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2019-08-20-ubisoft-rebrands-its-german-studios | title = Ubisoft rebrands its German studios | first= Rebekah | last =Valentine | date = 20 August 2019 | access-date = 20 August 2019 | work = [[GamesIndustry.biz]] }}</ref> By December 2020, the "Ubisoft Blue Byte" branding was mostly phased out, with the previously stale [[social media]] channels deactivated. However, Ubisoft Blue Byte remained the legal parent to its three studios.<ref>{{citation |url=https://www.gameswirtschaft.de/marketing-pr/ubisoft-blue-byte-studios-deutschland/ |title=Ubisoft-Kultmarke Blue Byte verschwindet |date=8 December 2020 |website=GamesWirtschaft}}</ref>

== Games developed or published ==
=== ''Pro Tennis Tour'' series ===
{|class="wikitable"
! Title
! Year
! Developer
! Publisher
|-
| ''[[Pro Tennis Tour]]''
| 1989 (Amiga, Atari ST, DOS), 1990 (Amstrad CPC, C64, ZX Spectrum)
| rowspan="3" | Blue Byte
| rowspan="3" | [[Ubisoft]]
|-
| ''[[Pro Tennis Tour 2]]''
| 1991 (Amiga, Atari ST, DOS)
|-
| ''[[Jimmy Connors Pro Tennis Tour]]''
| 1992 (SNES)
|}

=== ''Battle Isle'' series ===
{|class="wikitable"
! Title
! Year
! Developer
! Publisher
|-
| ''[[Battle Isle (video game)|Battle Isle]]''
| 1991 (Amiga, DOS)
| rowspan="9" | Blue Byte
| rowspan="3" | Blue Byte
|-
| ''[[Battle Isle Data Disk I]]''
| 1992 (Amiga, DOS)
|-
| ''[[Battle Isle Data Disk II]]''
| 1993 (Amiga, DOS)
|-
| ''[[Battle Isle II]]''
| 1994 (DOS)
| [[Accolade, Inc.|Accolade]]
|-
| ''[[Battle Isle II Data Disk I]]''
| 1994 (DOS)
| rowspan="6" | Blue Byte
|-
| ''[[Battle Isle III]]''
| 1995 (Windows)
|-
| ''[[Incubation: Time Is Running Out]]''
| 1997 (Windows)
|-
| ''Incubation: The Wilderness Missions ''
| 1997 (Windows)
|-
| ''Incubation: Hidden Worlds''
| 1998 (Windows)
|-
| ''[[Battle Isle: The Andosia War]]''
| 2000 (Windows)
| [[Cauldron (company)|Cauldron]]
|}

=== ''Settlers'' series ===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
! Title
! Year
! Developer
! Publisher
|-
| ''[[The Settlers (1993 video game)|The Settlers]]''
| 1993 (Amiga), 1994 (DOS)
| rowspan="12" | Blue Byte
| rowspan="3" | Blue Byte
|-
| ''[[The Settlers II]]''
| 1996 (DOS), 1997 (MacOS), 2007 (DS)
|-
| ''[[The Settlers III]]''
| 1998 (Windows)
|-
| ''[[The Settlers IV]]''
| 2001 (Windows)
| [[Ubi Soft]] & [[Gameloft]]
|-
| ''[[The Settlers: Heritage of Kings]]''
| 2004 (Windows)
| rowspan="8" | [[Ubisoft]]
|-
| ''[[The Settlers II (10th Anniversary)]]''
| 2006 (Windows)
|-
| ''[[The Settlers: Rise of an Empire]]''
| 2007 (Windows)
|-
| ''[[The Settlers: Rise of Cultures]]''
| 2008 (Windows)
|-
| ''[[The Settlers 7: Paths to a Kingdom]]''
| 2010 (Windows)
|-
| ''[[The Settlers – My City]]''
| 2010 (Windows)
|-
| ''[[The Settlers Online]]''
| 2010 (Browser)
|-
| ''[[The Settlers: New Allies]]''
| 2023
|}

=== ''Anno'' series ===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
! Title
! Year
! Developer
! Publisher
|-
| ''[[Anno Online]]''
| 2013 (Browser)
| Blue Byte
| rowspan="6" | [[Ubisoft]]
|-
| ''[[Anno 1404]]''
| 2009 (Windows)
| rowspan="2" | Blue Byte, [[Related Designs]]
|-
| ''[[Anno 2070]]''
| 2011 (Windows)
|-
| ''[[Anno 2205]]''
| 2015 (Windows)
| rowspan="3" | Blue Byte
|-
| ''[[Anno 1800]]''
| 2019 (Windows)
|-
| ''[[Anno 117]]''
| 2025 (Windows)
|}

=== Other ===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
! Title
! Year
! Developer
! Publisher
|-
| ''[[Twinworld]]''
| 1989 (Amiga, Atari ST), 1990 (Acorn Archimedes, C64, ZX Spectrum)
| rowspan="3" | Blue Byte
| rowspan="2" | [[Ubisoft]]
|-
| ''[[Tom and The Ghost]]''
| 1990 (Amiga, Atari ST, DOS)
|-
| ''[[Atomino]]''
| 1990 (DOS), 1991 (Amiga, Atari ST, C64), 1994 (MacOS), 2002 (PalmOS, J2ME)
| [[Psygnosis]]
|-
| ''[[Apidya]]''
| 1991 (Amiga), 2002 (Windows)
| Kaiko
| rowspan="4" | Play Byte
|-
| ''[[Ugh! (video game)|Ugh!]]''
| 1992 (Amiga, C64, DOS)
| [[Egosoft]]
|-
| ''[[History Line: 1914-1918]]''
| 1992 (Amiga, DOS)
| Blue Byte
|-
| ''[[Yo! Joe! Beat the Ghosts]]''
| 1993 (Amiga, DOS)
| Scipio
|-
| ''[[Albion (video game)|Albion]]''
| 1995 (DOS), 2015 (Windows)
| rowspan="2" | Blue Byte
| rowspan="7" | Blue Byte
|-
| ''[[Dr. Drago's Madcap Chase]]''
| 1995 (Windows)
|-
| ''[[Chewy: Esc from F5]]''
| 1995 (DOS), 1997 (Windows)
| New Generation Software
|-
| ''[[Archimedean Dynasty]]''
| 1996 (DOS), 2015 (Windows)
| [[Massive Development]]
|-
| ''[[Extreme Assault]]''
| 1997 (DOS)
| rowspan="15" | Blue Byte
|-
| ''[[Game, Net & Match!]]''
| 1998 (Windows)
|-
| ''[[Stephen King's F13]]''
| 2000 (Windows, MacOS)
|-
| ''[[Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2013]]''
| 2012 (Wii U)
| rowspan="12" | [[Ubisoft]]
|-
| ''[[Silent Hunter Online]]''
| 2013 (Browser)
|-
| ''[[Panzer General Online]]''
| 2013 (Browser)
|-
| ''[[Might & Magic Heroes Online]]''
| 2014
|-
|''[[Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege]]''
|<nowiki>2015 (Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One), 2020 (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S)</nowiki>
|-
| ''[[Assassin's Creed Identity]]''
| 2014 (iOS), 2016 (Android)
|-
| ''[[Champions of Anteria]]''
| 2016 (Windows)
|-
| ''[[For Honor]]''
| 2017 (Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One)
|-
|''[[South Park: The Fractured but Whole]]''
|2017 (Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch)
|-
|''[[Far Cry 6]]''
|2021 (Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Luna)
|-
|''[[Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora]]''
|2023 (Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S)
|-
|''[[Beyond Good and Evil 2]]''
|TBA
|}

== See also ==
{{Portal|Germany|Video games}}
* [[List of companies in Germany]]
* [[List of video game developers]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Official website|https://bluebyte.ubisoft.com/}}

{{Ubisoft Blue Byte}}
{{Ubisoft}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Companies based in Düsseldorf]]
[[Category:Ubisoft divisions and subsidiaries]]
[[Category:Video game companies established in 1988]]
[[Category:Video game companies of Germany]]
[[Category:Video game development companies]]
[[Category:Video game publishers]]
[[Category:German companies established in 1988]]
[[Category:2001 mergers and acquisitions]]

Ubisoft Blue Byte - Revision history

imported>InternetArchiveBot: Rescuing 1 sources and tagging 0 as dead.) #IABot (v2.0.9.5