High Voltage Software
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High Voltage Software | |
---|---|
Type | Independent Game Developer |
Founded | 1993 |
Founder | Kerry Ganofsky |
Headquarters | Hoffman Estates, Illinois, U.S.A. |
Industry | Interactive entertainment |
Owner | Kerry Ganofsky |
Employees | 130+ |
Website | Official homepage |
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High Voltage Software (or "HVS") is a game development company located Illinois' Hoffman Estates. Established in 1993, it now employs approximately 130 staff members. Red Eye Studios, a motion capture facility, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of HVS.[1] Is known to develop many games, such as Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude, Starfleet Academy and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Typically producing completely new and unrelated products back to back, "Inside Drive" and "Hunter" are the only products this decade to have seen sequels, and the company typically works with a number of different publishers as each project ends. The company's recently announced full-featured project The Conduit for the Wii console has been entirely self-funded and without a publisher at this time.
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[edit] Reception
Since launching in 1993, High Voltage Software has had a review average of 66% across all tracked products. Typically most interviews, screenshots, and videos, are handled by the publishers funding the development of the company's current games, with High Voltage Software employees remaining relatively behind the scenes.
Recent efforts have been made by High Voltage Software to generate buzz at media outlets like IGN [1], and Joystiq [2], around their upcoming Wii titles "The Conduit," "Animales de la Muerte," and "Gyrostarr." To help build anticipation and discussion by each outlet's community, High-Voltage has granted interviews, screenshots, and videos directly to the outlets willing to cover their upcoming self-funded Wii projects.
In recent interviews with IGN, Chief Creative Officer Eric Nofsinger commented on the state of graphics in today's Wii games "Most of the games on the Wii look like crap. We want to change that, so we've invested heavily in our Wii tech over the past year," and Founder Kerry Ganofsky was quoted as stating "We believe that third-party developers need to step up to the plate and deliver. The Wii platform is capable of a lot more than what consumers have seen so far. We're hoping to raise a new bar."[2]
CCO Eric Nofsinger also mentioned Florida attorney Jack Thompson in a recent interview. Nofsinger expressed his belief that Jack Thompson will have issues with the content in "Animales de la Muerte," specifically stating "I suspect Jack Thompson may have a thing or two to say about Animales de la Muerte. And let him say all he wants. That's the wonderful thing about First Amendment rights. It allows us creators to express ourselves while we entertain millions and it affords him the opportunity to prey off of the suffering of a few victims' families and espouse misinformed diatribes against artists and creators..." [3] To date, Jack Thompson has not made any comments related to Animales de la Muerte, and the content featured within Animales is planned to be drastically different than that which exists in the past and current Grand Theft Auto products.
[edit] Company layoff
After terminating thirty six employees in January of 2006, High Voltage Software reported to Gamasutra that the company had "right sized" their staff from 156 employees to 120. Post layoff, Founder Kerry Ganofsky stated to Gamasutra editors "High Voltage has long been one of the biggest and most established independent game developers, but we had grown to a size where our focus and quality was suffering. It’s imperative that we have the right people and the right critical awareness to make certain that we make great games." [4]
[edit] Games
High Voltage Software is are currently working on four Wii titles, including the first-person shooter The Conduit, and the Wiiware games Gyrostarr and Animales de la Muerte. All games will use the Quantum3 engine, developed specifically by High Voltage Software for the Wii.[37][38][39]
[edit] References
- ^ High Voltage Software: About Us
- ^ IGN: The Conduit Preview
- ^ IGN: Animales de la Muerte Preview
- ^ Gamasutra - High Voltage Software Lays Off Staff
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- ^ IGN: The Conduit Preview
- ^ IGN: Gyrostarr Preview
- ^ IGN: Animales de la Muerte Preview