UTV Ignition Entertainment

UTV Ignition Entertainment Ltd.
Limited
Industry Video game industry
Founded April 2002
Defunct 2012
Headquarters Waltham Abbey, United Kingdom
Tokyo, Japan
Florida, United States
Owner UTV Software Communications
Parent The Walt Disney Company
Website www.utvignition.com

UTV Ignition Entertainment Ltd. was a British video game publisher formed in April 2002. It was created from a selection of smaller developers and publishers, such as Archer MacLean's Awesome Studios. In 2007, the company was acquired by the Indian media conglomerate UTV Software Communications and opened two new branches: Ignition Tokyo in Japan and Ignition Florida in the United States.

History

Currently focused on the production of games for the PlayStation Portable and Nintendo DS, the company has so far only produced a selection of budget titles for the Game Boy Advance: Pool Paradise from Awesome Studios as well as the Nintendo DS game Zoo Keeper. The company also published SNK's full lineup in Europe which includes the Metal Slug series, Samurai Shodown series as well as The King of Fighters series. Coming into 2005, the company had many games on the horizon, including Mercury, The King of Fighters Neowave and Pool Paradise International. The company had recently acquired the rights to the tactical RPG Spectral Force Genesis. The game was released later that year in North America and Europe.

On April 20, 2007, the company announced the completion of their acquisition by UTV Software Communications, a media conglomerate based in India. On December 17, 2007, they further announced the opening of two new development studios - Ignition Florida, and Ignition Tokyo. Both studios were said to be working on proprietary IP for next-generation platforms. The Tokyo studio, composed of former members of Clover Studios and Capcom, worked on the game El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron. On April 21, 2009, Ignition announced that they would be publishing Muramasa: The Demon Blade for the Wii in North America.[1] On October 22, they announced they would be publishing Arc Rise Fantasia. Ignition Entertainment also published The King of Fighters XII in North America and Europe for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 during Summer 2009.

On November 2, 2010, sources at UTV confirmed the closing of the Florida-based studio. Staff were given opportunities to relocate to Texas or find other work. This announcement followed the widespread allegations of sexual harassment by once boss Paul Steed and mis-management of company funds. The title they were producing, Reich, had only completed 2 of 9 major levels' costing roughly 23 mil USD. Despite major setbacks, the London office will continue on in a more limited scope.[2] Leaked footage of Reich was later uploaded to YouTube by an unknown source.[3]

Games published/developed

PC

PlayStation 2

Xbox 360

PlayStation 3

Wii

PSP

Nintendo DS

Nintendo 3DS

References

  1. ↑ "Ignition Nabs Muramasa". IGN. 2009-04-21. Retrieved 2009-07-21.
  2. ↑ "Ignition closes US Studio". Develop-Online.net. Retrieved 2010-11-14.
  3. ↑ "In-Game Reich footage". Retrieved 2010-11-14.
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