DreamCatcher Interactive Inc. (also known as DreamCatcher Games) was a Canadian video game publisher founded in 1996 by Richard Wah Kan. In 2006, the company became a subsidiary of JoWooD Entertainment. In 2011, the company went into administration along with its parent JoWooD and all assets were purchased by Nordic Games Holding. The DreamCatcher Interactive brand is currently being used as a publishing label for THQ Nordic.[1]
History[]
DreamCatcher Interactive was founded in 1996 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The company’s first title was the adventure game Soldier Boyz, closely followed by Jewels of the Oracle, which achieved enough success to grow the retail business.[2] Dreamcatcher would later release The Crystal Key which sold over a half million units in North America.[3] Continuing the company's growth, in November 2000, DreamCatcher signed with Her Interactive to publish the Nancy Drew franchise.[4]
In late 2002, most of the assets and development teams of French-based publisher, Cryo Interactive were absorbed by DreamCatcher Interactive, forming the base for DreamCatcher Europe including key offices and a large internal studio.[5] By early 2003, DreamCatcher was the United States' tenth-biggest publisher of games.[6] After the acquisition of Cryo Interactive, Dreamcatcher created a publishing division called The Adventure Company in early 2003. The company also partnered with both Wanadoo Edition and Microïds, as well as other studios in the development and distribution of games including Syberia, Still Life and ObsCure.[7] In 2005, the main Microïds studio was acquired by Ubisoft with Dreamcatcher retaining publishing rights to the games being created.[8]
The Adventure Company brand label under DreamCatcher has released many adventure game series' including series' based on Agatha Christie novels. They also recently signed to release a series of titles based on The Hardy Boys.[9] Outside of adventure gaming, DreamCatcher is best known for publishing the first-person shooter Painkiller developed with People Can Fly. Painkiller became a commercial success and was signed with the CPL World Tour 2005.[10] Dreamcatcher would also create another label, Silverline Software, around 2004 for the distribution of some non-core games and the publishing of utility software. Silverline Software would release the "Time to Ride" series of girl’s horse games starting in 2004, which would later be acquired by Ubisoft.Template:Citation needed
In 2006, JoWooD Entertainment announced the purchase of DreamCatcher Games as a way of increasing their presence into the North American gaming market in addition to acquiring the company's key titles and licenses.[11] Since the acquisition, DreamCatcher Games has continued to launch titles both under The Adventure Company and DreamCatcher labels including new games created by JoWooD like the SpellForce series. In 2011, JoWooD went into administration causing DreamCatcher to file for bankruptcy. In November 2011, Nordic Games Holding announced that they had acquired all DreamCatcher assets and would be turning it into a publishing label of their subsidiary Nordic Games.[12] Nordic Games Holding had previously acquired JoWooD and The Adventure Company in August also turning both brands into publishing labels of Nordic Games.[13] All business operations of this brand are being conducted out of THQ Nordic AB in Vienna, Austria.[12]
Games[]
Note: This list is for titles which DreamCatcher Interactive published. Releases of games under The Adventure Company banner are not included.
| Year | Title | Platform(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Jewels of the Oracle | Macintosh, Windows 3.x |
| 1997 | Egypt 1156 B.C.: Tomb of the Pharaoh | Macintosh, Microsoft Windows |
| Safecracker | ||
| Soldier Boyz | Microsoft Windows | |
| Beyond Time | Microsoft Windows, Windows 3.x | |
| 1998 | Jewels II: The Ultimate Challenge | |
| Karma: Curse of the 12 Caves | Microsoft Windows | |
| 1999 | The Crystal Key | Macintosh, Microsoft Windows |
| The Adventures of Jonny Quest | Microsoft Windows | |
| Nightlong: Union City Conspiracy | ||
| Cydonia: Mars - The First Manned Mission | ||
| 2000 | The Forgotten: It Begins | Macintosh, Microsoft Windows |
| Egypt II: The Heliopolis Prophecy | Microsoft Windows | |
| Seven Games of the Soul | ||
| Riddle of the Sphinx: An Egyptian Adventure | Macintosh, Microsoft Windows | |
| The Legend of Lotus Spring | ||
| The Sacred Amulet | Microsoft Windows | |
| Dracula: The Resurrection | Macintosh, PlayStation, Microsoft Windows | |
| Traitors Gate | Macintosh, Microsoft Windows | |
| Beyond Atlantis | ||
| In Cold Blood | PlayStation, Microsoft Windows | |
| The New Adventures of the Time Machine | Microsoft Windows | |
| TimeScape: Journey to Pompeii | Macintosh, Microsoft Windows | |
| The Legend of the Prophet and the Assassin | Microsoft Windows | |
| Odyssey: The Search for Ulysses | ||
| Nancy Drew: Message in a Haunted Mansion | Microsoft Windows, Game Boy Advance | |
| 2001 | Frank Herbert's Dune | Microsoft Windows |
| Dracula: The Last Sanctuary | Macintosh, PlayStation, Microsoft Windows | |
| Necronomicon: The Dawning of Darkness | PlayStation, Microsoft Windows | |
| The Messenger | Macintosh, Microsoft Windows | |
| Dracula: Crazy Vampire | Game Boy Color | |
| Nancy Drew: Secrets Can Kill | Microsoft Windows | |
| The Secrets of Alamut | ||
| Nancy Drew: Stay Tuned for Danger | ||
| Arthur's Knights: Tales of Chivalry | ||
| Nancy Drew: Treasure in the Royal Tower | ||
| Woody Woodpecker | Game Boy Color | |
| Amerzone: The Explorer's Legacy | Microsoft Windows | |
| Atlantis: The Lost Tales | ||
| Jekyll & Hyde | ||
| The Shadow of Zorro | ||
| From Dusk Till Dawn | ||
| Schizm: Mysterious Journey | ||
| Beyond Atlantis II | ||
| Nancy Drew: The Final Scene | ||
| MegaRace 3 | ||
| 2002 | Inspector Gadget: Advance Mission | Game Boy Advance |
| Gremlins: Stripe vs. Gizmo | ||
| Woody Woodpecker: Escape from Buzz Buzzard Park | PlayStation 2 | |
| Casino Mogul | Microsoft Windows | |
| SuperPower | ||
| Factory Mogul | ||
| Arabian Nights | ||
| Project Earth: Starmageddon | ||
| The Mystery of the Nautilus | ||
| Gore: Ultimate Soldier | ||
| Rock Manager | ||
| Agassi Tennis Generation | PlayStation 2 | |
| Iron Storm | Microsoft Windows | |
| Extreme Ghostbusters: Code Ecto-1 | Game Boy Advance | |
| Kaan: Barbarian's Blade | PlayStation 2, Microsoft Windows | |
| Law & Order: Dead on the Money | Microsoft Windows | |
| Pink Panther: Pinkadelic Pursuit | PlayStation | |
| Hegemonia: Legions of Iron | Microsoft Windows | |
| Pink Panther: Pinkadelic Pursuit | Game Boy Advance | |
| Post Mortem | Microsoft Windows | |
| 2003 | Battlecruiser Millennium Gold | |
| Harbinger | ||
| Hellboy: Dogs of the Night | PlayStation | |
| Emergency Fire Response | Microsoft Windows | |
| Enigma: Rising Tide | ||
| Spirits & Spells | GameCube | |
| Ultimate Beach Soccer Sports | Xbox | |
| Curse: The Eye of Isis | Microsoft Windows, Xbox | |
| Etherlords II | Microsoft Windows | |
| Ultimate Beach Soccer | Game Boy Advance | |
| Pax Romana | Microsoft Windows | |
| Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon | ||
| Arx Fatalis | Xbox | |
| 2004 | Saddle Up: Time to Ride | Microsoft Windows |
| Besieger | ||
| Traitors Gate 2: Cypher | ||
| Universal Combat | ||
| Crystal Key II: The Far Realm | ||
| Painkiller | ||
| The Omega Stone: Riddle of the Sphinx II | ||
| Aura: Fate of the Ages | ||
| SuperPower 2 | ||
| Lights Out | ||
| Return to Mysterious Island | ||
| Painkiller: Battle Out of Hell | ||
| Advanced Battlegrounds: The Future of Combat | ||
| 2005 | Yager | |
| Enigma: Rising Tide | ||
| The Moment of Silence | ||
| Domination | ||
| ObsCure | PlayStation 2, Microsoft Windows, Xbox | |
| Painkiller: Gold Edition | Microsoft Windows | |
| MetalHeart: Replicants Rampage | ||
| Dungeon Lords | ||
| Still Life | Xbox | |
| ECHO: Secrets of the Lost Cavern | Microsoft Windows | |
| Painkiller: Black | ||
| NiBiRu: Age of Secrets | ||
| Cold War | Microsoft Windows, Xbox | |
| Agatha Christie: And Then There Were None | Wii, Microsoft Windows | |
| 2006 | Agatha Christie: Murder on the Orient Express | Microsoft Windows |
| Dungeon Lords: Collector's Edition | ||
| Keepsake | ||
| Glory of the Roman Empire | ||
| Wildlife Zoo | ||
| Painkiller: Hell Wars | Xbox | |
| Ship Simulator 2006 | Microsoft Windows | |
| First Battalion | ||
| Neverend | ||
| Evidence: The Last Ritual | ||
| Secret Files: Tunguska | ||
| 2007 | Nanny Mania | |
| Secrets of the Ark: A Broken Sword Game | ||
| Power Boat GT | ||
| The Sacred Rings | ||
| The Ugly Prince Duckling | ||
| Genesis Rising | ||
| Dawnspire: Prelude | ||
| Voyage | ||
| Sentinel: Descendants in Time | ||
| Mysterious Journey II: Chameleon | ||
| Dunes of War | ||
| Dead Reefs | ||
| Spaceforce: Rogue Universe | ||
| Destination: Treasure Island | ||
| Atlantis Evolution | ||
| Animates | Nintendo DS | |
| The Cameron Files: Pharaoh's Curse | Microsoft Windows | |
| Painkiller: Overdose | ||
| LifeSigns: Surgical Unit | Nintendo DS | |
| Next Life | Microsoft Windows | |
| Agatha Christie: Evil Under the Sun | ||
| Zoo Quest: Puzzle Fun | Nintendo DS, Microsoft Windows | |
| 2008 | Agatha Christie: Death on the Nile | Microsoft Windows |
| Agatha Christie: Mysteries | ||
| The Experiment | ||
| Seven Kingdoms: Conquest | ||
| Cleopatra: Riddle of the Tomb | ||
| Sherlock Holmes: Nemesis | ||
| SpellForce 2: Dragon Storm | ||
| Painkiller Triple Dose | ||
| SpellForce 2: Shadow Wars | ||
| Wildlife Zoo: Deluxe Edition | ||
| The Hardy Boys: The Hidden Theft | ||
| Drivers Ed Portable | Nintendo DS | |
| Syberia | ||
| Dreamer: Horse Trainer | ||
| Learn Math for Grades 1-4 | ||
| Dreamer: Puppy Trainer | ||
| Matchstick | ||
| 2009 | Inkheart | |
| Dreamer: Pop Star | ||
| Monster Band | ||
| Dreamer Series: Babysitter | ||
| Let's Play: Shops | ||
| Painkiller: Resurrection | Microsoft Windows | |
| Treasure Island | ||
| 2010 | Arcania: Gothic 4 | |
| Gothic II (Gold Edition) | ||
| Chaser | ||
| Painkiller: Pandemonium | ||
| 2011 | Painkiller: Redemption |
References[]
- ↑ Template:Cite web
- ↑ Jewels of the Oracle Template:Webarchive
- ↑ The Crystal Key SalesTemplate:Dead link
- ↑ DreamCatcher Publishes Nancy Drew
- ↑ Absorbed Cyro Interactive Template:Webarchive
- ↑ Template:Cite web
- ↑ Dreamcatcher Publishes ObsCure Template:Webarchive
- ↑ Template:Cite web
- ↑ The Hardy Boys License Template:Webarchive
- ↑ Painkiller Added to Summer CPL Championship Template:Webarchive
- ↑ Euro Adhoc JoWooD Acquisitions Template:Webarchive
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Template:Cite web
- ↑ Template:Cite web
External links[]
- Nordic Games
- DreamCatcher profile on MobyGames
 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Franchises | ||
| Alone in the Dark • AquaNox • Atlantis • Dark Fall • Darksiders • De Blob • Dead Island • Delta Force • Desperados • Destroy All Humans • Egypt • Emergency • Giana Sisters • Gothic • Homefront • Juiced • Metro • MX vs. ATV • Panzer Elite • Red Faction • Ride • Risen • Saints Row Sanctum • SpellForce • Splashdown • The Book of Unwritten Tales • The Raven: Legacy of a Master Thief • This Is the Police • TimeSplitters • We Sing | ||
| Subsidiaries | ||
| THQ Nordic (Black Forest Games • Grimlore Games • Gunfire Games • HandyGames • Rainbow Studios • Piranha Bytes • Bugbear Entertainment)) • Koch Media (Deep Silver (Dambuster Studios • Fishlabs • Volition • Milestone srl • Warhorse Studios)) • Coffee Stain (Coffee Stain Studios) | ||
| Trademarks | ||
| 38 Studios • DreamCatcher Interactive • JoWooD Entertainment • NovaLogic • The Adventure Company • THQ • Embracer Group | ||
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