Egosoft
 | |
| Formerly | Ego Software (1988–2006) |
|---|---|
| Company type | Private |
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | 1988 |
| Founder | Bernd Lehahn |
| Headquarters | , |
Key people | Bernd Lehahn (CEO) |
| Products | X series |
Number of employees | 20[1] (2020) |
| Website | egosoft |
Egosoft GmbH (formerly Ego Software) is a German video game developer based in Würselen, Germany. The company was founded by Bernd Lehahn in 1988.
Egosoft is best known for its X series of video games,[2] a series of space simulator games noted for combining open-ended gameplay, dynamic market-driven economy and compelling storyline.[3][4] The series began in 1999 with X: Beyond the Frontier. Since then, the series has expanded with three sequels and three standalone expansions; the latest being X4: Foundations, released November 30, 2018.
History
Egosoft was founded in Würselen by Bernd Lehahn in 1988, making it one of the oldest active video game companies in Germany, alongside Blue Byte, as of June 2017.[5]
In 2000, Egosoft planned a multiplayer online game called Online Universe or X Online. This project was intended to be "the next step in the evolution of Egosoft's X universe."[6] Egosoft has since released a number of games, yet has given little indication of the progress of this project. In 2003, Egosoft staff were working on a later version—codenamed X2OL—which Egosoft chief executive officer Bernd Lehahn described as their "long-term goal."[7][8] There is still no official information on the Online Universe, though there has been speculation that X2 and X3's 2007 uplink feature may be a positive spin-off of the project.[9]
In late 2009, Egosoft announced that Terran Conflict completed the story started in X: Beyond the Frontier, taken by some to mean the end of the franchise. However, in March 2011 they announced on their X-Universe forums that they would be attending FedCon XX in Düsseldorf on 28 April 2011, and would show preview footage of their current project,[10] previously only referred to by the codename TNBT (The Next Big Thing). However, on 20 April 2011, they released a trailer officially announcing X Rebirth, initially slated for a Q4 2011 release. X Rebirth will take place in the X Universe after a major catastrophe (the shutdown of the series' network of, thus starting a new chapter in the X Universe separate from the original plot line. Rebirth missed its first two proposed release dates (Q4 2011 and 2012) and was eventually released 15 November 2013.[11]
Games developed
| Year | Title | Platform(s) | Publisher(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Hotel Detective | Amiga | Euroline | |
| 1990 | Fatal Heritage | Delta Konzept | ||
| R1 R2 | Promotional game for Reemtsma | |||
| 1991 | Aquarius Game | Promotional game for Aquarius | ||
| Pepsi: All Over the World | Promotional game for Pepsi | |||
| 1992 | Light American Spacegame | Promotional game for Philip Morris International | ||
| Come Together (Around the World) | Promotional game for Peter Stuyvesant | |||
| Ugh! | Play Byte | |||
| 1993 | Elefanten! | Promotion Software | Promotional game for World Wide Fund for Nature | |
| Ketchup Connection | Amiga, MS-DOS | Promotional game for Kraft Ketchup | ||
| Flies: Attack on Earth | Rainbow Arts | |||
| 1994 | Balduin: Run for Fun | MS-DOS | Delta Konzept | Promotional game for the Techniker Krankenkasse |
| Abenteuer Europa | Tevox | Promotional game for the Social Democratic Party of Germany | ||
| 1995 | Heiermanns Return | Promotional game for the Sparkasse Gelsenkirchen | ||
| 1996 | Imperium Romanum | Rainbow Arts | ||
| No Future? | Microsoft Windows | Delta Konzept | Promotional game for the Umweltbundesamt | |
| 1999 | Power Pool | Data Becker | ||
| X: Beyond the Frontier | THQ, Egosoft | Entry in the X video game series | ||
| 2000 | X-Tension | |||
| 2003 | X2: The Threat | Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows | Deep Silver, Egosoft | |
| 2005 | X3: Reunion | |||
| 2008 | X3: Terran Conflict | |||
| 2011 | X3: Albion Prelude | |||
| 2013 | X Rebirth | Egosoft | ||
| 2014 | X Rebirth: The Teladi Outpost | |||
| 2016 | X Rebirth: Home of Light | |||
| 2017 | X Rebirth: VR Edition | Microsoft Windows | ||
| 2018 | X4: Foundations[12] | Linux, Microsoft Windows | ||
| 2020 | X4: Split Vendetta[13] | |||
| 2021 | X4: Cradle of Humanity[14] |
References
- ^ Fröhlich, Petra (10 January 2020). "Die größten Spiele-Entwickler in Deutschland 2020" [The largest game developers in Germany 2020]. GamesWirtschaft (in German).
- ^ Josh Venning (25 January 2006). "X3 Reunion: New Rolling Demo Tested". AnandTech. AnandTech. Retrieved 11 February 2008.
- ^ Wrentmore, John (12 December 2003). "X2 - The Threat Review". GameZone. GameZone Online. Archived from the original on 19 February 2008. Retrieved 11 February 2008.
- ^ Reed, Kristan (6 November 2005). "X3: Reunion". EuroGamer. Eurogamer Network Ltd. Retrieved 11 February 2008.
- ^ https://www.gameswirtschaft.de/wirtschaft/top-20-aelteste-games-studios-deutschland/
- ^ "ONLINE-UNIVERSE". Online Universe (Official Page). Retrieved 11 February 2008.
- ^ Stokky (10 May 2003). "Interview: X2 - The Threat". playfuls.com. Archived from the original on 6 October 2008. Retrieved 11 February 2008.
- ^ Presley, Paul (19 April 2003). "PC Preview: X2: The Threat". PC Zone. Future Publishing Limited. Retrieved 11 February 2008.
- ^ Caesar S. (3 January 2008). "Egosoft updates X3: Reunion, X2: The Threat". QJ.net. Content Holdings, LLC. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 11 February 2008.
- ^ "TNBT will soon be officially unveiled!!".
- ^ BurnIt!. "X Rebirth - The wait is almost over!". Egosoft.com forums. Egosoft GmbH. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
- ^ https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2018/10/01/x4-foundations-release-date-announced/
- ^ https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2020/04/01/x4-foundations-gets-a-major-update-and-expansion-with-split-vendetta/
- ^ https://www.ign.com/articles/x4-foundations-new-expansion-cradle-of-humanity-announced/