Part of the development work that the firm does is supporting other game developers (like Vicarious Visions and A2M), collaborating with other developers on a larger platform penetration strategy, and working with publishers and licensors to create games based on licensed properties.
Engine Software BV was founded in 1995 by several friends who met and worked together previously in the active Dutch demo scene for the MSX home computer. After seeing their first game, developed for the Super NES, unreleased, the company was asked by fellow game developer Vicarious Visions to support them in the development of several Game Boy Color games. The relation between Vicarious Visions and Engine Software lasted another generation of handheld consoles, the Game Boy Advance, after which the companies each went their own way. Engine Software still often works or has worked with other developers, most notably A2M, 1st Playable Productions, and PopCap Games. In 2011 the studio switched from being a handheld developer to a full multi-platform development studio developing games for iPad, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PlayStation Vita. In 2012 Engine Software was signed by 505 Games to bring the highly rated indie title Terraria to consoles, followed by a Vita release of the same game in December 2013.
The Engine Software Music Replayer is a piece of music sequencer middleware, developed by Engine Software. It was developed for use on the Game Boy Advance, and later reproduced in a version for use on the Nintendo DS. It was licensed to many other developers for both platforms.
Engine Software is run by Ivo Wubbels (CEO) and Ruud van de Moosdijk (VP Development), both founders of the company in 1995. Other key figures within the company include Senior producer Jeroen Schmitz also one of the founders of the company, Lead Technology programmer Jan-Lieuwe Koopmans who created the Music Replayer, and composer Bart Roijmans who scored almost all of Engine Software's games.