Playdek
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video game |
| Founded | 2011 |
| Headquarters | Carlsbad, California, USA |
| Products | Mobile games |
| Website | http://www.playdekgames.com |
Playdek is an independent video game development company founded in 2011, based in Carlsbad, California. Playdek specializes in developing board games and card games for the iOS platform.
Overview
The core of Playdek's team worked together in console game development with their previous company Incinerator Studios, a subsidiary of THQ. As part of cost-cutting measures, THQ spun off Incinerator studios as an independent studio in 2009;[1] in Chief Technology Officer Gary Weis' words, "we offered to take ourselves off their payroll and go off and make it on our own."[2] After a transition period during which the developer was under contract with THQ to complete two projects,[1] Incinerator launched Playdek, a company focused on developing tabletop games for mobile devices.[3]
Games
Tabletop conversions
Playdek has collaborated with various tabletop game publishers to develop iOS versions of board and card games.
Board game conversions
- Can't Stop (2012)
- Agricola (2013)
- Lords of Waterdeep (2013)
Card game conversions
- Ascension: Chronicle of the Godslayer (2011)
- Food Fight (2012)
- Nightfall (2012)
- Summoner Wars (2012)
- Fluxx (2012)
- Penny Arcade The Game: Gamers Vs. Evil (2012)
- Tanto Cuore (2013)
Kickstarter projects
As of September 2013[update], Playdek is collaborating with Yasumi Matsuno to release two games in Matsuno's new Unsung Story original property, a digital card game designed by Christophe Boelinger and a tactics-style video game, Unsung Story: Tale of the Guardians.[4] For the later game a successful crowdfunding campaign was held in January & February 2014 on Kickstarter collecting 660,126 USD from supporters.[5] A game release was scheduled for July 2015. In delay and after months of no communication Playdek announced in September 2015 a focus change from a single player game to a PvP game.[6] In February 2016 Playdek announced that due to mismanagement of resources across the company they had no resources to develop the game and no timeline to develop the project further.[7]
GMT Games launched a Kickstarter campaign in June 2014 for a video game conversion of their Twilight Struggle boardgame. The project targeted for 50,000 USD and achieved to collect 391,047 USD from backers. The implementation of the video game version of the game was contracted to Playdek. As of February 2016 the video game development is in delay.
References
- ^ a b McWhertor, Michael (March 17, 2009). "THQ Cuts Down Big Huge Games, Lets Go Two More". Kotaku. Retrieved December 13, 2013.
- ^ Faraday, Owen (17 September 2012). "Playdek Ascendant: An hour with George Rothrock and Gary Weis". Pocket Tactics. Retrieved December 13, 2013.
- ^ "Incinerator Announces a New Publishing Brand to Develop Mobile Tabletop Games". The Gaming Gang. August 24, 2011. Retrieved December 13, 2013.
- ^ McWhertor, Michael (Sep 19, 2013). "Tactics Ogre, Vagrant Story creator Yasumi Matsuno working on new mobile tactics game". Polygon. Retrieved December 13, 2013.
- ^ "Unsung Story: Tale of the Guardians". Kickstarter. Retrieved 2016-02-07.
- ^ "Update 44: Development Update · Unsung Story: Tale of the Guardians". Kickstarter. Retrieved 2016-02-07.
- ^ Playdek (Feb 6, 2016). "Game Development Update". Kickstarter. Retrieved February 6, 2016.