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Virtuos

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Virtuos Ltd
Company typePrivate
IndustryVideo games
FoundedDecember 2004; 19 years ago (2004-12) in Shanghai, China
Headquarters
Singapore
Number of locations
23 offices (2024)
Key people
  • Gilles Langourieux
  • (CEO)
  • Jasmine Cheong
  • (CFO)
  • Samuel Stevenin
  • (managing director, art division)
  • Christophe Gandon
  • (managing director, games division)
Number of employees
3,800[1]
Subsidiaries
  • Sparx* Studios
  • Black Shamrock
  • CounterPunch
  • Volmi Games
  • Glass Egg Digital Media
  • Beyond-FX
  • Third Kind Games
Websitevirtuosgames.com

Virtuos is a video game development company headquartered in Singapore with studios across Asia, Europe, and North America. Virtuos specializes in game development and art production for AAA consoles, PC, and mobile titles – working as an external developer for other companies.[2]

History

[edit]

Virtuos was established in Shanghai in December 2004 and opened its European office in Paris in July 2005. In June 2006, it received investment from Legend Capital.[3] Virtuos opened its Chengdu office in January 2008 and Vancouver offices in January and November 2008, respectively.[4] In March 2009, the company acquired BSP Audio Production Studios.[5] In May 2009 Terminator Salvation was released in theaters. featuring 3D art made by Virtuos.

Virtuos entered Japan after signing a partnership with Kyos in December 2009. In March 2010, it reached 500 employees,[6] and announced new-gen work-for-hire game development.[7][8] In May 2010, the company ported The Price is Right to the PlayStation Network.

Virtuos produced Monster Jam: Path of Destruction for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, Nintendo DS and PlayStation Portable. Subsequently, it reached 800 employees and signed a work-for-hire online game development agreement with Tencent in August 2011. Virtuos acquired Sparx* Animation Studios in September 2011, increasing its employee count to over 900.[citation needed]

In 2012, Virtuos opened its Xi’an office in May and reached the 1,000 employees mark in October. Within the same year, Virtuos also released its first fully developed Facebook game - The Enchanted Library for GSN, as well as its first Android game, NBA 2013, for client 2K sports on the Wii, Nintendo DS and PlayStation Portable.

In July 2013, Virtuos opened an office in San Francisco. Virtuos ported XCOM: Enemy Unknown to IOS in October 2013, and won the Golden Joystick Award for "Best Mobile/Tablet Game of the Year". The company also developed Fangs Dash for China Mobile Game Entertainment in December 2013.[9]

Virtuos also developed ports of Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X-2 for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita in April 2014. In December 2014, Virtuos started its operations in South Korea.

In July 2016, Virtuos ported Batman: Return To Arkham to the Xbox One and PlayStation 4.[10] In February 2017, the company acquired Black Shamrock. In March 2018, it raised $15M and set up a new headquarters and R&D center in Singapore.

Virtuos provided art support on 2017's Horizon Zero Dawn and 2022's Horizon Forbidden West.[11][12] In August 2020, Virtuos ported Horizon Zero Dawn to Microsoft Windows.[13]

Virtuos Montreal was launched in September 2019. In October 2020, the company acquired CounterPunch Studios.

In May 2020, Virtuos developed the Nintendo Switch version of XCOM 2 jointly with Firaxis Games.[14] In June 2020, Virtuos developed the Switch port for The Outer Worlds.[15]

Virtuos secured $150M investment from Baring Private Equity Asia in September 2021. It subsequently opened a new studio in Lyon, France in December 2021.[16] In January 2022, Virtuos acquired Volmi Games in Kyiv, Ukraine.

In April 2022, Virtuos announced its investment in Umanaïa Interactive, an up-and-coming game development studio in Quebec, Canada.[17]

In May 2022, it was announced that Virtuos had acquired the Ho Chi Minh City-based 2D and 3D art production company, Glass Egg Digital Media.[18] That was followed by the official launch of Virtuos Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia in August 2022, and co-development studio Calypte — a Virtuos Studio in the San Francisco Bay Area in September 2022.[19][20] In October 2023, the company confirmed the closure of Calypte, citing it as an "isolated decision and will not affect other studio locations".[21]

In October 2022, Virtuos developed NieR:Automata The End of YoRHa Edition for the Nintendo Switch[22] which has been hailed as a “miracle port”.[23] Virtuos also unveiled a new studio, Virtuos Labs - Montpellier, which will provide various support to partners such as creating new tools for proprietary engines and shifting to new engines.[24]

In March 2023, Virtuos developed a remaster for The Outer Worlds, subtitled Spacer's Choice Edition.[25] The remaster's initial reviews were largely focused on performance issues such as stuttering,[26][27][25] which were partly addressed in a v1.1 patch - the first of a series of updates to fix known issues and optimise performance across all platforms.[28][29]

On 17 March 2023, Glass Egg, one of Virtuos’ subsidiaries, announced the launch of its new 2D and 3D art production studio located in Dalat, Vietnam.[30]

In May 2023, Konami confirmed Virtuos was assisting in the development of Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater, a remake of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater for PlayStation 5, Microsoft Windows, and Xbox Series X/S.[31]

In March 2024, Virtuos acquired Beyond-FX,[32] a full-service visual effects (VFX) studio in Los Angeles.In August 2024, Virtuos acquired British indie developer Third Kind Games.[33]

Games co-developed by Virtuos

[edit]
Game Title Platform/Operating system
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater PC, PS5, Xbox Series
South Park: Snow Day! PC, PS5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League PC, PS5, Xbox Series
Outcast: A New Beginning PC, PS5, Xbox Series
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series, Xbox One
Horizon Forbidden West - Complete Edition PC, PS5
AEW: Fight Forever PC, PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series, Xbox One
Dead Island 2 PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series, Xbox One
Hogwarts Legacy PC, Xbox Series, Xbox One
Disney Speedstorm PC, Windows Apps, PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series, Xbox One
The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR PS5
Mortal Kombat 1 PC, Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series
The Outer Worlds: Spacer's Choice Edition PC, Windows Apps, PS5, Xbox Series
Horizon VR: Call of the Mountain PS5
The Settlers: New Allies PC, PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series, Xbox One
Kerbal Space Program 2 PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Series X/S
Monster Jam Steel Titans Stadia
Monster Jam Steel Titans 2 Nintendo Switch
Dying Light: Platinum Edition Nintendo Switch
The Callisto Protocol PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC
NieR Automata: End of Yorha Edition Nintendo Switch
The Settlers Online PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Outriders
Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond Oculus Rift
PUBG: Battlegrounds Stadia
The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game
Mahokenshi PC
L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files PC, PS4
The Outer Worlds: Spacer's Choice Edition PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Gundam Evolution PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series PlayStation VR
Marvel's Midnight Suns PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Destroy All Humans! Nintendo Switch
XCOM 2 Collection Nintendo Switch
BioShock: The Collection Nintendo Switch
The Outer Worlds Nintendo Switch
Assassin's Creed Liberation Remastered PS4, PC, Xbox One
Starlink: Battle for Atlas Nintendo Switch
Dark Souls Remastered Nintendo Switch
Horizon Zero Dawn PS4, PC
L.A. Noire PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Assassin's Creed: The Ezio Collection PS4, Xbox One
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age PS4, PC, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Batman: Return to Arkham PS4, Xbox One
Heavy Rain PS4
Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster PS3, PS Vita, PS4, PC, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Fable Anniversary Xbox 360
Injustice: Gods Among Us Android
XCOM: Enemy Unknown iOS
NBA 2K14 iOS/Android/FireOs
Bubble Safari iOS, Android
NBA 2K13 Android, Wii, PSP, PS2
Might & Magic Heroes VI: Shades of Darkness PC
The Enchanted Library Facebook
The Game of Life PC, MacOS
Civilization Revolution WP7
The Price is Right: Decades Xbox 360
Who Wants to be a Millionaire 2012 Edition Xbox 360
Hollywood Squares PSN
Family Feud Decades PSN
DreamWorks Super Star Kartz Nintendo DS
Monopoly Collection Nintendo Wii
Generator Rex: Agent of Providence PS3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, 3DS, Nintendo DS
Hole in the Wall Xbox 360 Kinect
MLB 2K12 PSP, PS2, Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii
NBA 2K12 PS2
MLB 2K11 PSP, PS2, Nintendo DS
Monster Jam: Path of Destruction PS3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, PSP
Sid Meier's Pirates! Nintendo Wii
Ghost Recon Predator PSP
Press Your Luck PS3, iPad
Family Feud PS3, iPad
The Price is Right PS3, iPad
MotorStorm: Arctic Edge PS2
Pimp My Ride: Street Racing PS2, Nintendo DS
Madagascar Kartz Nintendo DS
Hot Wheels Battle Force 5 Nintendo DS
Speed Racer Nintendo DS
Asphalt: Urban GT 2 PSP, Nintendo DS
Wolverine Leapfrog Didj
Indiana Jones Leapfrog Didj
Hannah Montana Leapfrog Didj
Dora the Explorer Leapster Explorer
SpongeBob SquarePants: the Clam Prix Leapster Explorer
LeapFrog Kart Racing Supercharged LeapTV
Crash: Mind over Mutant PSP
Beowulf PSP
Street Riders PSP

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Virtuos acquires British indie game developer Third Kind Games".
  2. ^ Rees, Lewis. "Virtuos opens new studio in the San Francisco Bay area". pocketgamer.biz. Retrieved 2022-09-09.
  3. ^ "Legend Capital invests in leading video games outsourcing provider Virtuos". Legend Capital.
  4. ^ "Virtuos Opens New China Studio". GamesIndustry.biz.
  5. ^ "Outsourcing firm Virtuos acquires BSP audio studio". Develop-Online.
  6. ^ "Virtuos workforce hits new milestone". Develop-Online.
  7. ^ "Virtuos Kickstarts Full Cross-Platform Development Project". GamesIndustry.biz.
  8. ^ "China's Virtuos Gets Into Full-Scale Retail Game Development With 'Major Publisher'". Gamasutra.
  9. ^ "Fang Dash".
  10. ^ Clark, Justin (28 October 2016). "Review: Batman: Return to Arkham". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  11. ^ "Horizon Zero Dawn, Our 1000th Project, Released With 3D Art From Virtuos!". Virtuos. 1 April 2017. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
  12. ^ "Virtuos Heralds The Return of Aloy, Providing Character and Environment Art in Horizon Forbidden West". Virtuos. 11 April 2022. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
  13. ^ Santa Maria, Alex (9 August 2020). "Horizon Zero Dawn's Poor PC Performance Is Developer's Top Priority". Screen Rant. Valnet Inc. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
  14. ^ "XCom 2 Collection: A Joint Development Effort With Virtuos". Virtuos. 17 April 2020. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
  15. ^ Gach, Ethan (4 June 2020). "The Outer Worlds Looks Terrible On Switch". Kotaku. G/O Media. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  16. ^ "Virtuos renforce sa présence en Europe avec son nouveau studio à Lyon". Agence française pour le jeu vidéo.
  17. ^ "Virtuos invests in Umanaïa Interactive". virtuosgame.com. Retrieved 2022-05-31.
  18. ^ "Virtuos acquires art production studio Glass Egg". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
  19. ^ "Virtuos KL studio to support regional growth in video games development". The Edge Markets. 2022-08-12. Retrieved 2022-09-09.
  20. ^ "Virtuos opens co-development studio in the Bay Area". GamesIndustry.biz. 2022-09-05. Retrieved 2022-09-09.
  21. ^ "Virtuos Studios shutters Calypte after a year". GamesIndustry.biz. 2023-10-10.
  22. ^ "Sharper than on PS4, 'Nier: Automata' on Switch remains virtuosic". 2022-10-05. Retrieved 2022-10-05.
  23. ^ "Nier Automata's Switch port might actually be the best place to play the 2017 game". www.gamesradar.com. 2022-10-06. Retrieved 2022-10-06./
  24. ^ "Virtuos open Virtuos Labs – Montpellier". www.gamesradar.com. 2022-10-26. Retrieved 2022-10-26./
  25. ^ a b Nightingale, Ed (9 March 2023). "The Outer Worlds: Spacer's Choice Edition criticised by players for poor performance". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  26. ^ Wolens, Joshua (8 March 2023). "The Outer Worlds' new version is getting slammed on Steam—'Spacer's Choice Edition: now with 200% more performance issues!'". PC Gamer. Future plc. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  27. ^ Archer, James (9 March 2023). "Something is terribly wrong with The Outer Worlds: Spacer's Choice Edition's PC performance". Rock Paper Shotgun. Gamer Network. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  28. ^ Archer, James (22 March 2023). "The Outer Worlds: Spacer's Choice Edition update tunes up PC performance". Rock Paper Shotgun. Gamer Network. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  29. ^ Division, Private (22 March 2023). "The Spacer's Choice Edition v1.1 patch is available now for Xbox Series X|S and Microsoft Store players!". Twitter. Private Division. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  30. ^ "Glass Egg - a Virtuos Studio announces expansion into Dalat, Vietnam". yahoo.com. 2023-03-17. Retrieved 2023-03-17./
  31. ^ Croft, Liam (2023-05-25). "Virtuos Assisting Konami on Metal Gear Solid 3 Remake Development". Push Square. Retrieved 2023-05-25.
  32. ^ Writer, Sophie McEvoy Staff (2024-03-15). "Virtuos acquires Beyond-FX". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved 2024-08-21.
  33. ^ Contributor, Vikki Blake (2024-08-20). "Virtuos acquires British indie game developer Third Kind Games". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved 2024-08-21. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
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