Avalanche Software

{{Infobox company

| name = Avalanche Software

| logo = File:Avalanche.svg

| type = Subsidiary

| industry = Video games

| founded = {{Start date and age|1995|10}}

| founder = John Blackburn

| hq_location_city = Salt Lake City, Utah

| hq_location_country = US

| key_people = John Blackburn (CEO)

| parent = {{Unbulleted list|Disney Interactive Studios (2005–2016)|Warner Bros. Games (2017–present)}}

| website = {{URL|https://www.avalanchesoftware.com/|avalanchesoftware.com}}

}}

Avalanche Software is an American video game developer and subsidiary of Warner Bros. Games based in Salt Lake City, Utah. It was founded in October 1995 by four programmers formerly of Sculptured Software, including John Blackburn, who is chief executive officer. The studio was acquired by the games arm of The Walt Disney Company in May 2005, and spent the next ten years developing Disney-related titles, including the toys-to-life game Disney Infinity (2013). In May 2016, due to a declining toys-to-life games market, Disney decided to close the games arm, including Avalanche. Warner Bros. Games acquired the studio and re-opened it in January 2017.

History

Avalanche Software was founded by four programmers formerly of Sculptured Software, including John Blackburn.{{cite web |url=https://www.deseret.com/2005/4/20/19888061/disney-branch-buys-salt-lake-game-developer |title=Disney branch buys Salt Lake game developer |first=Greg |last=Kratz |date=April 20, 2005 |website=Deseret News |access-date=September 26, 2020 |archive-date=September 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926091547/https://www.deseret.com/2005/4/20/19888061/disney-branch-buys-salt-lake-game-developer |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=http://www.avalanchesoftware.com/company.html |title=Avalanche Software Biography |year=2001 |website=Avalanche Software |archive-date=February 10, 2001 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010210041409/http://www.avalanchesoftware.com/company.html |url-status=dead}} After Sculptured Software had been acquired by Acclaim Entertainment, the four had been in contact with another former Sculptured Software staffer who left the year prior for Saffire. The four were interested in joining Saffire, which was seeking programmers for an upcoming project, but did not want to commute to the company's offices in Pleasant Grove. Instead, Saffire's owner convinced them to start their own company.{{cite web |url=https://www.cityweekly.net/BuzzBlog/archives/2011/08/17/avalanche-software |title=Avalanche Software |first=Gavin |last=Sheehan |date=August 17, 2011 |website=Salt Lake City Weekly |access-date=September 26, 2020 |archive-date=September 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926095231/https://www.cityweekly.net/BuzzBlog/archives/2011/08/17/avalanche-software |url-status=live}} Subsequently, Blackburn and his acquaintances established Avalanche in October 1995, with Blackburn becoming the company's president.

On April 19, 2005, Buena Vista Games (later renamed Disney Interactive Studios), the video game publishing arm of The Walt Disney Company, announced that it had acquired Avalanche for an undisclosed price.{{cite web |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/disney-scoops-up-avalanche-founds-new-studio/1100-6122500/ |title=Disney scoops up Avalanche, founds new studio |first=Dawn |last=Kawamoto |date=April 19, 2005 |website=GameSpot |access-date=June 25, 2017 |archive-date=September 17, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170917124025/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/disney-scoops-up-avalanche-founds-new-studio/1100-6122500/ |url-status=live}} Buena Vista Games established a sister studio to Avalanche, Fall Line Studio, in November 2006.{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-nov-08-fi-disney8-story.html |title=Disney to make Nintendo games |date=November 8, 2006 |website=Los Angeles Times |access-date=July 7, 2020 |archive-date=March 6, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306190039/http://articles.latimes.com/2006/nov/08/business/fi-disney8 |url-status=live}} The studio was merged into Avalanche in January 2009.{{cite web |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/disney-layoffs-hit-turok-bolt-studios/1100-6203898/ |title=Disney layoffs hit Turok, Bolt studios |first=Brendan |last=Sinclair |date=January 29, 2009 |website=GameSpot |access-date=June 25, 2017 |archive-date=July 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180724093430/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/disney-layoffs-hit-turok-bolt-studios/1100-6203898/ |url-status=live}} In January 2013, Avalanche unveiled the toys-to-life cross-platform game Disney Infinity.{{cite web |url=https://phys.org/news/2013-01-disney-unveils-skylanders-like-franchise.html |title=Disney unveils own 'Skylanders'-like franchise |first=Derrik J. |last=Lang |date=January 15, 2013 |website=Phys.org |access-date=June 25, 2017 |archive-date=January 18, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180118011021/https://phys.org/news/2013-01-disney-unveils-skylanders-like-franchise.html |url-status=live}} On May 10, 2016, due to a lack of growth in the toys-to-life market and increasing development costs, Disney discontinued Disney Infinity and closed down Disney Interactive Studios, including Avalanche.{{cite web |url=https://www.polygon.com/2016/5/10/11652866/disney-infinity-ending |title=Disney is ending its Infinity video game line, shutting down Avalanche Software |first=Julia |last=Alexander |date=May 10, 2016 |website=Polygon |access-date=June 25, 2017 |archive-date=October 7, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171007053456/https://www.polygon.com/2016/5/10/11652866/disney-infinity-ending |url-status=live}} Many former Avalanche workers were hired by castAR to create a new studio in Salt Lake City.{{cite web |url=https://www.engadget.com/2016-09-15-augmented-reality-studio-castar-picks-up-disney-infinity-devs.html |title=Augmented reality studio castAR picks up 'Disney Infinity' devs |first=Jessica |last=Conditt |date=September 15, 2016 |website=Engadget |access-date=September 26, 2020 |archive-date=September 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926091712/https://www.engadget.com/2016-09-15-augmented-reality-studio-castar-picks-up-disney-infinity-devs.html |url-status=live}}

On January 24, 2017, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment (now Warner Bros. Games) announced that it had acquired and re-opened the studio, with Blackburn returning as its chief executive officer. The studio's first title under the new ownership was Cars 3: Driven to Win.{{cite web |url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/289935/Disney_Infinity_dev_revived_and_reopened_by_Warner_Bros.php |title=Disney Infinity dev revived and re-opened by Warner Bros. |first=Alissa |last=McAloon |date=January 24, 2017 |website=Gamasutra |access-date=July 7, 2020 |archive-date=January 25, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170125194932/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/289935/Disney_Infinity_dev_revived_and_reopened_by_Warner_Bros.php |url-status=dead}}

In February 2021, game director Troy Leavitt received backlash for his social media posts that supported cultural appropriation and Gamergate. This led to his resignation from Avalanche Software and the Hogwarts Legacy project. He claimed that his exit was not a result of the criticism, and Warner Bros. chose not to address the situation.{{Cite web |last=Walker |first=Ian |date=21 February 2021 |title=Hogwarts Legacy Lead Designer Used To Run Anti-Social Justice YouTube Channel |url=https://kotaku.com/hogwarts-legacy-lead-designer-used-to-run-anti-social-j-1846316222 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325060910/https://kotaku.com/hogwarts-legacy-lead-designer-used-to-run-anti-social-j-1846316222 |archive-date=25 March 2022 |access-date=23 March 2022 |website=Kotaku}}{{Cite web |last=Robertson |first=Adi |date=5 March 2021 |title=Hogwarts Legacy developer leaves after controversy over reactionary YouTube videos |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/5/22315226/hogwarts-legacy-leavitt-resigns-developer-avalanche-youtube-gamergate |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220323091004/https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/5/22315226/hogwarts-legacy-leavitt-resigns-developer-avalanche-youtube-gamergate |archive-date=23 March 2022 |access-date=23 March 2022 |website=The Verge}}{{Cite web |last=Skrebels |first=Joe |date=15 March 2021 |title=Hogwarts Legacy: Troy Leavitt Explains Decision to Leave the Project [Updated] |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/hogwarts-legacy-lead-designer-quits-following-youtube-controversy |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325020100/https://www.ign.com/articles/hogwarts-legacy-lead-designer-quits-following-youtube-controversy |archive-date=25 March 2022 |access-date=23 March 2022 |website=IGN}}

Hogwarts Legacy was released in 2023 as Avalanche's first{{clarify|reason=Second, not first? This contradicts the previous sentence in the prior paragraph|date=December 2023}} independent game since it was acquired by Warner Bros. Games. The open-world action role-playing game was published by the publisher Portkey Games, which is also owned by Warner Bros. Games. The game was officially announced as part of the PlayStation 5 Showcase on September 16, 2020 and was subsequently named "Star of the Evening" by the daily newspaper Die Welt.{{Cite news |last=Gehm |first=Florian |date=2020-09-17 |title=PlayStation 5 Showcase: Hogwarts Legacy ist der Star der Sony-Präsentation |language=de |work=DIE WELT |url=https://www.welt.de/wirtschaft/webwelt/article215894724/PlayStation-5-Showcase-Hogwarts-Legacy-ist-der-Star-der-Sony-Praesentation.html |access-date=2022-07-22}}{{Cite news |last=Uslenghi |first=Fabiano |last2=Zirkler |first2=Dennis |date=2020-09-17 |title=Harry Potter: Open-World-Rollenspiel Hogwarts Legacy kommt für den PC |language=de-DE |work=GameStar |url=https://www.gamestar.de/artikel/harry-potter-hogwarts-legacy,3362002.html |access-date=2022-07-22}} It has been released for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/ps5-harry-potter-rpg|title=Harry Potter RPG Hogwarts Legacy Announced, Confirmed for PS5|first=Jonathon|last=Dornbush|website=IGN|date=September 16, 2020|access-date=September 17, 2020}}