Backbone Entertainment
{{Short description|American video game developer}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Backbone Entertainment
| logo =
| type = Subsidiary
| industry = Video games
| fate = Dissolved
| founded = {{Start date and age|2003}}
| founder =
| defunct = {{End date and age|2015}}
| hq_location_city = Emeryville, California
| hq_location_country = US
| key_people =
| products = Death Jr.
| parent = Foundation 9 Entertainment (2005–2015)
}}
Backbone Entertainment was an American video game developer based in Emeryville, California. The company was formed in 2003 as the result of a merger between developers Digital Eclipse and ImaginEngine. In 2005, Backbone merged with The Collective to form Foundation 9 Entertainment.
History
Backbone Entertainment was formed in 2003 through a merger between Digital Eclipse, a developer of emulations of arcade games, and ImaginEngine, an edutainment games developer. ImaginEngine remained an independent studio, based in Framingham, Massachusetts, while Digital Eclipse's studios were absorbed by Backbone, becoming Backbone Emeryville and Backbone Vancouver, respectively.{{cite web |url=https://venturebeat.com/2012/10/12/imaginengine-game-studio-shuts-down-exclusive/ |title=ImaginEngine game studio shuts down (exclusive) |first=Dean |last=Takahashi |date=October 12, 2012 |website=VentureBeat |access-date=April 9, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181201051533/https://venturebeat.com/2012/10/12/imaginengine-game-studio-shuts-down-exclusive/ |archive-date=December 1, 2018 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2005/08/19/foundation-9-goes-next-gen |title=Foundation 9 Goes Next-Gen |first=David |last=Adams |date=August 19, 2005 |website=IGN}} In 2004, in co-operation with the University of Hawaii, Backbone opened an office in Honolulu, Hawaii, under the lead of Backbone's chairman, Mark Loughridge.{{cite web |url=http://archives.starbulletin.com/2004/02/03/business/index4.html |title=Software company seeks talent from university's media academy |first=B.J. |last=Reyes |date=February 3, 2004 |website=Honolulu Star-Bulletin |access-date=April 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110061538/http://archives.starbulletin.com/2004/02/03/business/index4.html |archive-date=November 10, 2017 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2004/Apr/11/bz/bz02a.html |title=Making a game of it |first=Sean |last=Hao |date=April 11, 2004 |website=The Honolulu Advertiser |access-date=April 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171227133924/http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2004/Apr/11/bz/bz02a.html |archive-date=December 27, 2017 |url-status=live}} On March 29, 2005, Backbone Entertainment announced that it was merging with another developer, The Collective, to form Foundation 9 Entertainment.{{cite web |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/backbone-entertainment-the-collective-to-merge |title=Backbone Entertainment, The Collective To Merge |first=David |last=Jenkins |date=March 29, 2005 |website=Gamasutra}} By this point, Backbone also operated Games2Learn, another edutainment game developer. Later in 2005, Backbone first rose to prominence with the release of Death Jr., a game for PlayStation Portable.{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/10/09/death-jr-dev-faces-closure |title=Death Jr. Dev Faces Closure |first=Daniel |last=Krupa |date=October 9, 2012 |website=IGN |access-date=April 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190216001848/https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/10/09/death-jr-dev-faces-closure |archive-date=February 16, 2019 |url-status=live}}
In February 2006, Backbone opened another subsidiary studio, Backbone Charlottetown, in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, under the lead of Andrew Ayre.{{cite web |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/foundation-9-to-open-new-canadian-studio |title=Foundation 9 To Open New Canadian Studio |first=Simon |last=Carless |date=February 6, 2006 |website=Gamasutra}} In May 2007, the new studio, including Ayre and several former Digital Eclipse employees, spun off from Backbone and became Other Ocean Interactive, aiming at showcasing Digital Eclipse's former traits in a smaller fashion.{{cite web |url=https://venturebeat.com/2017/09/22/other-ocean-building-the-past-the-future-and-the-present/ |title=Other Ocean: Building the past, the future, and the present |author=VB Staff |date=September 22, 2017 |website=VentureBeat |access-date=April 9, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180416154121/https://venturebeat.com/2017/09/22/other-ocean-building-the-past-the-future-and-the-present/ |archive-date=April 16, 2018 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/other-ocean-iphone-to-be-major-player-in-handheld-market |title=Other Ocean: iPhone To Be 'Major Player' In Handheld Market |first=Brandon |last=Boyer |date=April 7, 2008 |website=Gamasutra |access-date=April 9, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140514024915/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/109109/Other_Ocean_iPhone_To_Be_Major_Player_In_Handheld_Market.php |archive-date=May 14, 2014 |url-status=live}} In September 2008, Backbone let go most people employed at its Vancouver studio, followed by a full closure of the studio in May 2009.{{cite web |url=https://www.straight.com/article-198534/video-game-family-tree |title=Vancouver's video game family tree |first=Blaine |last=Kyllo |date=January 28, 2009 |website=The Georgia Straight |access-date=April 10, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190410060429/https://www.straight.com/article-198534/video-game-family-tree |archive-date=April 10, 2019 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=https://www.vancouverobserver.com/blogs/megabytes/2009/11/18/it-game-over-vancouvers-video-game-industry-not-quite-yet |title=Is it Game Over for Vancouver's Video Game Industry? Not quite yet |first=Terry |last=Lavender |date=November 18, 2009 |website=Vancouver Observer |access-date=April 9, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222174950/http://www.vancouverobserver.com/blogs/megabytes/2009/11/18/it-game-over-vancouvers-video-game-industry-not-quite-yet |archive-date=December 22, 2015 |url-status=live}} In October 2012, Backbone laid off the majority of its Emeryville-based staff to avoid closing completely.{{cite web |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/layoffs-at-digital-game-studio-backbone-entertainment |title=Layoffs at digital game studio Backbone Entertainment |first=Mike |last=Rose |date=October 9, 2012 |website=Gamasutra |access-date=April 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181201054420/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/179049/Layoffs_at_digital_game_studio_Backbone_Entertainment.php |archive-date=December 1, 2018 |url-status=live}} A few days later, it was reported that ImaginEngine had shut down, leaving 25 people, including studio head Randall Sanborn, out of work.
Subsidiaries
- Backbone Charlottetown (2006–2007)
- Backbone Emeryville (2003–2015)
- Backbone Vancouver (2003–2009)
- Games2Learn
- ImaginEngine (2003–2012)
Games developed
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:2003 establishments in California
Category:2015 disestablishments in California
Category:American companies disestablished in 2015
Category:American companies established in 2003
Category:Companies based in Emeryville, California
Category:Defunct companies based in the San Francisco Bay Area
Category:Defunct computer companies based in California
Category:Defunct video game companies of the United States
Category:Video game companies based in California
Category:Video game companies disestablished in 2015