Cyclone Studios

Cyclone Studios was founded in December 1993 by Helmut Kobler and Ron Little.{{cite magazine |title=NG Alphas: Cyclone Studios |magazine=Next Generation|issue=28 |publisher=Imagine Media |date=April 1997|pages=86–89}} Kobler recounted, "Ron left college about a year after I did, and we started discussing what it would be like to design a game, then just talked ourselves into believing it was possible." After securing a contract with 3DO to develop Captain Quazar, a cartoony isometric Shooter for 3DO's home console, they moved from Little's apartment to Redwood City, California in June 1994. At the time they started another 3DO title called BattleSport, a first-person 3D game. In spring of 1995 Cyclone moved to Menlo Park, California. Both BattleSport and Captain Quazar were released after Cyclone's acquisition by The 3DO Company;{{cite magazine |title=32-Bit Gaming Drops in Price|magazine=Next Generation|issue=14 |publisher=Imagine Media |date=February 1996|pages=16–17}} BattleSport was released in late 1995 and Captain Quazar in early 1996.

The company was acquired by The 3DO Company in December 1995{{cite magazine |title=Tidbits... |magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly|issue=79|publisher=Sendai Publishing|date=February 1996|page=17}}{{cite magazine |title=Price Cut on Goldstar 3DO |magazine=GamePro|issue=90 |publisher=IDG |date=March 1996|page=17}}{{cite web|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/3DO+Acquires+Cyclone+Studios.-a017815844|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160328052858/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/3DO+Acquires+Cyclone+Studios.-a017815844|title=3DO Acquires Cyclone Studios|website=Business Wire|publisher=Berkshire Hathaway|archivedate=March 28, 2016|date=December 4, 1995|accessdate=July 16, 2019|via=The Free Dictionary}} and moved to San Mateo, California. Kobler was assigned as the leader of the division and Little was chosen to be the tech leader.{{citation needed|date=July 2015}} Cyclone began developing games as a division of The 3DO Company for the PC and Panasonic M2.

Uprising is a hybrid first person action strategy game. It was shipped in October 1997 and met solid critical response, but sold below expectations due primarily to the marketing challenge of clearly communicating the unique and compelling aspects the blending of the two genres. Many consumers were unsure of what the game was and pre-launch hype proved difficult to build. Two sequels were developed thanks to the game's critical success: Uprising 2: Lead and Destroy was released for PC and Uprising-X was released on the PlayStation. After the release of Uprising-X the members of Cyclone Studios were absorbed into The 3DO Company.

The editors of Computer Games Strategy Plus named Uprising: Join or Die the best action game of 1997.{{cite web|author=Staff |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050206152953/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/009/194/1997_cgsp_awards.html |url=http://www.cdmag.com:80/articles/009/194/1997_cgsp_awards.html |title=The winners of the 1997 Computer Games Awards |date=January 19, 1998 |work=Computer Games Strategy Plus |archivedate=February 6, 2005 |url-status=dead }}

The sequel, Lead and Destroy, was published in December 1998 for Windows.{{cite web | url=http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/uprising-2-lead-and-destroy-review/1900-2531739/ | title=Uprising 2: Lead and Destroy Review | date=February 1, 1999 | accessdate=May 21, 2012 | author=Ryan, Michael E.| work=GameSpot}}

Requiem: Avenging Angel is a story-driven first-person shooter. It was released in April 1999 and met modest critical acclaim and poor sales.

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{{Cyclone Studios}}

Category:Defunct video game companies of the United States

Category:Video game companies established in 1993

Category:Video game development companies

Category:Companies based in San Mateo, California