Gaijin Entertainment#Dagor Engine
{{Short description|Hungarian video game development company}}
{{About|the Hungarian game development company|the American company formerly known as Gaijin Games|Choice Provisions}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2016}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Gaijin Entertainment
| logo = Logo-gaijin.svg
| type = Privately held company
| industry = Video game industry
| founded = 2002
| hq_location_country = Budapest, Hungary
| key_people = Anton Yudintsev (founder), Kirill Yudintsev (founder)
| products = Video games
| num_employees = 201-500
| num_employees_year = 2023
| website = {{URL|https://gaijinent.com/}}
}}
Gaijin Entertainment is a Hungarian video game developer headquartered in Budapest.{{Cite web |title=Budapesten is dolgoznak a War Thunderen és az Enlisteden - interjú |url=https://www.playdome.hu/cikk/59308/budapesten-is-dolgoznak-a-war-thunderen-es-az-enlisteden |access-date=2022-10-25 |website=PlayDome.hu |language=hu}}{{Cite web |title=Az orosz fejlesztők államilag támogatott játékmotorral függetlenednének a nyugattól |url=https://www.gamestar.hu/jatekvilag/az-orosz-fejlesztok-allamilag-tamogatott-jatekmotorral-fuggetlenednenek-a-nyugattol-313919.html |access-date=2022-07-20 |website=GameStar |language=hu}}{{Cite web |title=Gaijin Entertainment {{!}} About |url=https://gaijinent.com/en/about/ |access-date=2022-04-05 |website=gaijinent.com |language=en}} The company is mostly known for War Thunder, Crossout, Star Conflict, CRSED: Cuisine Royale (formerly known as Cuisine Royale and CRSED: F.O.A.D.) and Enlisted.
History
Gaijin Entertainment was founded in Russia in 2002 by Anton and Kirill Yudintsev,{{Cite web|title=15 лет Gaijin Entertainment. Путь от "Бумера: Сорванные башни" до War Thunder|url=https://www.igromania.ru/article/29694/15_let_Gaijin_Entertainment_Put_ot_Bumera_Sorvannye_bashni_do_War_Thunder.html|access-date=2021-03-24|website=www.igromania.ru|language=ru-RU}} whose first big project was the PC racing game Adrenaline. After the successful launch of War Thunder in 2012, an office in Germany was established, to manage global operations and marketing.{{Cite web|title=Gaijin Entertainment {{!}} Terms of service|url=https://gaijinent.com/en/b/termsofservice|access-date=2021-03-24|website=gaijinent.com|language=en}} The company moved their distribution business from Moscow to Budapest around 2015, and their development headquarters followed shortly after.{{Cite web |date=2022-09-18 |title="A videójáték-fejlesztésnek mindig is a gamerek voltak a lelkei" |url=https://24.hu/tech/2022/09/18/gaijin-entertainment-videojatek-fejlesztes-microsoft-sony-interju-programozas/ |access-date=2022-09-26 |website=24.hu |language=hu}} According to Hungarian tax records, Gaijin had 42 employees in Hungary by January 2022 and 56 employees by January 2023.{{Cite web |title=Gaijin Games Kft short credit report |url=https://www.ceginformacio.hu/cr9311454780_EN |access-date=2023-02-08 |website=ceginformacio.hu}}
Presently, all Gaijin online games are operated from Germany, Cyprus and Hungary, while the development is scattered across Europe. The company now has six offices in total: in Karlsruhe (Germany), Larnaca (Cyprus), Budapest (Hungary), Riga (Latvia), Dubai (UAE) and Yerevan (Armenia).{{Cite web |title=Locations - Gaijin Entertainment |url=https://gaijinent.com/loc |access-date=2022-06-01 |website=gaijinent.com}} The company has around 200 employees split between those offices, with 60 of them based at the Hungarian HQ.
Gaijin Entertainment group generated 2.6% of all the Hungarian Software Industry profit in 2020.{{Cite web |date=2021-12-03 |title=Halsperma-minősítéstől az űrbe: a közbeszerzési bajnok 4iG útja a legnagyobb magyar cégek közé {{!}} G7 - Gazdasági sztorik érthetően |url=https://g7.hu/vallalat/20211203/halsperma-minositestol-az-urbe-a-kozbeszerzesi-bajnok-4ig-utja-a-legnagyobb-magyar-cegek-koze/ |access-date=2022-04-05 |language=hu}}
While Gaijin have produced a few single-player games in the 2000s, the company is now focused on free-to-play online titles. According to László Perneky, Gaijin's lead programmer, "Those who can decide on projects at the company mostly like to play multiplayer games".{{Cite web |title=Gaijin Entertainment-interjú, Perneky Lászlóval |url=http://www.pcguru.hu/hirek/gaijin-entertainment-interju-perneky-laszloval/73463 |access-date=2022-08-15 |website=PC Guru |language=HU}}
Origin of company name
Gaijin Entertainment name comes from the Japanese word for foreigner. According to Anton Yudintsev, he was dreaming to enter the Japanese market one day while staying true to their roots as a European company and accept their position of an outsider there. Gaijin actually entered the Japanese market with the release of anime-style action game X-Blades in 2009.{{Cite web |date=2017-10-19 |title=【TGS 2017】『War Thunder』開発"Gaijin Entertainment"CEOインタビュー―社名の由来や海軍について聞いた |url=https://www.gamespark.jp/article/2017/10/19/76377.html |access-date=2024-09-23 |website=Game*Spark - 国内・海外ゲーム情報サイト |language=ja}}
Gaijin's logo features snail that is a reference to Issa Kobayashi's haiku,{{Cite web |title=【5周年記念】開発会社Gaijin Entertainment×日本コミュニティ質問募集!~回答編~ - War Thunder (ウォーサンダー)- DMM GAMES |url=https://warthunder.dmm.com/news/detail/9368 |access-date=2024-09-23 |website=warthunder.dmm.com |language=ja}} translated by R.H. Blyth as:
O snail
Climb Mount Fuji
But slowly, slowly!
(Katatsumuri / sorosoro nobore / Fuji no yama; 蝸牛/そろそろ登れ/富士の山)
Games
Dagor Engine
The Dagor Engine is an open-source game engine used by Gaijin Entertainment{{Cite web |url=https://gaijin.ru/en/about/ |title=Gaijin Entertainment | About |access-date=17 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160324135231/https://gaijin.ru/en/about/ |archive-date=24 March 2016 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }} in War Thunder, Enlisted, CRSED: F.O.A.D. and other titles. It was open sourced under the BSD-3 license in 2023.{{Cite web |title=DagorEngine/LICENSE at main · GaijinEntertainment/DagorEngine |url=https://github.com/GaijinEntertainment/DagorEngine/blob/main/LICENSE |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=GitHub |language=en}}{{cite web|title=War Thunder game engine Dagor Engine from Gaijin now open source|url=https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2023/11/war-thunder-game-engine-dagor-engine-from-gaijin-now-open-source/|first=Liam|last=Dawe|website=GamingOnLinux|access-date=2023-11-07|date=2023-11-01}}{{cite web|url=https://gameworldobserver.com/2023/11/03/gaijin-entertainment-dagor-engine-open-source-russian-nau-engine|title=Gaijin Entertainment open-sources its Dagor Engine, surprised to see Russian Nau Engine using parts of it|first=Evgeny|last=Obedkov|website=Game World Observer|date=2023-11-03|access-date=2023-11-07}} The original version of the engine was developed by Gaijin Entertainment, and in 2005 the separate company Dagor Technologies was established for continued development. Currently the engine incorporates technology such as the PhysX physics engine{{Cite web |title=3D Engine: Dagor Engine |url=https://www.mobygames.com/game-group/3d-engine-dagor-engine |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325163247/https://www.mobygames.com/game-group/3d-engine-dagor-engine |archive-date=25 March 2022 |access-date=25 March 2022 |website=Moby Games}} and has been updated to version 6.5 since the release of War Thunder.{{Cite web |title=Dagor Engine 6.5: new graphic features |url=https://warthunder.com/en/news/7612-development-dagor-engine-6-5-new-graphic-features-en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325162843/https://warthunder.com/en/news/7612-development-dagor-engine-6-5-new-graphic-features-en |archive-date=25 March 2022 |access-date=25 March 2022 |df=dmy-all}} Gaijin's Hungarian office is responsible for the further development of the engine.
Controversies
The company gained notoriety for pursuing legal action against the owner of gaijin.com, an unaffiliated website that predates the company by seven years.{{cite web |url=http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130507/01074822975/gaijin-entertainment-demands-gaijincom-which-predates-them-doesnt-infringe-their-trademark.shtml |title=Gaijin Entertainment Ridiculous Demands |publisher=Techdirt.com |access-date=16 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140117045403/http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130507/01074822975/gaijin-entertainment-demands-gaijincom-which-predates-them-doesnt-infringe-their-trademark.shtml |archive-date=17 January 2014 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }} The complaint expired and was automatically withdrawn in November 2013.{{Cite web |url=http://www.gaijin.com/2014/01/not-with-a-bang-but-with-a-whimper/ |title=overview of lawsuit finale |date=27 January 2014 |access-date=2 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140404105720/http://www.gaijin.com/2014/01/not-with-a-bang-but-with-a-whimper/ |archive-date=4 April 2014 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }}
On 21 June 2020, adult actress Eva Elfie was sponsored by Gaijin's War Thunder, which sparked light controversy within the community.{{Citation|title=Парни о работе в порно (Oliver Trunk, Leon13, Devils Kos, Ryan Moore) — Eva Elfie| date=21 June 2020 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5i3zQfKX0g |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211214/w5i3zQfKX0g |archive-date=2021-12-14 |url-status=live|language=en|access-date=2021-11-18}}{{cbignore}} On 23 September 2022, an official Eva Elfie decal has been added to War Thunder,{{Cite web |title=How to get Eva Elfie rare decal in War Thunder — Escorenews |url=https://escorenews.com/en/article/38620-how-to-get-eva-elfie-rare-decal-in-war-thunder |access-date=2022-09-27 |website=escorenews.com |language=en}} further strengthening relations between Gaijin and the porn actress.
In January 2021, after the logos of War Thunder and Crossout were seen in a video by Donbas YouTube channel "High Caliber Mayhem", Gaijin was accused of indirectly financing pro-Russian separatists in the war in Donbas.{{Cite web|url=https://mil.in.ua/uk/news/vydavets-gry-war-thunder-kupuye-reklamu-v-video-z-bojovykamy-dnr/|title = Видавець гри War Thunder купує рекламу в відео з бойовиками "ДНР"}}{{cite web |last1=Allen |first1=Joseph |title=War Thunder Mired In Controversy After Advertiser Sponsors Pro-Russian Militants |url=https://techraptor.net/gaming/news/war-thunder-mired-controversy-advertiser-sponsors-pro-russian-militant |website=TechRaptor |access-date=21 March 2022 |language=en |date=4 January 2021}}{{cite web |last1=Maher |first1=Cian |title=Russian War Thunder Publisher Gaijin Entertainment Sponsors Anti-Ukrainian YouTube Channel |url=https://www.thegamer.com/gaijin-entertainment-russia-anti-ukraine-sponsor/ |website=TheGamer |publisher=www.thegamer.com |access-date=21 March 2022 |date=4 January 2021}} High Caliber Mayhem has denied any links to the separatist armed forces and published an explanation claiming that all the money from all advertisements on that channel were spent on humanitarian aid for civilians. The video showing the War Thunder advertisement was removed from High Caliber Mayhem's YouTube channel.
In response to the controversy, Gaijin stated "We do not provide political support to anyone anywhere. We know nothing about politics and prefer to stay out of it. Our agency that ordered an ad in the video in question took it down when they realized they might drag us into a political discussion."{{Cite web|last=L|first=Albert|date=5 January 2021|title=Gaijin Entertainment Responds To Allegations Of Funding Donbass Separatists|url=https://www.overtdefense.com/2021/01/05/gaijin-entertainment-responds-to-allegations-of-funding-donbass-separatists/|access-date=|website=Overt Defense}}
Following an in-game economic change on the 16th of May 2023, a large amount of War Thunder players began revolting against the developers{{Cite web |date=2023-05-25 |title=War Thunder 'Revises' Economy, Fans Review-Bomb Game To Hell |url=https://kotaku.com/war-thunder-f2p-pc-protest-steam-pc-review-economy-p2w-1850468060 |access-date=2023-05-26 |website=Kotaku |language=en}} by review bombing the game on multiple platforms, such as Steam and Google. Since the changes have been announced, there have been over 65,000 negative reviews on Steam, dropping the overall rating from "Mostly Positive" to "Mixed" and the recent rating from "Mostly Positive" to "Overwhelmingly Negative", as of May 22. In response, Gaijin has since reverted the planned economic change on May 18th,{{Cite web |title=Server Update 16.05.2023 - REVERTED - Updates - Game - War Thunder |url=https://warthunder.com/en/game/changelog/current/1495 |access-date=2023-05-26 |website=warthunder.com |language=en}} posted statements regarding the issue and player progression on May 19th, discouraging players from participating in review bombing,{{Cite web |title=How progression and economy is built in F2P games and War Thunder in particular |url=https://warthunder.com/en/news/8260-how-progression-and-economy-is-built-in-f2p-games-and-war-thunder-in-particular-en |access-date=2023-05-26 |website=warthunder.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Revising the economy |url=https://warthunder.com/en/news/8259-revising-the-economy-en |access-date=2023-05-26 |website=warthunder.com |language=en}} announced a revision of the economy for mid-summer 2023 and issued an apology.{{Cite web |title=[Development] Economy Revision |url=https://warthunder.com/en/news/8264-development-economy-revision-en |access-date=2023-05-26 |website=warthunder.com |language=en}} Gaijin also removed Steam from the supported platforms on War Thunder's official website.{{cite web |last1=Williams |first1=Demi |title='War Thunder' devs remove Steam mention from website due to review bombing |url=https://www.nme.com/news/gaming-news/war-thunder-devs-remove-steam-mention-from-website-due-to-review-bombing-3446958 |access-date=25 May 2023 |website=NME.com |date=23 May 2023 }} Steam hid the reviews {{Cite web |last=Howarth |first=Jack |date=2023-05-25 |title=Steam hides recent War Thunder reviews amid economy scandal |url=https://www.wepc.com/news/steam-hides-recent-war-thunder-reviews-amid-economy-scandal/ |access-date=2023-05-26 |website=WePC {{!}} Let's build your dream gaming PC |language=en-US}} posted after May 19th and marked them off-topic as the update in question was no longer a part of the game starting from that date. Some players launched a subreddit called War Thunder Player Union and started campaigning{{Cite web |last=Co |first=Alex |date=2023-05-23 |title=War Thunder Community Lashes Out at Devs After Economy Changes, Calls for In-Game Strike on May 26 |url=https://mp1st.com/news/war-thunder-community-lashes-out-at-devs-after-economy-changes-calls-for-in-game-strike-on-may-26 |access-date=2023-05-26 |website=MP1st |language=en-US}} for 2 weeks of "strike action" starting on the Friday 26th of May 2023 and ending Thursday 8th of June 2023. War Thunder Player Union had 14,900 members as of May 26th.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://gaijinent.com/}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Companies based in Budapest
Category:Video game development companies
Category:Video game publishers
Category:Video game companies established in 2002
Category:Video game companies of Hungary