Guerrilla Games#History
{{short description|Dutch video game developer}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Guerrilla B.V.
| logo = Guerrilla logo.svg
| logo_caption = Logo used since 2013
| trade_name = Guerrilla Games
| former_name = Lost Boys Games (2000–2003)
| type = Subsidiary
| industry = Video games
| predecessors = {{Unbulleted list|Orange Games|Digital Infinity|{{Nowrap|Formula Game Development}}}}
| founded = {{Start date and age|df=yes|2000|01|01}}
| founders = {{Unbulleted list|Arjan Brussee|Martin de Ronde|Michiel Mol|Arnout van der Kamp}}
| hq_location_city = Amsterdam
| hq_location_country = Netherlands
| key_people = {{Unbulleted list|Jan-Bart van Beek (studio director)|Joel Eschler (studio director)|Hella Schmidt (studio director)}}
| products = {{Unbulleted list|Killzone series (2004–2013)|Horizon series (2017–present)}}
| num_employees = 385{{Cite web |title=Financial Accountant |url=https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/sonyinteractiveentertainmentglobal/jobs/5403834004 |website=greenhouse |language=en-GB}}
| num_employees_year = 2025
| parent = {{Unbulleted list|Lost Boys (2000–2001)|Media Republic (2003–2005)|PlayStation Studios (2005–present)}}
| website = {{URL|https://www.guerrilla-games.com/|guerrilla-games.com}}
}}
Guerrilla B.V. (trade name: Guerrilla Games) is a Dutch first-party video game developer based in Amsterdam and part of PlayStation Studios. The company was founded as Lost Boys Games in January 2000 through the merger of three smaller development studios as a subsidiary of multimedia conglomerate company Lost Boys. Lost Boys Games became independent the following year and was acquired by Media Republic in 2003, renaming the studio to Guerrilla Games before being purchased by Sony Computer Entertainment in 2005. As of 2025, the company employs 385 people under the leadership of joint studio directors Jan-Bart van Beek, Joel Eschler and Hella Schmidt. It is best known for the Killzone and Horizon game series.
History
Guerrilla is the result of a merger between three Dutch video game studios: Orange Games, Digital Infinity, and Formula Game Development.{{cite web |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/studio-profile-guerrilla-games |title=Studio Profile: Guerrilla Games, Page 1 of 3 |first=Hasan Ali |last=Almaci |date=9 May 2011 |website=Gamasutra |access-date=29 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171229173218/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/134742/studio_profile_guerrilla_games.php |archive-date=29 December 2017 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/1999/07/17/het-bloed-en-de-shotgun-voorbij-7455186-a137313 |title=Het bloed en de shotgun voorbij |language=nl |trans-title=Beyond the blood and the shotgun |first=Niels |last='t Hooft |date=17 July 1999 |website=NRC Handelsblad}} Orange Games was founded in 1993 by Arjan Brussee, the co-designer of the 1994 game Jazz Jackrabbit;{{cite web |url=https://www.intermediair.nl/beroepen-functies/gaming/droombaan-gameontwikkelaar-arjan-brussee-43 |title=Droombaan: gameontwikkelaar Arjan Brussee (43) |language=nl |trans-title=Dream job: game developer Arjan Brussee (43) |first=Bas |last=Hakker |date=27 January 2016 |website=Intermediair |access-date=29 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925005416/https://cookiewall.vnumediaonline.nl/intermediair?destination=%2Fberoepen-functies%2Fgaming%2Fdroombaan-gameontwikkelaar-arjan-brussee-43&referrer= |archive-date=25 September 2019 |url-status=live }} Digital Infinity was founded by Arnout van der Kamp in 1995; and Formula was founded by Martin de Ronde in 1998 and sold to Lost Boys (a multimedia conglomerate company owned by Michiel Mol) in 1999.{{cite magazine |url=https://issuu.com/startupmagazine/docs/startup_magazine_1 |title=The Man Behinnd Killzone |first=Eylem |last=Culculoglu |date=12 June 2011 |magazine=Startup Magazine |access-date=29 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120602215641/http://issuu.com/startupmagazine/docs/startup_magazine_1 |archive-date=2 June 2012 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.mt.nl/magazine-overzicht/software-is-king/1765 |title=Software is king |language=nl |first1=Ben |last1=Kuiken |first2=Robert |last2=Mulders |date=2003–2004 |website=MT.nl}} The three studios merged, forming Lost Boys Games as a subsidiary of Lost Boys on 1 January 2000.{{cite web |url=https://www.computable.nl/artikel/achtergrond/loopbaan/1302397/1458016/game-industrie-zoekt-jong-ontwerptalent.html |title=Game-industrie zoekt jong ontwerptalent |language=nl |trans-title=Game industry is looking for young design talent |date=1 November 2000 |website=Computable}}{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/09/01/lost-boys-and-sony-hook-up-for-ps2 |title=Lost Boys and Sony Hook Up for PS2 |author=IGN Staff |date=1 September 2000 |website=IGN |access-date=29 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190929184659/https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/09/01/lost-boys-and-sony-hook-up-for-ps2 |archive-date=29 September 2019 |url-status=live }} With de Ronde as managing director, the new company employed 25 people, growing to 40 by November 2000. Hermen Hulst was hired from a consulting firm to replace de Ronde as managing director the following year.{{cite news |url=https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2014/11/11/tien-jaar-knallen-1437728-a347806 |title=Tien jaar knallen. Hoe doet Guerilla dat? |language=nl |trans-title=Party for ten years. How does Guerilla do that? |first=Arjan |last=Terpstra |date=11 November 2014 |website=NRC Handelsblad}} In 2001, when Lost Boys merged with Swedish media company IconMediaLab, Lost Boys Games was spun off into an independent entity, though under the continued ownership of Mol.{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PHZiCAAAQBAJ |title=Spaceman: in conversation with Michiel Mol |date=30 November 2011 |magazine=The Player International |issue=19}}
Lost Boys Games began developing Game Boy Color games with original characters, but the studio found that publishers would rather release games including licensed characters. Because the studio did not want to compromise on significantly altering the characters it had created, it was unable to find a publisher for them. Consequently, Lost Boys Games moved on to work-for-hire projects, creating four handheld games: Dizzy's Candy Quest (Game Boy Color, 2001), Rhino Rumble (Game Boy Color, 2002), Black Belt Challenge (Game Boy Advance, 2002), and Invader (Game Boy Advance, 2002). The latter two games were published by Xicat Interactive.{{cite web |url=http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/6698/lost-boys-games-find-publisher-in-xicat |title=Lost Boys Games Find Publisher in Xicat |first=Max |last=Lake |date=5 November 2001 |website=Nintendo World Report}} Mol later established a new media company, Media Republic, which acquired 75% of Lost Boys Games in 2003.{{cite web |url=https://www.mt.nl/magazine-overzicht/hollands-glorie-killzone/39744 |title=Hollands Glorie – Killzone |language=nl |trans-title=Dutch Glory – Killzone |first=Rob |last=van Leeuwen |date=15 July 2011 |website=MT.nl}} Shortly thereafter, in July 2003, Lost Boys Games was renamed Guerrilla to reflect the style of its new parent company.{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/all/news/news_6071762.html |title=Lost Boys find Guerrilla |first=Justin |last=Calvert |date=16 July 2003 |website=GameSpot |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030802110611/http://www.gamespot.com/all/news/news_6071762.html |archive-date=2 August 2003 |url-status=dead}}
The developer soon began work on its two titles: Killzone (in development for Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 2) and Shellshock: Nam '67 (in development for Eidos Interactive for the PlayStation 2, Xbox and Microsoft Windows).{{cite book |title=Gamegeschiedenis van Nederland 1978–2018 |first=Tom |last=Lenting |date=April 2019 |publisher=Karel van Mander Academy |isbn=978-90-90-31716-8 |pages=46–47 |language=nl}} Both titles would be released the following year to mixed reception, however Killzone enjoyed pre-release hype and anticipation, and despite some backfire effect due to the media hype, Killzone went on to sell over a million copies worldwide, earning Greatest Hits and Platinum status in North America and Europe respectively.{{cite book |title=Killzone Visual Design: Celebrating 15 Years of Killzone |first=Arjan |last=Terpstra |date=1 March 2016 |publisher=Cook & Becker |isbn=978-90-824576-0-5 }} Guerrilla signed an exclusive development agreement with Sony Computer Entertainment in March 2004, that would see future development solely for Sony's line of video game consoles, the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 3.{{cite web |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/sony-sign-guerrilla-exclusivity-deal |title=Sony Sign Guerrilla Exclusivity Deal |first=David |last=Jenkins |date=23 March 2004 |website=Gamasutra}}{{cite web |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/sony-acquires-guerrilla-games |title=Sony Acquires Guerrilla Games |first=Simon |last=Carless |date=7 December 2005 |website=Gamasutra}}
By late 2005, many companies, like Eidos Interactive, eyed purchasing Guerrilla; ultimately, Sony Computer Entertainment bought out the entirety of Guerrilla in December 2005.{{cite web |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/studio-profile-guerrilla-games |title=Studio Profile: Guerrilla Games, Page 3 of 3 |first=Hasan Ali |last=Almaci |date=9 May 2011 |website=Gamasutra |access-date=29 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170629023651/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/134742/studio_profile_guerrilla_games.php?page=3 |archive-date=29 June 2017 |url-status=live }} Guerrilla went on to release Killzone: Liberation for the PlayStation Portable in October 2006, Killzone 2 for the PlayStation 3 in February 2009, and Killzone 3 for the PlayStation 3 in February 2011.{{cite book |title=Guerrilla Games – een kleine geschiedenis van de grootste gameontwikkelaar uit Nederland |first=Tom |last=Lenting |date=February 2020 |publisher=Karel van Mander Academy |isbn=978-90-90-32882-9 |language=nl}}{{cite web | url=https://www.academia.edu/124463721/Video_game_history_of_the_Netherlands | title=Video game history of the Netherlands | date=October 6, 2024 }}
By February 2012, co-founder Brussee had left the studio to join Visceral Games.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.edge-online.com/news/guerrilla-co-founder-quits-visceral/ |title=Guerrilla co-founder quits for Visceral |first=Nathan |last=Brown |date=23 February 2012 |magazine=Edge |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120224160816/http://www.edge-online.com/news/guerrilla-co-founder-quits-visceral/ |archive-date=24 February 2012 |url-status=dead}} As of June 2018, Guerrilla employs 250 people in its Amsterdam offices; it planned to move into a new building on Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal in early 2019 and expand to at least 400 employees in this new location.{{cite web |url=https://www.parool.nl/nieuws/oud-telegraafgebouw-wordt-uitvalsbasis-guerrilla-games~be0fa296/ |title=Oud-Telegraafgebouw wordt uitvalsbasis Guerrilla Games |language=nl |trans-title=The Oud-Telegraaf building becomes the Guerrilla Games base |first=Herman |last=Stil |date=18 July 2018 |website=Het Parool |access-date=29 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190721084354/https://www.parool.nl/nieuws/oud-telegraafgebouw-wordt-uitvalsbasis-guerrilla-games~be0fa296/ |archive-date=21 July 2019 |url-status=live }} In November 2019, Hulst was appointed the head of Worldwide Studios and Angie Smets, Jan-Bart van Beek and Michiel van der Leeuw became joint studio heads in his place.{{cite web |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2019-11-07-guerrilla-games-hermen-hulst-is-playstations-head-of-worldwide-studios |title=Guerrilla Games' Hermen Hulst is PlayStation's new head of Worldwide Studios |first=Christopher |last=Dring |date=7 November 2019 |website=GamesIndustry.biz |access-date=7 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191107102335/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2019-11-07-guerrilla-games-hermen-hulst-is-playstations-head-of-worldwide-studios |archive-date=7 November 2019 |url-status=live }}
During the 2015 E3 conference, Guerrilla unveiled a new intellectual property, Horizon Zero Dawn described as a "post-apocalyptic open world action role-playing game that follows the story of Aloy, a young huntress who inhabits a world that is overrun by machines, and attempts to journey across several lands to uncover her past."{{cite web|url=http://www.polygon.com/2015/6/24/8834897/horizon-zero-dawn-e3-2015-preview-gta-skyrim|title=Horizon Zero Dawn aims to fill the open-world gap between GTA and Skyrim|first=Megan|last=Farokhmanesh|date=24 June 2015|website=Polygon|publisher=Vox Media|archive-date=24 June 2015|archive-url=https://archive.today/20150624150901/http://www.polygon.com/2015/6/24/8834897/horizon-zero-dawn-e3-2015-preview-gta-skyrim|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}
In 2017, Guerrilla released Horizon Zero Dawn on the PlayStation 4.{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/horizon-zero-dawn-goes-gold/1100-6447412/|title=Horizon: Zero Dawn Goes Gold|first=Eddie|last=Makuch|date=31 January 2017|website=GameSpot|publisher=CBS Interactive|archive-date=4 June 2017|archive-url=https://archive.today/20170604033955/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/horizon-zero-dawn-goes-gold/1100-6447412/|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}} The game received widespread positive acclaim from various critics.{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/horizon-zero-dawn/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-4|title=Horizon: Zero Dawn PlayStation 4|website=Metacritic|publisher=CBS Interactive|archive-date=4 June 2017|archive-url=https://archive.today/20170604034216/http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-4/horizon-zero-dawn|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}} An expansion, The Frozen Wilds, was released in November 2017.{{cite web|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/horizon-zero-dawn-frozen-wilds-new-skill-tree-is-focused-on-making-your-mount-more-useful/|title=Horizon Zero Dawn: Frozen Wild's new skill tree is focused on making your mount more useful|first=Sam|last=Loveridge|date=1 November 2017|website=GamesRadar|archive-date=3 March 2018|archive-url=https://archive.today/20180303020739/https://www.gamesradar.com/horizon-zero-dawn-frozen-wilds-new-skill-tree-is-focused-on-making-your-mount-more-useful/|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}} By February 2018, over 7.6 million copies had been sold,{{cite web|url=https://www.vg247.com/2018/02/28/horizon-zero-dawn-sold-7-6-million-celebrates-first-anniversary-goodies/|title=Horizon Zero Dawn has sold over 7.6 million units, celebrates first anniversary with goodies|first=Stephany|last=Nunneley|date=28 February 2018|website=VG247|archive-date=28 February 2018|archive-url=https://archive.today/20180228150957/https://www.vg247.com/2018/02/28/horizon-zero-dawn-sold-7-6-million-celebrates-first-anniversary-goodies/|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}} increasing to over 10 million a year later, making it one of the best-selling PlayStation 4 games.{{cite web|url=https://blog.us.playstation.com/2019/02/28/horizon-zero-dawn-celebrates-second-anniversary-10-million-copies-sold-worldwide/|title=Horizon Zero Dawn Celebrates Second Anniversary, 10 Million Copies Sold Worldwide|first=Hermen|last=Hulst|date=28 February 2019|website=PlayStation Blog|archive-date=1 March 2019|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190301034206/https://blog.us.playstation.com/2019/02/28/horizon-zero-dawn-celebrates-second-anniversary-10-million-copies-sold-worldwide/|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}} In March 2020, Hermen Hulst confirmed in an interview that Horizon Zero Dawn would receive a PC port. The PC version was released on 7 August 2020.{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/10/21173240/horizon-zero-dawn-pc-sony-playstation-ps4-exclusive-game-release|title=Sony confirms Horizon Zero Dawn is coming to PC|last=Chin|first=Monica|work=The Verge|date=March 10, 2020|access-date=June 15, 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/3/21312588/horizon-zero-dawn-pc-release-date-august-7-features-sony|title=Sony's PS4 hit Horizon Zero Dawn is coming to PC on August 7th|last=Welch|first=Chris|work=The Verge|date=July 3, 2020|access-date=July 3, 2020}}
The next game in development, Horizon Forbidden West, was first revealed at the 2020 PS5 Future of Gaming event on 11 June 2020.{{cite web|last=Sarkar|first=Samit|date=11 June 2020|title=Horizon Forbidden West announced for PS5|url=https://www.polygon.com/2020/6/11/21284436/horizon-forbidden-west-ps5-playstation-5-trailer|access-date=11 June 2020|website=Polygon|publisher=Vox Media}} It is a sequel to Horizon Zero Dawn.{{cite web|url=https://www.androidcentral.com/horizon-forbidden-west-high-quality-screenshots|title=Some high-quality Horizon Forbidden West screenshots show underwater environments and more on PS5|last=Tolbert|first=Samuel|work=Android Central|date=June 12, 2020|access-date=June 14, 2020}}{{cite web|last=Dornbush|first=Jonathon|date=11 June 2020|title=Horizon 2: Forbidden West Announced for PS5|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/ps5-horizon-zero-dawn-2-sequel|access-date=11 June 2020|website=IGN|publisher=Ziff Davis}} The game released on 18 February 2022.{{cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/22641722/horizon-forbidden-west-release-date-delay-ps5-ps4|title=Horizon Forbidden West launching in February 2022|last=Sarkar|first=Samit|website=Polygon|date=August 25, 2021|access-date=August 25, 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.engadget.com/horizon-forbidden-west-sony-playstation-4-215249430.html|title='Horizon Forbidden West' is also coming to PS4|last=Bonifacic|first=Igor|work=Engadget|date=September 16, 2020|access-date=September 16, 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/21294561/horizon-forbidden-west-ps5-release-date-2021-guerrilla-games-details-playstation|title=Horizon Forbidden West aiming for a 2021 launch on PS5|last=Gartenberg|first=Chaim|work=The Verge|date=June 17, 2020|access-date=June 17, 2020}} In August 2020, Guerrilla Games moved into their new studio space.{{cite web|url=https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2020/08/random_guerrilla_games_moved_into_its_new_office_and_raised_a_flag_in_dramatic_fashion|title=Random: Guerrilla Games Moved into Its New Office, And Raised a Flag in Dramatic Fashion|last=Barker|first=Sammy|work=Pushsquare|date=August 6, 2020|access-date=August 7, 2020}} On 4 January 2022, Guerilla and Firesprite revealed that a new Horizon game is in the works for PlayStation VR2 titled Horizon Call of the Mountain. In December 2022, Sony announced that an expansion for Horizon Forbidden West named Burning Shores will be releasing on 19 April 2023 on the PlayStation 5.{{cite web |url=https://www.gematsu.com/2022/12/horizon-forbidden-west-dlc-burning-shores-announced-for-ps5 |title=Horizon Forbidden West DLC 'Burning Shores' announced for PS5 |date=8 December 2022 |access-date=8 December 2022}}
In April 2023, Guerrilla Games announced multiple changes to its studio management. Co-studio head Angie Smets left the studio to become the new Head of Development Strategy at PlayStation Studios, with co-studio head Michiel van der Leeuw changing roles in which he would focus on the continuing development of the Decima engine. As part of these changes, Joel Eschler and Hella Schmidt joined Jan-Bart van Beek as the studio's new studio directors.{{cite web |url=https://www.guerrilla-games.com/read/message-from-guerrilla-studio-management |title=A message from Guerrilla studio management |date=24 April 2023 |access-date=24 April 2023}}
Technology
{{Main|Decima (game engine)}}
Guerrilla uses a proprietary game engine now known as Decima.{{cite web |last=Maessen |first=Len Mariken |date=21 January 2019 |title=Why Guerrilla Games stubbornly built its amazing game engine from scratch |url=https://thenextweb.com/adobe-fundamentals/2019/01/21/decima-game-engine-guerrilla-games/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190702150658/https://thenextweb.com/adobe-fundamentals/2019/01/21/decima-game-engine-guerrilla-games/ |archive-date=2 July 2019 |access-date=29 September 2019 |website=The Next Web}} The Decima engine is also used by other developers, such as Kojima Productions who use it for the Death Stranding series. In April 2023, Guerrilla Games announced that the studio's technical director Michiel van der Leeuw would be focusing on the development of the engine.
Games developed
= As Lost Boys Games =
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |
| scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Platform(s) ! scope="col" | Publisher(s) ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{Refh}} |
|---|
| scope="row" | 2001
| rowspan="2" | Game Boy Color | rowspan="4" align="center" | {{Cite web |last=Ali Almaci |first=Hasan |date=9 May 2011 |title=Studio Profile: Guerrilla Games |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/studio-profile-guerrilla-games |access-date=9 March 2025 |website=Game Developer}} |
| rowspan="3" scope="row" | 2002 |
| Black Belt Challenge
| rowspan="2" | Game Boy Advance | rowspan="2" | Xicat Interactive |
| Invader |
= As Guerrilla Games =
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://www.guerrilla-games.com/}}
{{Guerrilla Games}}
{{PlayStation Studios}}
Category:Dutch companies established in 2000
Category:Companies based in Amsterdam
Category:First-party video game developers
Category:2003 mergers and acquisitions
Category:2005 mergers and acquisitions
Category:Video game companies established in 2000