Hyperion Entertainment

Hyperion Entertainment was founded in April 1999 by Ben Hermans and Evert Carton to port PC games to the Amiga.{{cite news |url=http://www.amiga-news.de/de/news/AN-1999-07-00329-DE.html|title=Hyperion portiert Team17's Kult-Spiel "Worms: Armageddon"|publisher=Amiga-News.de|language=de|orig-year=31 July 1999|date= 28 July 2011|access-date=3 June 2018}} Hans-Joerg Frieden, who had previously worked on the Warp3D library and ports of the games Descent and Abuse, was contracted to be Hyperion's main developer.{{cite web|url=http://klub.amiga.si/interviews.php?id=4&lang=en |title=Interviews - Hans-Joerg Frieden |work=Digital Amiga Dream |access-date=6 June 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110819122052/http://klub.amiga.si/interviews.php?id=4&lang=en |archive-date=19 August 2011 }} The company's first project was an Amiga port of Heretic II, released in 2000 to commercial failure.{{cite news |url=http://www.amiga-news.de/de/news/AN-2000-06-00245-DE.html|title=playamiga.de: Heretic II Review|publisher=Amiga-News.de|language=de|date=25 June 2000|access-date=3 June 2018}} As a result, Hyperion expanded its scope to also include ports for Linux and Mac OS. Later that year, Hyperion ported SiN for Linux, postponing and ultimately cancelling a port of the game to the Amiga due to hardware requirements.{{cite news |url=https://www.amiga-news.de/de/news/AN-2001-05-00132-DE.html|title=Amiga-Port von SiN fertig, aber.....|publisher=Amiga-News.de|language=de|date=12 May 2001|access-date=3 June 2018}} An improved version of Heretic II was released for AmigaOS 4 in early 2024.{{cite press release |author=|title=Alinea Computer will take over distribution of the next two Hyperion games |url=http://www.amiga-news.de/en/news/AN-2024-03-00077-EN.html|location=|publisher=Alinea Computer |agency=amiga-news.de |date=2024-03-18 |access-date=2024-04-17}}

They also approached Monolith Productions to port their Lithtech engine, culminating in their port of Shogo: Mobile Armor Division for Amiga, Linux, and Mac OS in 2001.{{cite web|url=http://www.linuxgames.com/archives/1710 |title=Lithtech 3D Linux Port |publisher=LinuxGames |access-date=6 June 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120319211901/http://www.linuxgames.com/archives/1710 |archive-date=19 March 2012 |df=dmy-all }}{{cite web|url=http://games.slashdot.org/story/00/01/20/1019232/Monolith-Adds-Games-For-Linux|title=Monolith Adds Games For Linux |date=20 January 2000 |publisher=Slashdot|access-date=6 June 2011}} The game had not sold as well as had been hoped, most notably on Linux, despite becoming a best seller on Tux Games. Hyperion stated that Linux users were likely to dual boot with Windows to play easily available games rather than purchase more expensive specialised versions years after release.{{cite web|url=http://www.shogo.thehaus.net/interviews/interview_hermans.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071018161155/http://shogo.thehaus.net/interviews/interview_hermans.shtml |title=A.T. Hun's Haus of Shogo: Interview with Hyperion's Ben Hermans |archive-date=18 October 2007 |work=thehaus.net |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }} In early 2002, Hyperion introduced the Amiga port of Descent: FreeSpace – The Great War.{{cite news |url=https://www.amiga-news.de/de/news/AN-2002-01-00067-DE.html|title=H&P: Freespace: Endlich lieferbar|publisher=Amiga-News.de|language=de|date=7 January 2002|access-date=3 June 2018}} An improved version for AmigaOS 4 followed in 2010.{{cite web|url=http://www.amiga-ng.org/article.php?sid=508|title=Freespace updated to AmigaOS 4.1 - Amiga-NG|access-date=6 June 2011}} After id Software released its source code,{{cite news |url=https://www.amiga-news.de/de/news/AN-2001-12-00192-DE.html|title=Quellcode von Quake2 veröffentlicht (Update)|publisher=Amiga-News.de|language=de|date=24 December 2001|access-date=3 June 2018}} Hyperion marketed later in 2002 a commercial Amiga port of Quake II.{{cite news |url=https://www.amiga-news.de/de/news/AN-2002-11-00055-DE.html|title=Quake2 Amiga-Port erhältlich|publisher=Amiga-News.de|language=de|date=7 November 2002|access-date=3 June 2018}} A Linux port of Gorky 17 was developed by Hyperion and published by Linux Game Publishing in 2006,{{cite news|last=Larabel|first=Michael |url=https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=MTQwOQ |title=Gorky 17 Goes Gold |publisher=Phoronix.com |date=7 June 2006|access-date=3 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070311005225/https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=MTQwOQ |archive-date=11 March 2007 }} while a version for AmigaOS 4 was released nearly a decade later in 2015.{{cite news |url=http://www.amiga-news.de/en/news/AN-2015-10-00011-EN.html|title=AmigaOS 4: Gorky 17 released|publisher=Amiga-News.de|date=4 October 2015|access-date=3 June 2018}}

During work on the Heretic II port, Hyperion Entertainment developers created an OpenGL subset called MiniGL, which sits on top of Warp3D to ease the porting of 3D games.{{cite magazine|first=Ben|last=Vost|date=December 1999 |title=Previews, Heretic II|magazine=Amiga Format |publisher=Future Publishing|issn=0957-4867|issue=130|pages=28–29}} The MiniGL library was released for free to other software developers.{{cite news |url=http://www.amiga-news.de/de/news/AN-2000-04-00141-DE.html|title=Hyperion: Neue MiniGL Library fertig|publisher=Amiga-News.de|language=de|date=16 April 2000|access-date=3 June 2018}}

In 2001, Hyperion announced that, after licensing the rights from Amiga, Inc., it would be working on the successor to AmigaOS 3.9 and concentrating its efforts on the development of AmigaOS 4. Hyperion still claimed that it is based upon AmigaOS 3.1 source code and, to a lesser extent certain, AmigaOS 3.9 sources. A quick port of 68k AmigaOS to PowerPC was originally planned, with new features added as development continued. Ben Hermans, writing on Amiga forum Ann.lu, claimed that these sources, along with the source of the PPC kernel WarpOS would be sufficient to provide a version to users within a year, making his now-infamous "change some flags and recompile" comment.{{Citation needed|date=June 2016}}

AmigaOS 4.0 was first released to end-users and second-level beta testers in April 2004, with AmigaOS 4.1 following in September 2008. It is currently still in development.{{cite web|url=http://www.amigaos.net/content/10/history-amigaos|title=Hyperion AmigaOS 4 development timeline|date=28 May 2011 }}{{Needs update|date=March 2024}}

In 2004, Hyperion attempted to obtain a licence for an AmigaOS 4 native port of the file manager Directory Opus, which had originally and been developed on the Amiga but for which development had since moved to the Microsoft Windows platform. Talks between Hyperion and GP Software broke down.{{cite web|url=http://system-log.com/?p=1363|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110306143658/http://system-log.com/?p=1363|url-status=dead|archive-date=2011-03-06|title=Greg Perry of GP Software on Directory Opus for AmigaOS 4}}

The first managing partner of Hyperion, Benjamin Hermans, in the period between the announcement and release of AmigaOS 4, ignited a community controversy by repeatedly claiming that MorphOS, an AmigaOS-like competitor (which had been released in complete form in 2003), was illegal and had on several occasions threatened to take legal action against it either on the grounds that it was parasitic competition to AmigaOS 4,{{cite web|url=http://www.biclodon.com/misc/amigafarm/benhermans/20020415_letsfindout.html|title=Ben Hermans on ANN.lu, challenged on suing MorphOS. Let's find out.}} or even that it was actually based on stolen AmigaOS source code.{{cite web|url=http://www.biclodon.com/misc/amigafarm/benhermans/20011104_usingos31sourcecode.html|title=Ben Hermans, ANN.lu. "MorphOS people are using OS3.1 source codes, it's a known fact."}} No evidence to support either claim ever became public, nor did any legal action against MorphOS take place; neither prevented such views being repeated in public Amiga forums and mailing lists. This situation was inflamed by ex-Commodore engineer Dave Haynie, who backed up Herman's claims: "If you have seen the Amiga source code, you cannot produce a legally separate work-alike",{{cite web|url=http://newsgroups.derkeiler.com/Archive/Comp/comp.sys.amiga.morphos/2011-04/msg00000.html|title=Haynie: MorphOS code is stolen|access-date=1 April 2012|archive-date=25 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170425043657/http://newsgroups.derkeiler.com/Archive/Comp/comp.sys.amiga.morphos/2011-04/msg00000.html|url-status=dead}} though again without any direct evidence.

Hermans claimed that Bill Buck, who led the Genesi company funding MorphOS, was a "con-artist".{{cite web|url=https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0BxlY9g_OfLqDMThlY2FmMzUtMjE5My00NjdiLWIxN2MtZDQyNTUzZTJlNTI3&hl=en|title=Ben Hermans claiming "Bill Buck is the con-artist"|access-date=3 September 2010}}

Evert Carton took over the managing partner position after Hermans stepped down in 2003, due to a lack of time for daily administrative work.{{cite web |url=http://www.amiga-news.de/de/news/AN-2003-11-00080-EN.html|title=Hyperion: Evert Carton now sole Managing Partner|publisher=Amiga-News.de|date=14 November 2003|access-date=10 August 2018}} Timothy de Groote became another partner in 2003.{{cite web |url=http://obligement.free.fr/articles/actuenbref03042011.php|title=Actualité de mars/avril 2011, Départ d'Evert Carton de Hyperion|publisher=Obligement|language=fr|date=April 2011|access-date=10 August 2018}}

{{see also|History of the AmigaOS 4 dispute}}

In 2007, Hyperion was sued by Amiga Incorporated for trademark infringement in the Washington Western District Court in Seattle, Washington.{{cite web|url=http://dockets.justia.com/docket/court-wawdce/case_no-2:2007cv00631/case_id-143245/ |title=Amiga Inc v. Hyperion VOF :: Justia Dockets & Filings |publisher=Dockets.justia.com |access-date=16 September 2013}}{{cite web |url=https://www.amiga-news.de/de/news/AN-2007-04-00110-DE.html|title=Amiga Inc.: "Lizenzabkommen beendet" / Klage gegen Hyperion (Update 3)|publisher=Amiga-News.de|language=de|date=30 April 2007|access-date=10 August 2018}} Amiga, Inc. sued Hyperion for breach of contract, trademark violation and copyright infringement concerning the development and marketing of AmigaOS 4, stating that Hyperion had continued to develop and market AmigaOS 4 without paying agreed royalties and had continued to do so even after being warned to cease and desist.{{cite web |last=Proven |first=Liam |date=3 May 2007 |title=The trials of the Amiga continue |url=https://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1035139/the-trials-amiga-continue |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611073247/http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1035139/the-trials-amiga-continue |url-status=unfit |archive-date=11 June 2011 |publisher=The Inquirer |access-date=10 August 2018 }}

Hyperion launched a counteraction, claiming fraud in Amiga, Inc. handling of Amiga intellectual properties and debts, including the use of debt-holding shell companies, by shifting responsibility between these shell companies. They also claimed that Amiga, Inc. had failed to uphold their part of the contract and had been untruthful in correspondence{{Citation needed|reason=Text probably c/p from court documents.Mybe better to remove and start anew.|date=August 2018}} and that they had failed to deliver the AmigaOS 3.1 source that AmigaOS 4 was developed from, forcing Hyperion to find it elsewhere.{{Cite web |url=http://www.hyperion-entertainment.biz:8080/news/2007-05-01 |title=Hyperion's official statement |access-date=23 June 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070703081542/http://www.hyperion-entertainment.biz:8080/news/2007-05-01 |archive-date=3 July 2007 |url-status=dead }} In autumn 2007, Hyperion released a standalone version of AmigaOS 4 for classic Amiga,{{cite web |last=Zivadinovic |first=Dusan |date=26 November 2007 |title=AmigaOS 4.0 für klassische Amigas mit PPC-Erweiterungen |url=https://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/AmigaOS-4-0-fuer-klassische-Amigas-mit-PPC-Erweiterungen-199445.html |publisher=heise.de |language=de|access-date=10 August 2018 }} an action Amiga, Inc. claimed was illegal.

On 29 May 2007, the new managing partner stated under oath – without further evidence – that the open-source AmigaOS reimplementation of AROS was "probably illegal", as documented on page 27 of court documents related to the Amiga-Hyperion court case.{{Cite web |url=http://merlancia.us/amiga-hyperion/35-5decmcewenexhibit5show_case_doc.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=24 June 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110821193852/http://merlancia.us/amiga-hyperion/35-5decmcewenexhibit5show_case_doc.pdf |archive-date=21 August 2011 |url-status=dead }}

Hyperion and Amiga, Inc. reached a settlement on 30 September 2009. Hyperion was granted an exclusive license to develop and market AmigaOS 4 and subsequent versions under the name AmigaOS.{{cite web|url=http://www.osnews.com/story/22360/Hyperion_Amiga_Inc_Reach_Settlement_All_Legal_Issues_Resolved|title=Hyperion, Amiga, Inc. settlement.|publisher=OSNews|date=17 October 2009|access-date=18 October 2009 }}{{cite magazine |date=January 2010 |title=Das Ende ist gekommen!|language=de|magazine=Amiga Future |publisher=APC&TCP|issue=82|pages=25}} However, the "Amiga" trademark remained with Amiga, Inc. and was then also licensed to other parties, including Commodore USA and iContain. This meant that "Amiga"-branded hardware could and would be sold without AmigaOS 4.[http://www.commodoreusa.net/CUSA_Amiga1000.aspx] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306071809/http://www.commodoreusa.net/CUSA_Amiga1000.aspx|date=6 March 2012}}

In 2009, Hyperion changed its legal status from a business partnership (VOF) to a company with limited liability (CVBA).{{cite web |url=http://obligement.free.fr/articles/actuenbref09102009.php|title=Actualité de septembre/octobre 2009, Accord Amiga Inc./Hyperion|publisher=Obligement|date=October 2009|access-date=11 August 2018}}

On 24 April 2011, Evert Carton announced he was stepping down as the managing partner of Hyperion.{{cite web|url=http://www.amigaworld.net/modules/news/article.php?storyid=5904|title=Announcement : Goodbye To All|publisher=amigaworld.net|date=24 April 2011|access-date=24 April 2011 }} In charge of the company were then Ben Hermans and Timothy de Groote.

On 27 January 2015, Hyperion Entertainment was declared insolvent.{{cite news |url=https://www.amiga-news.de/de/news/AN-2015-02-00018-EN.html|title=Hyperion declared bankrupt |publisher=Amiga-News.de|date=13 February 2015|access-date=3 June 2018}} Ben Hermans has claimed that this was an administrative mistake by a third party and that the company would appeal the insolvency decision.{{cite web|url=http://amigaworld.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic_id=39913&forum=14&start=40&viewmode=flat&order=0#751549|title=Amigaworld.net - The Amiga Computer Community Portal Website|author=David Doyle|work=amigaworld.net}} The declaration was overturned on 2 April 2015{{cite news |url=https://www.amiga-news.de/de/news/AN-2015-04-00006-DE.html|title=Hyperion: Erklärung der Zahlungsunfähigkeit offenbar aufgehoben|publisher=Amiga-News.de|language=de|date=3 April 2015|access-date=3 June 2018}} and the company posted a clarification on its website.{{cite web|url=http://www.hyperion-entertainment.biz/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=160:clarification-of-current-situation&catid=38:corporate&Itemid=18|title=Clarification of Current Situation|publisher=Hyperion Entertainment|date=12 April 2015|access-date=25 April 2015}}

AmigaOS 4 developer and Aminet administrator Costel Mincea joined Hyperion in mid-2015 as a third director.{{cite web |url=http://www.amiga-news.de/en/news/AN-2015-07-00020-EN.html|title=Hyperion: Costel Mincea becomes third director|publisher=Amiga-News.de|date=9 July 2015|access-date=23 January 2017}} Hyperion reported in January 2017 that Hermans has resigned as a director, in charge of the company remained Timothy De Groote and Costel Mincea.{{Cite web|url=http://www.hyperion-entertainment.com/index.php/news/38-corporate/178-hyperion-management-restructuring|title=Hyperion Management Restructuring|publisher=Hyperion-entertainment.com |date=23 January 2017 |access-date=23 January 2017}} In October 2017, Hyperion was removed from Belgium's official company register due to not filling out annual reports for the last three years.{{cite web |url=http://www.amiga-news.de/en/news/AN-2018-03-00028-EN.html|title=Hyperion forcibly deleted from Belgium's company register|publisher=Amiga-News.de|date=15 March 2018|access-date=1 June 2018}} Hyperion supplied the reports to the National Bank of Belgium.{{cite web |url=http://amiga-news.de/en/news/AN-2018-08-00011-EN.html|title=Hyperion added back to Belgium's company register|publisher=Amiga-News.de|date=8 August 2018|access-date=9 August 2018}} In July 2020, amiga-news.de reported that Costel Mincea resigned from his post at Hyperion and that remaining director Timothy de Groote was in a legal dispute with former Hyperion's managing partner Ben Hermans.{{cite web |url=http://www.amiga-news.de/en/news/AN-2020-07-00031-EN.html|title=Changes in Hyperion's Management|publisher=Amiga-News.de|date=15 July 2020|access-date=15 July 2020}} In February 2021, Timothy de Groote was no longer director of Hyperion and Ben Hermans assumed full control of the company.{{cite web |url=http://www.amiga-news.de/en/news/AN-2021-02-00055-EN.html|title=Timothy de Groote no longer a director at Hyperion|publisher=Amiga-News.de|date=27 February 2021|access-date=28 February 2021}} After bancruptcy of Ben Hermans BV which was the largest shareholder of Hyperion Entertainment, Timothy De Groote returned as a director in December 2024.{{Cite press release|url=https://www.hyperion-entertainment.com/index.php/news/38-corporate/318|title=New Ownership of Hyperion Entertainment CVBA – New Director Appointed|publisher=Hyperion Entertainment CVBA |location=Brussels, Belgium|date=21 January 2025 |access-date=24 January 2025}}

Hyperion's game ports include Heretic II, Shogo: Mobile Armor Division, Gorky 17, Quake II, SiN and Descent: FreeSpace – The Great War. Hyperion also announced that it acquired the license to port Worms Armageddon{{cite magazine |last=Frederick |first=Jake |date=September 1999 |title=Games News And Previews, Worms:Armageddon |magazine=Amazing Computing/Amiga |publisher=PiM Publications|issn=1053-4547|volume=14|number=9|pages=28}} and Soldier of Fortune,{{cite news |url=https://www.amiga-news.de/de/news/AN-2000-06-00099-DE.html|title=Earth2140 und Soldier of Fortune|publisher=Amiga-News.de|language=de|date=13 June 2000|access-date=3 June 2018}} but these were not released.

{{Reflist|2}}

• {{official website|http://www.hyperion-entertainment.com}}
• [http://blog.hyperion-entertainment.com Company Blog]
• {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110819122052/http://klub.amiga.si/interviews.php?id=4&lang=en |date=19 August 2011 |title=2000 interview with Hyperion's Hans-Joerg Frieden }}
• {{cite web|url=http://shogo.thehaus.net/interviews/interview_hermans.shtml |title=2001 interview with Hyperion's Ben Hermans |access-date=10 October 2008 |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081010182204/http://shogo.thehaus.net/interviews/interview_hermans.shtml |archive-date=10 October 2008 }}
• {{cite web|url=http://shogo.thehaus.net/interviews/interview_frieden.shtml |title=2000 interview with Hyperion's Thomas Frieden |access-date=10 October 2008 |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081010183405/http://shogo.thehaus.net/interviews/interview_frieden.shtml |archive-date=10 October 2008 }}

{{Amiga companies}}

{{AmigaOS 4}}

{{AmigaOS}}

{{Amiga magazines}}

{{Amiga people}}

{{Hyperion Entertainment}}

{{Descent and FreeSpace series}}

Category:Amiga companies

Category:AmigaOS 4

Category:Companies based in Brussels

Category:Linux game porters

Category:Privately held companies of Belgium

Category:Video game companies of Belgium

Category:Video game development companies

Category:Video game companies established in 1999

Category:Belgian companies established in 1999