Interactive Television Entertainment

The company was founded by Ivan Sølvason in 1988.{{cite magazine|last=Sparrevohn|first=Christian|url=https://archive.org/details/COMputerDet_Nye1992Nr1129Oktober25November/page/n21|title=Kong Hugo af Europa|magazine=Det Nye COMputer|issue=11|publisher=Audio Media|date=November 1992|pages=22|access-date=30 June 2024}}{{cite web|url=http://uk.ign.com/companies/ite-interactive-television-entertainment |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130803115235/http://uk.ign.com/companies/ite-interactive-television-entertainment |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 3, 2013 |title=ITE - Interactive Television Entertainment Games - IGN |website=Uk.ign.com |date= |accessdate=2013-08-03}} It was renamed as Interactive Television Entertainment in 1992, following the launch of the first Hugo TV show in 1990,{{in lang|de}} [http://www.hugo-troll.de/infos/historie/firma/index.html Firma Historie] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131113131031/http://www.hugo-troll.de/infos/historie/firma/index.html |date=2013-11-13}}, Hugo-Troll.de which was created together with Niels Krogh Mortensen.{{cite web|author=Jacob Andersen |url=https://www.computerworld.dk/art/150758/hugos-far-bortadopterer-tv-trolden |title=Hugos far bortadopterer tv-trolden - Computerworld |website=Computerworld.dk |date= 16 July 2002|accessdate=2013-08-03|language=da}} Following the success of Hugo, the originally small company would grow to 19 permanent employees and about 50 contracted freelancers by 1994.{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/stream/Datormagazin1994/Datormagazin_1994_nr09#page/n15/mode/2up|last=Datormagazin 9/94|title=Datormagazin 1994 |date=24 May 1994|publisher=|via=Internet Archive}} ITE Media game development and publishing company was founded for the development of Hugo video game series in 1998.

Besides its successful Hugo shows and game adaptations, the company's television products included the motion capture system Animation Mask System (AMS) developed in 1993 and the programs Crazy Cartoon Soccer (1995), Throut and Neck (1997), The Interactive Cartoon Show (1998), Stinky & Bäver (Stinky & Stomper), Sporty, and Tush Tush.{{cite web|title=Engaging Entertainment from ITE|url=http://www.ite.dk/newsletters/HugoBrandbrochure.pdf|publisher=ITE.dk|access-date=19 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030315015228/http://www.ite.dk/newsletters/HugoBrandbrochure.pdf|archive-date=15 March 2003}}{{cite web|url=http://www.itvdictionary.com/interactive_television_entertainment.html |title=Interactive Television Entertainment - The Interactive Cartoon Show - Crazy Cartoon Soccer - Hugo Safari - Throut and Neck |website=Itvdictionary.com |date= |accessdate=2013-08-03}} ITE opened overseas offices in Los Angeles in 1997, in Tokyo in 1998, and in London in 1999.{{cite web|url=http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/ite-opens-london-office-to-boost-its-format-sales/1214121.article |title=ITE opens London office to boost its format sales | News | Broadcast |website=Broadcastnow.co.uk |date=1999-05-07 |accessdate=2013-08-03}} By 2005, ITE was regarded as one of Denmark's five largest video game developers.{{cite web|url=http://www.cbs.dk/files/cbs.dk/the_danish_computer_game_industry_cfp_0.pdf|title=The Danish Computer Game Industry Annual Mapping 2005: Copenhagen Business School|date=May 2005|website=Cbs.dk|accessdate=19 May 2019}} In 2000, ITE had net sales of DKK 66 million. The company released over 190 video games,{{cite web|title=Product Presentation|url=http://www.ite.dk/newsletters/Produktoversigten.pdf|publisher=ITE.dk|access-date=19 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030315005521/http://www.ite.dk/newsletters/Produktoversigten.pdf|archive-date=15 March 2003}} selling more than six million copies.{{cite web|title=ITE proudly presents... Hugo - the international, interactive TV Star!|url=http://www.ite.dk/newsletters/HugoFormatbrochure-indhold.pdf|publisher=ITE.dk|access-date=19 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040831072546/http://www.ite.dk/newsletters/HugoFormatbrochure-indhold.pdf|archive-date=31 August 2004}}

In 2002, Sølvason was forced to sell all of ITE to the venture capital company Olicom A/S for only DKK 5 million,{{in lang|da}} [http://www.erhvervsbladet.dk/virksomheder/hugos-far-er-umulig-slaa-ud Hugos far er umulig at slå ud], Erhvervsbladet.dk, 5 September 2007.{{in lang|da}} Reuters, [http://www.euroinvestor.com/news/2002/08/28/olicom-tredoblede-tab-efter-nedskrivning-paa-portefoelje/8813584 Olicom tredoblede tab efter nedskrivning på portefølje], Euroinvestor.com, 28/08/2002. having lost an earlier offer of DKK 80 million in 2000 due to a 10-minute fax delay by advising company Arthur Andersen's corporate finance division;{{in lang|da}} [http://finans-dyn.tv2.dk/nyheder/article.php/id-40763256:hugos-far-s%C3%A6lger-millionvillaen.html Hugo's far sælger millionvillaen], TV 2 Finans, 4-06-11.{{in lang|da}} [http://www.dailyrush.dk/stories/5344/ Forsinket fax kostede Hugo-skaber dyrt], Daily Rush, 11 December 2001. Olicom had already owned 50% shares in ITE since 2001 (acquired for DKK10 million).{{cite press release|url=http://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2001/06/11/281414/17717/en/Olicom-Acquires-Interest-in-Interactive-Television-Entertainment-ApS.html |title=Olicom Acquires Interest in Interactive Television Entertainment ApS Pink Sheets:OLCMF |website=Globenewswire.com |date= 11 June 2001|accessdate=2013-08-03}} Olicom then invested $22 million into the company,{{in lang|da}} [https://archive.today/20130212163942/http://www.comon.dk/art/150758/hugos-far-bortadopterer-tv-trolden#selection-603.0-627.123 Hugos far bortadopterer tv-trolden], ComON, 16 July 2002. reduced the staff of ITE by a third to 60 employees and attempted to expand more into the U.S., UK, and Asian markets.{{in lang|da}} Søren Dietrichsen, [http://www.business.dk/evb-archive/tv-trolden-hugo-paa-nye-eventyr-i-usa Tv-trolden Hugo på nye eventyr i USA], Erhvervsbladet.dk, 4 September 2002 Olicom in turn sold ITE in 2006, by then staffed by only 35 employees.{{in lang|da}} Søren Dietrichsen, [http://www.erhvervsbladet.dk/virksomheder/tv-trold-overlever-turbulent-ejerskifte Tv-trold overlever turbulent ejerskifte], Erhvervsbladet.dk, 26 June 2006. ITE was purchased by NDS Group for an undisclosed sum and became NDS Denmark;{{cite web|url=http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=11083 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061019204505/http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=11083 |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 19, 2006 |title=Updates - News Corp. Acquire Danish Developer |website=Gamasutra.com |date=2006-10-02 |accessdate=2013-08-03}}[http://www.pressebox.com/pressreleases/nds-group-ltd/boxid/77488 NDS acquires Danish game design company ITE] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402125055/http://www.pressebox.com/pressreleases/nds-group-ltd/boxid/77488 |date=2012-04-02}}, PresseBox, 02.10.2006 NDS Denmark closed down in 2010,{{in lang|da}}, Reuters, [http://finans.tv2.dk/nyheder/article.php/id-35125723:stort-spilfirma-drejer-n%C3%B8glen-om-i-danmark.html Stort spilfirma drejer nøglen om i Danmark], TV 2 Finans, 19-11-10. but without rights to Hugo franchise, which was divested to Krea Medie A/S in 2008. ITE's last CEOs were Steen Lohse between January–August 2006, and Jesper Knutsson after him.

{{Reflist}}

• {{official website|https://web.archive.org/web/20130728125037*/http://www.ite.dk/}} (archived)

{{Hugo franchise}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Defunct film and television production companies of Denmark

Category:Mass media companies based in Copenhagen

Category:Mass media companies established in 1988

Category:Video game companies established in 1988

Category:Mass media companies disestablished in 2006

Category:Video game companies disestablished in 2006

Category:Defunct video game companies of Denmark