Radiant Entertainment
{{Short description|American video game developer}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2018}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Radiant Entertainment, Inc.
| logo = Logo Radiant Entertainment.png
| type = Subsidiary
| industry = Video games
| founded = {{Start date and age|2011}}
| founders = {{Unbulleted list|Tom Cannon|Tony Cannon}}
| hq_location_city = Los Altos, California
| hq_location_country = US
| key_people = {{Unbulleted list|Tom Cannon|(president, CEO)|Tony Cannon|(CTO)}}
| products = {{Unbulleted list|Rising Thunder|Stonehearth}}
| parent = Riot Games (2016–present)
}}
Radiant Entertainment, Inc. was an American video game developer based in Los Altos, California. Founded by twin brothers Tom and Tony Cannon in 2011, the company has developed Stonehearth, a city-building game, which was released in July 2018 after three years in early access. Radiant was acquired by Riot Games in March 2016 and Radiant's second game, Rising Thunder, was canceled during its alpha phase. The game was later replaced by a freeware "community edition" in January 2018.
History
Radiant Entertainment was founded by twin brothers Tom and Tony Cannon. They had previously launched the Evolution Championship Series (Evo), an esports tournament for fighting games, and developed GGPO, a fighting game middleware platform. They were most recently employed as software engineers for VMware but quit their jobs in 2011 to develop video games full-time, founding Radiant in Los Altos, California.{{cite web |url=https://kotaku.com/they-changed-fighting-games-forever-now-theyre-making-486133988 |title=They Changed Fighting Games, Now They're Making Something New |first=Evan |last=Narcisse |date=April 30, 2013 |website=Kotaku |access-date=July 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180707201548/https://kotaku.com/they-changed-fighting-games-forever-now-theyre-making-486133988 |archive-date=July 7, 2018 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/247082/Stonehearth_studio_nets_45M_to_keep_making_PC_games.php |title=Stonehearth studio nets $4.5M to keep making PC games |first=Alex |last=Wawro |date=June 25, 2015 |website=Gamasutra |access-date=July 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180707172611/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/247082/Stonehearth_studio_nets_45M_to_keep_making_PC_games.php |archive-date=July 7, 2018 |url-status=dead}}{{cite web |url=https://www.vg247.com/2013/04/30/evo-founders-kickstart-first-game-stonehearth/ |title=EVO founders Kickstart first game, Stonehearth |first=Brenna |last=Hillier |date=April 30, 2013 |website=VG247 |access-date=July 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180707173648/https://www.vg247.com/2013/04/30/evo-founders-kickstart-first-game-stonehearth/ |archive-date=July 7, 2018 |url-status=live}} The studio launched a crowdfunding campaign via Kickstarter for Stonehearth, a city-building game, in 2013, initially seeking {{US$|120,000|link=yes}}. The funding concluded one month later with a total of {{US$|751,920|long=no}} pledged by backers.{{cite web |url=https://www.destructoid.com/evo-founders-launch-kickstarter-for-new-game-stonehearth-252703.phtml |title=Evo founders launch Kickstarter for new game Stonehearth |first=Jordan |last=Devore |date=April 29, 2013 |website=Destructoid |access-date=July 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160507141432/http://www.destructoid.com/evo-founders-launch-kickstarter-for-new-game-stonehearth-252703.phtml |archive-date=May 7, 2016 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/stonehearth-kickstarter-gets-successfully-funded-and-then-some/ |title=Stonehearth Kickstarter gets successfully funded, and then some |first=Perry |last=Vandell |date=June 3, 2013 |website=PC Gamer |access-date=July 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180707172906/https://www.pcgamer.com/stonehearth-kickstarter-gets-successfully-funded-and-then-some/ |archive-date=July 7, 2018 |url-status=live}} Stonehearth was made available in early access in June 2015 and released in July 2018, although many development goals from the Kickstarter campaign were left unfulfilled.{{cite web |url=https://www.destructoid.com/stonehearth-is-out-now-on-steam-early-access-293233.phtml |title=Stonehearth is out now on Steam Early Access |first=Alessandro |last=Fillari |date=June 6, 2015 |website=Destructoid |access-date=July 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160521160430/http://www.destructoid.com/stonehearth-is-out-now-on-steam-early-access-293233.phtml |archive-date=May 21, 2016 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/stonehearths-development-will-end-this-month-without-meeting-all-its-kickstarter-goals/ |title=Stonehearth's development will end this month, without meeting all its Kickstarter stretch goals |first=Austin |last=Wood |date=July 6, 2018 |website=PC Gamer |access-date=July 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180707160348/https://www.pcgamer.com/stonehearths-development-will-end-this-month-without-meeting-all-its-kickstarter-goals/ |archive-date=July 7, 2018 |url-status=live}} In a June 2015 round of seed funding, Radiant raised {{US$|4.5 million|long=no}} from investors Andreessen Horowitz, London Venture Partners, and General Catalyst.{{cite web |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2015-06-25-radiant-entertainment-raises-USD4-5m-in-seed-funding |title=Radiant Entertainment raises $4.5m in seed funding |first=Rachel |last=Weber |date=June 25, 2015 |website=GamesIndustry.biz |access-date=July 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180707173202/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2015-06-25-radiant-entertainment-raises-USD4-5m-in-seed-funding |archive-date=July 7, 2018 |url-status=live}}
Radiant's second game, Rising Thunder, was announced in July 2015.{{cite web |url=https://www.polygon.com/2015/7/20/8996977/rising-thunder-new-fighting-game-seth-killian |title=Rising Thunder is a new fighting game from Seth Killian |first=Matt |last=Leone |date=July 20, 2015 |website=Polygon |access-date=July 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180707201559/https://www.polygon.com/2015/7/20/8996977/rising-thunder-new-fighting-game-seth-killian |archive-date=July 7, 2018 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/rising-thunder/rising-thunder-is-a-f2p-fighting-game-for-pc-from-the-founders-of-evo |title=Rising Thunder is a F2P fighting game for PC from the founders of EVO |first=Fraser |last=Brown |date=July 21, 2015 |website=PCGamesN |access-date=July 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180707201529/https://www.pcgamesn.com/rising-thunder/rising-thunder-is-a-f2p-fighting-game-for-pc-from-the-founders-of-evo |archive-date=July 7, 2018 |url-status=live}} It was a fighting game created by Seth Killian, who had joined the studio after departing Santa Monica Studio.{{cite web |url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/248996/Seth_Killian_joins_Radiant_to_pitch_in_on_new_F2P_fighting_game.php |title=Seth Killian joins Radiant to pitch in on new F2P fighting game |first=Alex |last=Wawro |date=July 20, 2015 |website=Gamasutra |access-date=July 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180707172548/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/248996/Seth_Killian_joins_Radiant_to_pitch_in_on_new_F2P_fighting_game.php |archive-date=July 7, 2018 |url-status=dead}} A "technical alpha" was opened to a handful of players at the end of the month and to the general public in August.{{cite web |url=https://www.usgamer.net/articles/rising-thunder-technical-alpha-opens |title=Rising Thunder Technical Alpha Opens |first=Jaz |last=Rignall |date=July 31, 2015 |website=USgamer |access-date=July 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180707201536/https://www.usgamer.net/articles/rising-thunder-technical-alpha-opens |archive-date=July 7, 2018 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=https://www.polygon.com/2015/8/10/9128633/rising-thunder-alpha |title=Fighting game Rising Thunder's alpha is now open to all |first=Michael |last=McWhertor |date=August 10, 2015 |website=Polygon |access-date=July 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180707201429/https://www.polygon.com/2015/8/10/9128633/rising-thunder-alpha |archive-date=July 7, 2018 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/the-rising-thunder-technical-alpha-is-now-open-to-all/ |title=The Rising Thunder technical alpha is now open to all |first=Tyler |last=Wilde |date=August 10, 2015 |website=PC Gamer |access-date=July 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180707172757/https://www.pcgamer.com/the-rising-thunder-technical-alpha-is-now-open-to-all/ |archive-date=July 7, 2018 |url-status=live}} On March 8, 2016, Radiant announced that it had been acquired by Riot Games, the developer of League of Legends, for an undisclosed sum.{{cite web |url=https://www.polygon.com/2016/3/8/11181204/riot-games-acquires-radiant-entertainment |title=Riot Games acquires Rising Thunder and Stonehearth studio Radiant Entertainment |first=Michael |last=McWhertor |date=March 8, 2016 |website=Polygon |access-date=July 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180626030142/https://www.polygon.com/2016/3/8/11181204/riot-games-acquires-radiant-entertainment |archive-date=June 26, 2018 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2016-03-08-riot-acquires-radiant |title=Riot acquires Radiant |first=Brendan |last=Sinclair |date=March 8, 2016 |website=GamesIndustry.biz |access-date=July 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180707172655/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2016-03-08-riot-acquires-radiant |archive-date=July 7, 2018 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=https://www.usgamer.net/articles/league-of-legends-publisher-picks-up-stonehearthrising-thunder-studio |title=League of Legends Publisher Picks Up Stonehearth/Rising Thunder Studio |first=Mike |last=Williams |date=March 8, 2016 |website=USgamer |access-date=July 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180707173141/https://www.usgamer.net/articles/league-of-legends-publisher-picks-up-stonehearthrising-thunder-studio |archive-date=July 7, 2018 |url-status=live}} Alongside the acquisition, Rising Thunder was canceled and consequently shut down later that month.{{cite web |url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/267541/Acquired_by_Riot_Radiant_shuts_down_Rising_Thunder.php |title=Acquired by Riot, Radiant shuts down Rising Thunder |first=Alex |last=Wawro |date=March 8, 2016 |website=Gamasutra |access-date=July 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180707172310/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/267541/Acquired_by_Riot_Radiant_shuts_down_Rising_Thunder.php |archive-date=July 7, 2018 |url-status=dead}} The development team behind Rising Thunder was re-allocated to a new, unannounced project.{{cite web |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/riot-games-acquires-radiant-entertainment-rising-thunder-alpha-ends/ |title=Riot Games acquires Radiant Entertainment, Rising Thunder no more |first=Andy |last=Chalk |date=March 8, 2016 |website=PC Gamer |access-date=July 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180707172815/https://www.pcgamer.com/riot-games-acquires-radiant-entertainment-rising-thunder-alpha-ends/ |archive-date=July 7, 2018 |url-status=live}} A freeware version of Rising Thunder, dubbed the "community edition", was released in January 2018 with open-source servers.{{cite web |url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/rising-thunder/rising-thunder-free-open-source |title=The free, open source edition of cancelled fighter Rising Thunder is now available |first=Dustin |last=Bailey |date=January 18, 2018 |website=PCGamesN |access-date=July 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180707172825/https://www.pcgamesn.com/rising-thunder/rising-thunder-free-open-source |archive-date=July 7, 2018 |url-status=live}}
Games developed
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |
| scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Platform(s) |
|---|
| scope="row" | 2015
| Windows |
| scope="row" rowspan="2" | 2018
| Rising Thunder: Community Edition | Windows |
| Stonehearth
| macOS, Windows |