Spark Unlimited
{{Short description|American video game developer}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Spark Unlimited
| logo = Spark Unlimited logo.jpg
| caption =
| type = Privately held company
| foundation = March 2002
| defunct = May 2015
| location = Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
| key_people = Craig Allen
Avi Bachar
John Butrovich
David Prout
| industry = Video games
| products = Call of Duty: Finest Hour
Turning Point: Fall of Liberty
Legendary
| homepage = {{URL|sparkunlimited.com}}
}}
Spark Unlimited, based in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, was a video game developer founded by former developers from the Medal of Honor video game franchise. The studio's first game was Call of Duty: Finest Hour in 2004. Its last game was Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z in 2014. The company shut down in May 2015.{{cite web|url=http://au.ign.com/articles/2015/05/04/developer-spark-unlimited-closes-down-lays-off-staff|title=Developer Spark Unlimited Closes Down, Lays Off Staff|work=IGN|date=May 4, 2015|access-date=May 5, 2015|first=Cassidee|last=Moser}}
History
Spark Unlimited was established by a team of 28 developers who had previously worked on the Medal of Honor series. It signed with Activision to work on a Call of Duty game in December 2003.{{Cite web |last=Parker |first=Sam |date=December 1, 2003 |title=Activision enlists Spark Unlimited |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/activision-enlists-spark-unlimited/1100-6025267/ |access-date=February 10, 2024 |website=GameSpot |language=en-US}}
In 2005, Spark filed a lawsuit against Activision and accused the company of trying to "kill off" Spark.{{Cite web |last=Thorsen |first=Tor |date=August 31, 2005 |title=Activision accused of trying to "kill off" indie studio |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/activision-accused-of-trying-to-kill-off-indie-studio/1100-6132290/ |access-date=February 10, 2024 |website=GameSpot |language=en-US}} Activision counter-sued for fraud.{{Cite web |last=Thorsen |first=Tor |date=November 1, 2005 |title=Activison countersues Finest Hour developer |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/activison-countersues-finest-hour-developer/1100-6135204/ |access-date=February 10, 2024 |website=GameSpot |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Fleming |first=Jeffrey |date=February 22, 2007 |title=Call of Duty: The Lawsuit |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/-i-call-of-duty-i-the-lawsuit |access-date=February 10, 2024 |website=Gamedeveloper.com |language=en}}
In 2005, Spark announced a deal to develop several games for ad network Massive.{{Cite web |last=Feldman |first=Curt |last2=Sinclair |first2=Brendan |date=December 18, 2005 |title=Massive ad network partners with Spark |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/massive-ad-network-partners-with-spark/1100-6141387/ |access-date=February 10, 2024 |website=GameSpot |language=en-US}}
Games
| class="wikitable sortable"
! Title ! Year ! Platform(s) !Publisher(s) | ||
| Call of Duty: Finest Hour | 2004 | PlayStation 2 Xbox GameCube |Activision |
| Turning Point: Fall of Liberty | 2008 | PlayStation 3 Xbox 360 Windows |
| Legendary | 2008 | PlayStation 3 Xbox 360 Windows |
| Lost Planet 3 | 2013 | PlayStation 3 Xbox 360 Windows |
| Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z | 2014 | PlayStation 3 Xbox 360 Windows |
References
{{Reflist}}
Further reading
- {{Cite web |last=McWhertor |first=Michael |date=May 4, 2015 |title=Lost Planet 3 developer Spark Unlimited no longer making games, lays off employees |url=https://www.polygon.com/2015/5/4/8548145/spark-unlimited-closure |access-date=February 6, 2024 |website=Polygon |language=en-US}}
External links
- [http://www.sparkunlimited.com/ Spark Unlimited official website]
{{Call of Duty series}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Defunct video game companies of the United States
Category:Video game development companies
Category:Video game companies established in 2002
Category:Video game companies disestablished in 2015
Category:2002 establishments in California
Category:2015 disestablishments in California
Category:Defunct companies based in Greater Los Angeles
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