Twisted Pixel Games
{{short description|American video game developer}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2019}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2019}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Twisted Pixel Games, LLC
| logo = TwistedPixel logo.png
| type = Subsidiary
| foundation = {{start date and age|2006}}
| location = Austin, Texas, U.S.
| key_people = Josh Bear, CCO
Bill Muehl, CEO
Frank Wilson, CTO
| industry = Video games
| products = The Maw
'Splosion Man
Comic Jumper
Ms. Splosion Man
The Gunstringer
Wilson's Heart
| owner =
| num_employees = 30
| parent = Microsoft Studios (2011–2015)
Oculus Studios (2021-present)
| homepage = [http://www.twistedpixelgames.com/ twistedpixelgames.com]
}}
Twisted Pixel Games, LLC is an American video game developer based in Austin, Texas. Originally a contractor, Twisted Pixel releases games based on its own intellectual properties such as The Maw and 'Splosion Man. The company uses its own proprietary engine, known as Beard, to power its games. On October 12, 2011, it was announced that Twisted Pixel had become part of Microsoft Studios. However, Twisted Pixel separated from Microsoft, and became an independent company again on September 30, 2015.{{Cite web |url=http://twistedpixelgames.com/twisted-pixel-games-goes-indie-again/ |access-date=January 3, 2018 |title=Twisted Pixel Games Goes Indie (Again) |date=September 30, 2015}} In November 2021, the company became a subsidiary of Oculus Studios.
History
Twisted Pixel Games was founded in 2006 by industry veterans Michael Wilford, Frank Wilson and Josh Bear.{{Cite web |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/18781/QA_Twisted_Pixels_Wilford_On_Being_Swallowed_By_The_Maw.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101111020922/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/18781/QA_Twisted_Pixels_Wilford_On_Being_Swallowed_By_The_Maw.php |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 11, 2010 |website=Gamasutra |access-date=January 20, 2011 |title=Q&A: Twisted Pixel's Wilford On Being Swallowed By The Maw |first=Mathew |last=Kumar |date=July 9, 2008}} The company first performed contract work for the now-defunct Midway Games, providing engineering work for NBA Ballers: Chosen One and Blitz: The League II. In 2008, Twisted Pixel announced that its focus had changed to digitally distributed games based on its own new intellectual properties. In 2008, the company moved from Madison, Indiana, to its current location in Austin. According to the then CEO, Michael Wilford, the move was to "tap into a broader talent pool."{{Cite web |url=http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2009/03/gamesetinterview_the_maws_deleted_scenes.php |title=GameSetInterview: 'The Maw's Deleted Scenes – A Twisted Pixel Approach to DLC' |date=March 18, 2009 |website=Game Set Watch |access-date=April 7, 2009}}
Initially, Twisted Pixel targeted WiiWare as its service of choice. Speaking of the 2005 planned state of the service, Wilford said, "Back then, WiiWare was planned to be more like Xbox Live Arcade.""Game Informer" (September 2011). The Zen of Twisted Pixel He noted the original plans for the service would require companies to submit games to Nintendo for approval, similar to the submission process Microsoft uses for Xbox Live Arcade. Early discussions with Microsoft were not positive, but Wilford stated that Nintendo was eager to work with them. "Twisted Pixel was the first company to get a green light for WiiWare." Nintendo later changed its WiiWare model to one that required no submission process. Twisted Pixel opted not to use the service and continued talks with Microsoft. In 2007, Wilford met with David Every, the portfolio planner for Xbox Live Arcade at that time. Twisted Pixel pitched multiple games, including The Maw, which became its first Xbox Live Arcade title.
Released on January 21, 2009, The Maw tells the story of the extraterrestrial Frank and a purple, amorphous creature called The Maw, who have crash-landed their spacecraft on an alien planet.{{Cite web |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/the-maw-review |title=The Maw Xbox 360 Review |publisher=Eurogamer |access-date=October 8, 2010 |date=January 29, 2009 |first=Dan |last=Whitehead}} Its second title, 'Splosion Man, is a platform game where players control an escaped science experiment with the ability to explode himself repeatedly.{{Cite web |url=http://g4tv.com/videos/39199/splosion-man-hands-on-preview/ |title=Splosion Man Hands On Preview |first=Adam |last=Sessler |publisher=G4TV |access-date=October 15, 2010 |date=June 15, 2009}} It was released on July 22, 2009. Twisted Pixel's third title, Comic Jumper: The Adventures of Captain Smiley was released on October 6, 2010. Players control Captain Smiley, a comic book hero whose comics are poorly received. Seeking help from Twisted Pixel themselves he "jumps" in other comics, hoping to glean from each genre's popularity.{{Cite web |url=http://www.oxm.co.uk/article.php?id=22621 |title=Comic Jumper: The Adventures of Captain Smiley |date=October 4, 2010 |author=OXM Staff |work=Official Xbox Magazine UK |access-date=October 6, 2010}} On December 3, 2010, Twisted Pixel announced Ms. Splosion Man, a sequel to 2009's {{'}}Splosion Man.{{Cite web |url=http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/03/ms-splosion-man/ |title=Ms. Splosion Man makes her debut, sploding 'fall of 2011' |website=Joystiq |date=December 3, 2010 |access-date=December 3, 2010 |first=Christopher |last=Grant}} It was released on July 13, 2011.
On February 1, 2011, the company revealed its fifth original game, The Gunstringer, a third person shooter designed for use with the Xbox 360 Kinect peripheral. The game was originally intended to be the first Xbox Live Arcade game to be featured as a Kinect title but instead became a retail release.{{Cite web |url=http://www.giantbomb.com/news/the-gunstringer-is-a-retail-game-now-but-is-it-any-good/3350/ |website=Giant Bomb |first=Alex |last=Navarro |access-date=June 12, 2011 |date=June 7, 2011 |title=The Gunstringer Is a Retail Game Now, But Is It Any Good?}} It is set as a live-action play set in the Old West. The protagonist, killed by his posse, has been resurrected and seeks revenge. Live action sequences for the game were filmed at The Paramount Theatre in Austin where the company is located.{{Cite web |url=http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/26/twisted-pixel-shooting-video-in-austin-for-unannounced-game/ |website=Joystiq |access-date=March 2, 2011 |date=January 26, 2011 |title=Twisted Pixel shooting video in Austin for unannounced game |first=JC |last=Fletcher}}
On September 30, 2015, Twisted Pixel Games announced that it had been separated from Microsoft Studios and had become an independent studio again.{{cite web |url=http://uk.ign.com/articles/2015/09/30/lococycle-developer-twisted-pixel-is-an-indie-studio-again?+hub+page+ |title=LocoCycle Developer Twisted Pixel Is An Indie Studio Again |first=Mitch |last=Dyer |work=IGN |date=September 30, 2015 |access-date=September 30, 2015}}
Its games have been generally well-received by critics, and collectively have won several awards. The Maw won the 2008 Audience Choice award at PAX10,{{Cite web |title=The Maw Devours PAX 10 Audience Choice Award |url=http://kotaku.com/5053682/the-maw-devours-pax-10-audience-choice-award |website=Kotaku |access-date=October 8, 2010 |date=September 23, 2008 |first=Mike |last=Fahey}} and was a finalist at the Independent Games Festival 2009.{{Cite web |title=The 12th Annual Independent Games Festival: Finalists and Winners |url=http://www.igf.com/2009finalistswinners.html |publisher=Independent Games Festival |access-date=October 8, 2010}} {{'}}Splosion Man was voted by the Xbox Live community as the Best Original Xbox Live Arcade Game of 2009.{{cite web |url=http://majornelson.com/archive/2010/04/06/xbox-live-marketplace-release-schedule-april-6.aspx |title=Xbox LIVE Marketplace release schedule |first=Larry |last=Hryb |date=April 6, 2010 |access-date=October 3, 2010 |website=majornelson.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100715172902/http://majornelson.com/archive/2010/04/06/xbox-live-marketplace-release-schedule-april-6.aspx |archive-date=July 15, 2010 }} In a September 2010 ranking, IGN listed it eleventh in its top twenty-five Xbox Live Arcade titles of all time.{{cite web |url=http://xboxlive.ign.com/articles/112/1120887p1.html |title=The Top 25 Xbox Live Arcade Games |website=IGN |date=September 16, 2010 |access-date=September 16, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100918065519/http://xboxlive.ign.com/articles/112/1120887p1.html |archive-date=September 18, 2010 }} It also received several Best of E3 awards in 2009.{{Cite web |url=http://www.videogamesblogger.com/2009/07/22/on-xbox-live-arcade-today-splosion-man.htm |website=Video Games Blogger |access-date=January 20, 2011 |date=July 22, 2009 |author=Ferry |title=On Xbox Live Arcade today: Splosion Man}} Captain Smiley, the lead character in Comic Jumper, received the Best New Character award from Official Xbox Magazine in 2010.{{Cite web |url=https://twitter.com/OXM/status/25716159768698880 |title=@OXM OfficialXboxMagazine |work=Official Xbox Magazine |access-date=January 20, 2011 |date=January 13, 2011 |quote=Well-deserved! Give the Cap our congrats. RT @mrwilford: Thanks @OXM for voting Captain Smiley as 2010's "Best New Character"! Awesome!}}
On November 14, 2018, it was announced that Ms. Splosion Man would be launching on the Nintendo Switch on November 22.{{Cite web |title=Ms. Splosion Man is coming to Switch next week |url=https://www.destructoid.com/ms-splosion-man-is-coming-to-switch-next-week-531277.phtml |publisher=Destructoid |access-date=November 15, 2018}}
On December 5, 2021, the website was updated to announce some changes are coming.{{Cite web |title=Twisted Pixel Games: We Make Awesome |url=https://www.twistedpixelgames.com |access-date=December 7, 2021 }} Through legal documents from the Federal Trade Commission, it became public that Twisted Pixel Games was acquired by Meta in November 2021.{{Cite web |date=2022-07-27 |title=U.S. Sues Meta To Stop 'Goal Of Owning The Entire Metaverse' |url=https://uploadvr.com/meta-wants-entire-metaverse-ftc/ |access-date=2022-07-27 |language=en-US}}
On June 6, 2025, it was announced during Summer Game Fest that Twisted Pixel was developing a VR game based on the Marvel Comics superhero, Deadpool. The game, which features Neil Patrick Harris as the voice of Deadpool, is set to be released on Meta Quest 3 and Meta Quest 3S in late 2025.{{Cite web |title=‘Marvel’s Deadpool VR’ Announced for Meta Quest 3 and 3S {{!}} Meta Quest Blog {{!}} Meta Store |url=https://www.meta.com/blog/marvels-deadpool-vr-meta-quest-3-announcement/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250607092951/https://www.meta.com/blog/marvels-deadpool-vr-meta-quest-3-announcement/ |archive-date=2025-06-07 |access-date=2025-06-08 |website=www.meta.com |language=en}}
Technology
All of Twisted Pixel's games are powered by Beard, a proprietary engine to "self-proclaim" compete with Epic Games' Unreal Engine, just for fun.{{Cite web |url=http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/03/twisted-pixels-josh-bear-on-giving-ms-splosion-man-more-than-j/ |title=Twisted Pixel's Josh Bear on giving Ms. Splosion Man more than just a bow |website=Joystiq |date=December 3, 2010 |access-date=December 3, 2010 |first=Ben |last=Gilbert}} Content is developed with the company's proprietary Razor editor in conjunction with RAD Game Tools' Granny 3D animation toolset.{{Cite web |url=http://www.gamersmint.com/dev-talk-twisted-pixel-games |website=Gamer's Mint |access-date=January 20, 2011 |title=Dev Talk-Twisted Pixel Games |date=February 17, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110126124802/http://www.gamersmint.com/dev-talk-twisted-pixel-games |archive-date=January 26, 2011 }}{{Cite web |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/programming/twisted-pixel-uses-rad-s-granny-3d-in-i-comic-jumper-i-beard-engine |website=Gamasutra |access-date=January 20, 2011 |title=Twisted Pixel Uses RAD's Granny 3D In Comic Jumper, BEARD Engine |first=Leigh |last=Alexander |date=July 19, 2010}} Razor can be adapted to develop in 3D or 2.5D configurations. Games are scripted using Lua, which allows the developers to share code between titles.
Games developed
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Platform(s) ! Genre |
|---|
| 2009
| The Maw |
| 2009
| rowspan="2" | Xbox 360 |
| 2010 |
| rowspan="3" | 2011
| Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, Xbox 360 | Platform |
| The Gunstringer
| Xbox 360 |
| The Wavy Tube Man Chronicles
| Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows |
| 2013
| Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, Xbox One |
| 2017 |
| 2018
| B-Team | Action, adventure |
| rowspan="2"| 2019
| Defector | rowspan="2" | Oculus Rift |
| Path of the Warrior{{cite web|url=https://venturebeat.com/2019/12/12/path-of-the-warrior/|title=Path of the Warrior is VR's Streets of Rage, and it's out now|first=Jeff|last=Grubb|work=VentureBeat|date=December 12, 2019|access-date=December 13, 2019}} |
| 2025
| Marvel's Deadpool VR{{cite web|url=https://www.gematsu.com/2025/06/marvels-deadpool-vr-announced-for-quest-3|title=Marvel’s Deadpool VR announced for Quest 3|first=Sal|last=Romano|date=June 6, 2025|accessdate=June 7, 2025}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Portal|Video games}}
- {{Official website|http://www.twistedpixelgames.com/}}
{{Meta Horizon}}
{{Xbox Game Studios}}
Category:Video game companies established in 2006
Category:Companies based in Austin, Texas
Category:Video game development companies
Category:Video game companies based in Texas
Category:Former Microsoft subsidiaries
Category:2011 mergers and acquisitions
Category:2021 mergers and acquisitions