Raven Software

Raven Software
Subsidiary
Industry Computer and video games
Interactive entertainment
Founded 1990 (1990)
Founder Brian Raffel
Steve Raffel
Headquarters Middleton, Wisconsin, United States
Products Soldier of Fortune (2000–2002)
Number of employees
 173
Parent Activision (1997–present)
Website www.ravensoftware.com

Raven Software (or Raven Entertainment Software, Inc.) is an American video game developing company based in Wisconsin and founded in 1990. In 1997, Raven made an exclusive publishing deal with Activision and was subsequently acquired by them. After the acquisition, many of the studio's original developers, largely responsible for creating the Heretic and Hexen: Beyond Heretic games, left to form Human Head Studios.

History

Raven Software was founded in 1990 by brothers Brian and Steve Raffel. The company was independent until 1997 when it was acquired by Activision.

Raven has a history of working with id Software, who were briefly located on the same street.[1] They used id's engines for many of their games, such as Heretic in 1994. They took over development of id's Quake franchise for Quake 4 and the 2009 iteration of id's Wolfenstein series.[2]

The company started with three development teams. In August 2009 following poor performance and possible over-budget of Wolfenstein,[3][4] the company made a major layoff of 30-35 staff, leaving two development teams. This was reduced to one after more layoffs in October 2010, after delays with Singularity; as many as 40 staff were released. Following the layoffs, Raven has been focused on assisting with the Call of Duty series ever since.[5][6][7]

Games

In 2012, Raven began hiring employees for a next generation game,[8] and were announced as collaborating with Infinity Ward on Call of Duty: Ghosts in May 2013.[9]

On 3 April 2013 following the closure of LucasArts, Raven Software released the source code for Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast and Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy on Sourceforge.[10]

As of April 2014, the company is the lead developer of the free-to-play Chinese Call of Duty title, Call of Duty: Online.[11] The company is also remastering Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.[12]

Games developed

Year Game Platform(s)
1992 Black Crypt Amiga, Windows (Demo, OpenGL Demo)
1993 ShadowCaster DOS, PC-98
1994 CyClones DOS
Heretic Classic Mac OS (? - Non Official), MS-DOS
1995 Hexen: Beyond Heretic Classic Mac OS, MS-DOS, Nintendo 64, PlayStation, Sega Saturn, Windows
1996 Hexen: Deathkings of the Dark Citadel Classic Mac OS, MS-DOS, Microsoft Windows
Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders Microsoft Windows (? - Non Official), MS-DOS
Necrodome Microsoft Windows, (PlayStation cancelled)
1997 Hexen II Classic Mac OS, Microsoft Windows
Take No Prisoners Microsoft Windows
MageSlayer
1998 Hexen II Mission Pack: Portal of Praevus
Heretic II AmigaOS, Classic Mac OS, Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, Linux
2000 Soldier of Fortune Dreamcast, Linux, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2
Star Trek: Voyager – Elite Force Classic Mac OS, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2
2001 Star Trek: Voyager - Elite Force: Virtual Voyager Microsoft Windows
2002 Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows
Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix
2003 Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
2004 X-Men Legends GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox
2005 X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Windows
Quake 4 Linux, Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360
2006 Marvel: Ultimate Alliance PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox, Xbox 360, Windows
2009 X-Men Origins: Wolverine Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Wolfenstein
James Bond 007: Risico [Cancelled] PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
2010 Singularity Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Call of Duty: Black Ops (DLC, user interface)[13] Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360
2011 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (Multiplayer, Singleplayer (elements), DLC, user interface)[13]
2012 Call of Duty: Black Ops II (Additional Development) Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Wii U, Xbox 360
2013 Call of Duty: Ghosts (Multiplayer, Singleplayer (elements), DLC)[14] Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One
2014 Call of Duty Online[11] Microsoft Windows
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (Multiplayer, Exo Zombies, DLC) Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
2015 Call of Duty: Black Ops III (Assisted on Redwood map) Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
2016 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered
Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare (Multiplayer, Additional development)

References

  1. ↑ "From Dungeon & Dragons to Call of Duty: The Story of Raven Software". USgamer.net. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  2. ↑ "id Software and Activision, Inc. Confirm Wolfenstein(R) for the Xbox 360 Video Game and Entertainment System". PR Newswire. 5 October 2005.
  3. ↑ Ivan, Tom. "Raven Software Hit By Layoffs".
  4. ↑ Crecente, Brian (26 August 2009). "Raven Hit By Layoffs, Some Point to Lackluster Wolfenstein Sales". Kotaku. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  5. ↑ http://www.shacknews.com/article/65958/report-layoffs-hit-raven-software
  6. ↑ "Raven Software loses more staff".
  7. ↑ Crecente, Brian (11 October 2010). "Singularity Game Developer Hit with Layoffs". Kotaku. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  8. ↑ Hinkle, David (2 November 2012). "Raven job listings suggest next-gen game in the works". Joystiq. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  9. ↑ Pitcher, Jenna (22 May 2013). "Raven Software and Neversoft assisted Infinity Ward in Call of Duty: Ghosts development". Polygon. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  10. ↑ Hinkle, David (4 April 2013). "Jedi Outcast and Jedi Academy source code released". Joystiq. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  11. 1 2 "Raven Software now the lead developer on CoD: Online for China". CharlieIntel. 17 April 2014.
  12. ↑ Scammell, David (2 May 2016). "Modern Warfare Remastered is developed by Raven; first multiplayer maps confirmed". VideoGamer.com. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  13. 1 2 gamerzines (20 July 2011). "Infinity Ward clarifies Raven's involvement with CoD franchise". GamerZines. Archived from the original on 7 August 2011.
  14. ↑ Conklin, Aaron K. (31 October 2013). "Raven Software revolutionizes multiplayer gaming with Call of Duty: Ghosts". The Daily Page. Retrieved 5 November 2013.

External links

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