Cryptic Studios
| File:Cryptic Studios Logo.svg | |
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | 2000 |
| Founders |
|
| Headquarters | Los Gatos, California |
| Products | City of Heroes Champions Online Star Trek Online Neverwinter |
Number of employees | 136 (2021)[1] |
| Parent |
|
| Website | www |
Cryptic Studios is a U.S.-based video game developer specializing in massively multiplayer online role-playing games, with its headquarters situated in Los Gatos, California. Once fully owned by Perfect World (company), the studio is currently a subsidiary of Embracer Group.[2]
History
Established in June 2000 by Michael Lewis and Rick Dakan, Cryptic Studios was launched to create pioneering MMORPGs emphasizing superhero themes, setting it apart from the predominantly fantasy-focused market. The founding members also included seasoned professionals Bruce Rogers, Matt Harvey, and Cameron Petty, all formerly affiliated with Atari Games. Financial backing was provided by Lewis following his sale of Stellar Semiconductor to Broadcom. Early on, game designer Jack Emmert joined the team to oversee design direction. In 2007, the company enhanced its Los Gatos headquarters by expanding its facilities and unveiling a refreshed corporate logo.
In December 2008, Cryptic Studios became Atari SA’s inaugural major acquisition. This acquisition ushered in leadership transitions: Bill Roper was appointed Chief Creative Officer in 2010 but left within the same year; subsequently, Jack Emmert advanced to CEO in 2011 after John Needham's departure. Atari sold Cryptic Studios to Perfect World Entertainment in May 2011, integrating the developer into its worldwide operations.
In 2012, the company faced security issues when a breach of its user database was made public. Broadening its development portfolio, Cryptic revealed plans in 2017 to create a Magic: The Gathering title for both consoles and PC.
By December 2021, Swedish holding entity Embracer Group acquired Perfect World Entertainment’s North American and publishing units through its Gearbox Software division. Cryptic Studios was incorporated into The Gearbox Entertainment Company while retaining a workforce exceeding 100 employees.
Subsequent restructuring within Embracer resulted in layoffs at Cryptic during November 2023. As of March 2024, DECA Games took over direct development responsibilities for Cryptic’s game titles, with Cryptic shifting focus toward support functions. After Embracer sold Gearbox to an external investor in March 2024, Cryptic remained under Embracer Group’s corporate umbrella.[3]
City of Heroes/Villains
In early 2002, Cryptic entered into a publishing partnership with NCSoft to introduce City of Heroes to the U.S. gaming audience. Debuting on April 28, 2004, City of Heroes marked Cryptic’s inaugural MMORPG release, followed by its companion title, City of Villains, which launched on October 31, 2005. Both games incorporated player-versus-player combat zones. By November 2007, the developer had issued ten complimentary expansions for these interconnected games. On November 6, 2007, Cryptic transferred ownership of the City of Heroes and City of Villains intellectual property to NCSoft. The original development team was absorbed into NCSoft under the Paragon Studios label, which managed the games until their shutdown on August 31, 2012.
Champions Online
On September 27, 2006, Marvel Entertainment and Cryptic announced collaboration on Marvel Universe Online, planned for Windows Vista and Xbox 360 platforms; however, this project was canceled in March 2010. Following Microsoft’s termination of the project in February 2008, Cryptic proceeded with a new intellectual property inspired by The Champions, resulting in the release of Champions Online on September 1, 2009. By February 2011, the title adopted a free-to-play structure that combined optional microtransactions with its existing subscription model to broaden revenue opportunities.
Star Trek Online
Cryptic secured the license to develop the Star Trek MMORPG on July 27, 2008, taking over from Perpetual Entertainment. Officially confirmed as the developer in March 2008, Star Trek Online launched on February 2, 2010. The game delivers an action-focused MMORPG experience featuring both space and ground combat segments, catering to fans of the franchise while expanding Cryptic’s licensed IP portfolio.
Neverwinter
In August 2010, Atari partnered with Cryptic to announce Neverwinter, an MMORPG set in the Dungeons & Dragons universe. Initially released for PC in 2013, the game later expanded to Xbox One in 2015 and PlayStation 4 in 2016, further strengthening Cryptic’s presence within the MMORPG sector.
Magic: Legends
Cryptic revealed an MMORPG based on Magic: The Gathering on June 7, 2017, which was ultimately named Magic: Legends. Despite significant investment and positioning within the action MMORPG market segment, the game was discontinued on October 31, 2021, shortly following its open beta period.
Other projects
In May 2007, Cryptic Studios launched the Cryptic Animation Rig (Cryptic AR), a complimentary tool underscoring their dedication to advancing animation technology. The company continues to pursue new initiatives, reflecting sustained growth and diversification across its product offerings.
External links
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).