NetDevil
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | 1997 |
| Founder | Scott Brown, Peter Grundy, Steven Williams |
| Defunct | 2011 |
| Fate | Closure after layoffs and project discontinuation |
| Headquarters | Louisville, Colorado , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Scott Brown, Peter Grundy, Ryan Seabury |
| Products | Jumpgate, Auto Assault, Warmonger: Operation Downtown Destruction, Lego Universe |
| Owner | Gazillion Entertainment |
Number of employees | 14 (early years) |
| Parent | Gazillion Entertainment |
NetDevil Ltd. was a U.S.-based developer specializing in massively multiplayer online games, headquartered in Louisville, Colorado and owned by Gazillion Entertainment.
Origins
Founded in 1997 by Scott Brown, Peter Grundy, and Steven Williams, NetDevil originated in Louisville, near Denver, Colorado. Prior to establishing the company, the trio was employed at Digital Creators, an IT firm located in Boulder. Motivated by a desire to build their own virtual universes, they began working on Jumpgate, a space-themed MMO flight simulator, during evenings and weekends. After dedicating a year part-time, they resigned from their positions to officially start NetDevil out of Brown’s basement. Their initial workspace was a 750-square-foot area subleased from acquaintances at another technology firm. Scott Brown later described how fourteen staff members operated closely together within a single room.
The company’s name was inspired by the founders’ interest in deep-sea life forms; all three were certified SCUBA divers, including one dive master.
Relocation
In June 2007, NetDevil moved into a new facility spanning nearly 30,000 square feet in Louisville. This location included a professional sound studio, user testing labs, and a LEGO model workshop. The company marked its tenth anniversary with a celebration held at this headquarters.
Acquisition by Gazillion Entertainment
NetDevil became part of game publisher Gazillion Entertainment in July 2008; however, this acquisition was not publicly disclosed until March 2009.
Founders’ Exit
By late 2010, the remaining founders—Scott Brown, Peter Grundy, and Ryan Seabury (leader of the LEGO Universe development team)—had all departed from NetDevil. Brown and Seabury went on to establish End Games Entertainment and released their initial title, the Facebook game Vorp!
Workforce Reductions
In February 2011, NetDevil experienced two rounds of layoffs. The first round dissolved the Jumpgate Evolution development group; the second reduced personnel on the LEGO Universe team as Gazillion shifted development responsibilities to the LEGO Group. These actions followed the disappointing performance and eventual discontinuation of LEGO Universe.
Released Titles
Jumpgate (2001) – A space-oriented MMO flight simulator originally published by The 3DO Company. After 3DO declared bankruptcy in 2002, NetDevil regained publishing rights. The game was officially closed on April 30, 2012. Despite interest from the player community to obtain its source code, Gazillion has not released it.
Auto Assault (2006) – A post-apocalyptic MMORPG blending vehicular combat with role-playing elements and customizable vehicles. Published by NCsoft, it was discontinued in 2007.
Warmonger: Operation Downtown Destruction (2007) – A dystopian first-person shooter utilizing the AGEIA PhysX processor alongside Unreal Engine 3 technology. It was distinguished by its detailed destruction mechanics and sophisticated physics simulations.
Lego Universe (2010) – An MMO designed for children featuring LEGO minifigures who join the Nexus Force to battle against the Maelstrom. Development began in 2007 and continued until NetDevil’s closure under Gazillion; control of the project was handed over to LEGO prior to its termination in 2012.
In development
Jumpgate Evolution – Revealed in June 2007, this reimagining of NetDevil's original MMO Jumpgate sought to introduce significant graphical enhancements alongside additional features. By December 2007, an official website was launched, showcasing a narrative crafted by Keith Baker, gameplay videos, screenshots, community forums, and marketing content. However, the initiative was discontinued after the development team was laid off in February 2011.
References