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Pendulo Studios

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Pendulo Studios S.L.
Company typePrivate
IndustryVideo game development
Founded1 September 1993; 33 years ago (1993-09-01) in Madrid, Spain
FounderRamón Hernáez, Felipe Gómez Pinilla, Rafael Latiegui, Miguel Angel Ramos
DefunctMarch 2025 (2025-03)
FateTerminated operations
Headquarters
Madrid
,
Spain
Area served
Spain; Europe; international
Key people
Ramón Hernáez, Felipe Gómez Pinilla, Rafael Latiegui
ProductsIgor: Objective Uikokahonia, Hollywood Monsters, Runaway series, Yesterday, Yesterday Origins, Blacksad: Under the Skin, Tintin Reporter – Cigars of the Pharaoh
ParentMicroids (from 2014 partnership)

Pendulo Studios S.L. was a Madrid-based video game developer established in 1993 by Ramón Hernáez, Felipe Gómez Pinilla, Rafael Latiegui, and Miguel Angel Ramos. Launching their first game in 1994 with Igor: Objective Uikokahonia, the studio focused primarily on graphic adventure games. Pendulo achieved notable success within Spain through Hollywood Monsters (1997), which garnered critical acclaim and strong sales domestically but was not distributed outside Southern Europe.

The studio expanded internationally with its third release, Runaway: A Road Adventure (2001), a title credited with revitalizing the adventure genre across Europe and rescuing Pendulo from insolvency following the collapse of its publisher Dinamic Multimedia. Two sequels followed, contributing to over 1.5 million worldwide sales by 2010. After producing Yesterday in 2012, Pendulo again encountered financial difficulties but secured a partnership in 2014 with Microids, resulting in projects such as Yesterday Origins and Blacksad: Under the Skin. Following disappointing commercial performance for Tintin Reporter – Cigars of the Pharaoh, Pendulo Studios terminated operations in March 2025.

By 2019, Pendulo Studios held the distinction of being Spain’s longest-standing active game developer and was widely acknowledged as a leading figure in Spanish game creation, especially within the adventure genre. In 2017, HobbyConsolas characterized Pendulo as "synonymous with graphic adventures in Spain" and ranked it among the nation's most influential studios.

Formation and initial phase: 1993–1997

Pendulo Studios was created in Madrid in September 1993 by Ramón Hernáez, Rafael Latiegui, Felipe Gómez Pinilla, and Miguel Angel Ramos.[1] The founders, who were former university peers,[2] set out to develop a graphic adventure game.[3][1] Although Spanish developers like Aventuras AD had produced successful interactive fiction titles featuring graphics during the 1980s,[4] no fully graphical adventure had been developed domestically.[5][6][7]

Their debut game, Igor: Objective Uikokahonia (1994),[5] was created amid severe financial constraints by the four founders alongside two contracted collaborators.[8][7][9][10] Despite a downturn in Spain’s gaming sector following the golden age of Spanish software,[11] Pendulo observed that "there was practically no national production" at the time Igor began,[12] and Latiegui recalled nearly abandoning development due to minimal interest from publishers.[3] The project’s budget was below 400,000 pesetas,[13] and development took place in a small corner of a warehouse located in Madrid's Arganda del Rey.[12][13] Latiegui described their process as "completely amateur" and self-taught.[14][3][15] Pinilla later summarized their situation as a major challenge.[16] Nevertheless, Igor's modest success encouraged Pendulo to continue pursuing professional game development.[2]

Following Igor, Ramos departed from the company while Latiegui, Hernáez, and Pinilla remained.[17] Their second production, Hollywood Monsters, posed greater challenges due to limited funding and an extended development period of two and a half years.[12][18] Approximately 40 contributors participated, mostly contractors including voice actors.[3] Hernáez emphasized that managing this expanded team marked a significant shift compared to their first project.[3] Pinilla noted that although additional personnel would have sped up development, it was not feasible.[18] During this time, Spain’s gaming industry remained fragile; Hollywood Monsters was among few Spanish projects underway in 1997.[19][3] Publisher Dinamic Multimedia arranged for band La Unión to produce an original theme song.[18]

Launched in December 1997,[20] Hollywood Monsters achieved commercial success,[21] selling 250,000 copies within Spain by 2011.[22] It outperformed Igor: Objective Uikokahonia both critically and commercially,[23] solidifying Pendulo Studios' reputation.[24][25][26][23][27] The title became a domestic classic,[28] although it was never released outside Southern Europe.[29][30] In 1997, PC Manía compared Pendulo’s role in Spanish graphic adventures to LucasArts’ global influence,[31] while Xan Pita of El Mundo credited the game with cementing Pendulo's position within the industry.[32]

Financial crisis and resurgence: 1998–2003

The success of Hollywood Monsters' prompted Pendulo to start work on a sequel that eventually transformed into Runaway: A Road Adventure, conceived during summer 1998.[15] Runaway became Pendulo's most ambitious project at that point,[33] earning praise from Gerard Masnou of GameLive PC as "the most ambitious graphic adventure ever developed in Spain".[13] At this time, Spain’s gaming sector struggled with talent shortages due to limited educational resources and emigration of professionals abroad; consequently, most members of Pendulo’s core nine-person team were self-taught.[34][2] Nonetheless, Ramón Hernáez remarked that finding talent was "relatively" straightforward for them.[34]

Originally designed as a purely 2D title, Runaway incorporated 3D components during its development,[12] launching domestically in July 2001.[35] Initial sales showed promise,[36] but publisher Dinamic’s bankruptcy in September severely disrupted distribution.[37][38] This event dealt a heavy blow to Spain's gaming industry.[21] Plans for English, Italian, and German versions were put at risk,[39][40] forcing Pendulo into potential bankruptcy unless rights were swiftly regained.[41] The company engaged in a year-long legal struggle to reclaim these rights,[42][43][44] during which most staff were laid off and development paused.[42][45]

Pendulo regained ownership of Runaway rights by July 2002,[43] hoping improved sales would restore stability.[46] The title found commercial success particularly in Germany via DTP Entertainment,[47][48] followed by releases in Poland and France through Focus Home Interactive.[49][50] By January 2004, Runaway had sold 400,000 full-price copies across Europe,[51] stabilizing Pendulo financially and enabling rehiring of former employees.[16][42] Felipe Gómez Pinilla described this as "a turning point" for the company,[16] with analysts later recognizing it as foundational to Pendulo's distinctive cartoonish adventure style seen in subsequent titles.[11] This aesthetic influenced their later works significantly.[52]<ref=name joystiq="" /="">< ref="" ="" marca="" /=""/>

The triumph of Runaway also contributed to reviving interest in the adventure genre, which had been declining in markets like Germany and France.< ref="" dayone="" /="">< ref="" klassische="" /="">< ref="" magnier1="" /="">< ref="" magnier2="" /="">< ref="" klassische2="" /="">< ref="" liberation="" /="">< ref="" lalibre="" /=""> It received recognition from media outlets such as La Libre Belgique,< ref="" lalibre="" /=""> Gameblog,< ref="" gameblogbest="" /=""> GameStar,< ref="" gamestarrunaway2="" /=""> Hamburger Wirtschaft,< ref="" 60k="" /=""> Jeux Video,< ref="" runaway2rev1="" /=""> PC Games, and MeriStation.< ref="" runaway2pcgames="" /="">< ref="" regreso="" /="">

Continuation with Runaway sequels: 2003–2009

File:Runaway 1 logo.svg
File:Runaway 2 logo.svg
File:Runaway 3 logo.svg
Runaway trilogy stands as Pendulo's top-selling series with over 1.5 million units sold by 2010.

Following its international launch, Pendulo quickly planned a sequel to Runaway. Rafael Latiegui noted their eagerness to produce another game promptly by utilizing unused concepts from the original. The commercial success coupled with narrative potential drove this decision.< ref="" laaventura="" /="">< ref="" sanctuaire="" /="">

DTP Entertainment announced Runaway 2 at Leipzig’s Games Convention in August 2003.< ref="" runaway2announced="" /=""> The studio enhanced the first game's engine for this installment.< ref="" edgeespana="" /=""> Initially slated for late 2004 release, funding came partially from Pendulo's profits but largely from French investors.< ref="" edgeespana="" /="">< ref="" runaway2int="" /=""> Multiple delays pushed release from mid-2005 to September 2006; Latiegui emphasized prioritizing quality over deadlines.< ref="" sanctuaire="" /=""> Finally released as Runaway 2: The Dream of the Turtle in November 2006, it continues Brian Basco and Gina’s story following a plane crash on Hawaii.< ref="" runaway2launch=""/>< ref="runaway2rev1" />

During development of Runaway 2, discussions about a third installment emerged and were unofficially confirmed by November 2006.< ref="sanctuaire" />< ref="runaway3reveal2" />< ref="runaway3reveal1" /> Official announcement occurred at Games Convention 2007; early reports suggested a Japan setting immediately following prior events.< ref="runaway3confirmed1" /> At the 2008 Game Developers Conference it was revealed as Runaway: A Twist of Fate, positioned alongside publisher Focus Home Interactive as a standalone entry aimed at new audiences.< ref="advgamersrunaway3" />< ref="jvrunaway3prev" /> This installment featured an updated engine improving visuals while maintaining pre-rendered 2D style.< ref="newengine2" />< ref="newengine" />< ref="braun" /> Storyline follows Brian escaping an asylum where he is accused of murder; Gina becomes playable alongside Brian.< ref="runaway3rev2" /> Released internationally November 2009,< ref="runaway3launch3" />, Spanish release followed early 2010;< ref="runaway3rev2" />, cumulative trilogy sales reached approximately 1.5 million units worldwide by then.< ref="15million" />

Expansion beyond Runaway and renewed financial difficulties: 2010–2014

After concluding the Runaway saga with A Twist of Fate, Pendulo put sequels on hold despite lingering ideas. Latiegui explained in 2011 that after nearly ten years with the series they needed respite. The team grew fatigued with protagonist Brian and shifted focus toward new projects like The Next Big Thing. Persistent fan interest for a sequel to Hollywood Monsters motivated revisiting that concept. In April 2010, alongside publisher Focus Home Interactive, they announced this new title. Critics noted its strong resemblance to Hollywood Monsters, leading to its rebranding as Hollywood Monsters 2 within Spain by April 2011.

Initially intended as an HD remake of the original, Hollywood Monsters 2 evolved into an independent title borrowing heavily from its predecessor while introducing new characters Dan Murray and Liz Allaire. Set within a fantasy version of Hollywood where monsters star in films, it explores themes related to decline in monster movie popularity. Released April 2011, it failed commercially according to Josué Monchan from Pendulo.

Following this setback, Pendulo embraced darker narratives paired with more casual gameplay through their first fully dramatic title, Yesterday (2012). Budget constraints arose due to Spain’s economic downturn compared to previous projects like Runaway 3. Despite efforts, Yesterday underachieved commercially partly because publisher confidence diminished. In parallel, Hidden Runaway, a hidden object game targeting casual iOS users launched but also failed financially.

Unable to secure funding for further original projects, Day One's crowdfunding campaign failed in 2012 leading to a two-year hiatus without new releases; company prospects appeared uncertain during this period. To sustain operations,Pendulo scaled down staff focusing on porting existing games such as 'The Next Big Thing' and 'Yesterday' onto iOS platforms where they experienced better reception than on PC—mirroring strategies employed by Revolution Software.

Partnership with Microids: since 2014

In November2014,Pendulo resumed original productions collaborating with publisher Microids, officially announced next month.They released a sequel titled 'Yesterday Origins'in November2016.Following this,microids proposed adapting the 'Blacksad'comic series into an interactive experience leveraging shared ownership with publisher Dargaud.Though inexperienced with licensed properties,Pendulo—longtime fans—quickly accepted securing creators’ approval.YS Interactive initially assisted development.

'Blacksad: Under the Skin'was unveiled unexpectedly June2017.Described as a "gamble",it targeted niche audiences blending comic fans & gamers.This marked Pendulo's first fully three-dimensional visual project presenting significant challenges for its compact17-person team.Released November2019,'Under the Skin'achieved stronger market impact than recent titles attributed to its modern narrative-driven approach.

In March2018,microids announced Pendulo would develop an adaptation inspired by Alfred Hitchcock's film 'Vertigo',acquiring rights to Hitchcock's likeness.The game drew loose inspiration from the film's aesthetics & themes.By November2020,develoment was reported "quite advanced",with official reveal as 'Alfred Hitchcock – Vertigo'at Guerrilla Collective Showcase June2021.Narrative follows Ed Miller exploring psychological motifs influenced by multiple Hitchcock films.Launched on PC2021 & consoles2022.

August2022,microids revealed 'Tintin Reporter – Cigars of the Pharaoh',an action-investigation adventure based on iconic 'Adventures of Tintin' comics.This followed microids’2020 agreement with Hergé Foundation.Released on PlayStation4/5,Windows,Xbox SeriesX/S November2023,and Nintendo Switch October2024,the title underperformed commercially.Pendulo attributed failures partly to microids’ decisions causing delays & quality issues.January2025,saw layoffs affecting33 employees(44% workforce).By late March,the company quietly ceased all operations without public notice.

Games developed

Year Title Genre Platform(s)
1994 Igor: Objective Uikokahonia Graphic adventure MS-DOS
1997 Hollywood Monsters Windows
2001 Runaway: A Road Adventure iOS, Windows
2006 Runaway 2: The Dream of the Turtle iOS, Nintendo DS, Wii, Windows
2009 Runaway: A Twist of Fate iOS, Nintendo DS, Windows
2011 The Next Big Thing iOS, macOS, Windows
2012 Yesterday iOS, macOS, Windows
Hidden Runaway Hidden object iOS, Windows
2016 Yesterday Origins Graphic adventure macOS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One
2019 Blacksad: Under the Skin macOS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation4, Windows,Xbox One
2021 Alfred Hitchcock – Vertigo Nintendo Switch, PlayStation4/5 , Windows,Xbox One,Xbox Series X/S
2023 Tintin Reporter – Cigars of the Pharaoh Action-adventure Nintendo Switch , PlayStation4/5 , Windows,Xbox One,Xbox Series X/S

Cancelled

  • Day One


External links

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  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named makingof
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named macedonia
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  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named pcmprev
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  9. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named joystiq
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  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named spain
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named meristationint1
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named hispano
  14. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named 3djuegos
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named inv12
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named edgeespana
  17. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named meristationint2
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named game40
  19. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named microprev
  20. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named launchdate
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named marca
  22. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named 250k
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  24. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named pcactual
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  29. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named runawayprev
  30. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named evolution
  31. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named pcmprev2
  32. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named mundo4
  33. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named focusint
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named asi
  35. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named launch2
  36. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named charts1
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  40. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named italger
  41. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named jeopardy
  42. ↑ 42.0 42.1 42.2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named aventuraycia
  43. ↑ 43.0 43.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named tiscali1
  44. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named laaventura
  45. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named ongames
  46. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named terra
  47. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named inventoryint
  48. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named 60k
  49. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named jeuxvideo
  50. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named 3pubs
  51. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named 400k
  52. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named arte
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