SingleTrac
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | 1994 |
| Founder | Michael Ryder, Todd Kelly, Michael Bartholomew |
| Fate | Acquired by GT Interactive (1997); shut down (2000) |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Twisted Metal series, Jet Moto series, WarHawk |
SingleTrac Entertainment Technologies, Inc. was a United States-based video game developer established in 1994 by Michael Ryder, Todd Kelly, and Michael Bartholomew, all former staff members of Evans & Sutherland who utilized their background in 3D graphics and software development. The studio is primarily recognized for creating the Twisted Metal and Jet Moto series, mainly developed in collaboration with Sony Computer Entertainment.
The company's initial releases, WarHawk and Twisted Metal, garnered both critical acclaim and commercial success, leading to further agreements with Sony. SingleTrac sought to enter the publishing sector, signing a 1997 agreement with Microsoft to publish PC titles; however, this plan never came to fruition. Although the company joined the roster of developers for the Nintendo 64, no games were ultimately launched on that console.
Following the completion of its projects for Sony, SingleTrac was purchased by GT Interactive in 1997. The studio continued operations under GT Interactive until it was shut down in 2000, just prior to GT Interactive’s acquisition by Infogrames.
Lineage
In 1999, a number of SingleTrac employees founded Incognito Entertainment, which produced additional installments in the Twisted Metal franchise as well as a follow-up to SingleTrac’s original WarHawk, both released through Sony Computer Entertainment. By 2009, most of Incognito’s team departed to create Eat Sleep Play and LightBox Interactive, resulting in Incognito’s closure. Eat Sleep Play developed a Twisted Metal title for the PS3 before transitioning to mobile game development and eventually ceasing operations in 2017. LightBox Interactive developed the spiritual successor Starhawk, but after the game's launch, its partnership with Sony ended and the studio dissolved in 2012.
Developed games
| Year | Title | Platform |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | WarHawk | PlayStation |
| Twisted Metal | ||
| 1996 | Twisted Metal 2 | PlayStation PC |
| Jet Moto | ||
| 1997 | Jet Moto 2 | PlayStation |
| Critical Depth | ||
| 1998 | Rogue Trip: Vacation 2012 | |
| Streak: Hoverboard Racing | ||
| Outwars | PC | |
| 2000 | Animorphs: Shattered Reality | PlayStation |