Wideload Games
| Company type | Subsidiary (formerly independent) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Founder | Alexander Seropian |
| Defunct | March 6, 2014 |
| Fate | Closed by parent company |
| Headquarters | Chicago , United States |
| Products | Stubbs the Zombie in "Rebel Without a Pulse", Hail to the Chimp, Guilty Party, Avengers Initiative |
| Parent | The Walt Disney Company (from 2009) |
Wideload Games was a video game development company located in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Established in 2003 by Alexander Seropian, who co-founded Bungie and was responsible for creating titles such as Halo: Combat Evolved, Myth, and Marathon, the company was formed three years following Bungie's purchase by Microsoft Corporation. Seropian founded Wideload alongside six former Bungie team members.
The studio operated with a streamlined internal staff, augmented by external developers to control escalating production expenses. Their strategy aimed to prove that smaller-scale studios with limited financial resources could still generate commercially viable video games.
Their first release, Stubbs the Zombie in "Rebel Without a Pulse", was a 3D action-adventure title incorporating dark humor elements. It launched in late 2005 across multiple platforms, including Macintosh, Microsoft Windows PCs, and the Xbox, with publishing handled by Aspyr.
Following this, Wideload released Hail to the Chimp on June 23, 2008, through Gamecock Media Group for consoles of the seventh generation. During this period, the company also created Wideload Shorts, a division focused on producing smaller-scale games tailored for platforms such as Xbox Live Arcade. Their inaugural project under this label, Cyclomite, was introduced in March 2008 on the InstantAction platform.
On September 8, 2009, Wideload Games became part of The Walt Disney Company through acquisition. While operating under Disney Interactive, the studio developed new intellectual properties including Guilty Party. After a restructuring of Disney Interactive, Wideload shifted its concentration toward mobile gaming, starting with Avengers Initiative, which featured characters from Marvel Comics.
Ultimately, Disney officially closed Wideload Games on March 6, 2014.
External links
- Wideload Games profile at MobyGames