VIS Entertainment

VIS Entertainment Limited
FormerlyVIS Interactive (1996–2000)
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryVideo games
Founded1996; 28 years ago (1996)
Founders
  • Chris van der Kuyl
  • Peter Baillie
Defunct7 April 2005 (2005-04-07)
FateAdministration
Successor4J Studios
Headquarters
Edinburgh
,
Scotland
Key people
Chris van der Kuyl (president, CEO)
Number of employees
42 (2005)
ParentBAM! Entertainment (2004–2005)
Subsidiaries
  • State of Emergency Development
  • VIS iTV (50%)

VIS Entertainment Limited (formerly known as VIS Interactive) was a British video game developer based in Edinburgh. Chris van der Kuyl and Peter Baillie established the company in 1996. In 2003, VIS Entertainment faced financial struggles and closed its studios in London and on the Isle of Wight, while downsizing its VIS iTV joint venture. After BAM! Entertainment acquired the studio in May 2004, VIS Entertainment was placed into administration April 2005, subsequently being liquidated and dissolved.

History

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Chris van der Kuyl founded VIS Interactive in 1996, alongside Peter Baillie, some former developers from DMA Design, and other "techy people" from outside the video game industry.[1][2] A Dundee native, van der Kuyl headed the company as president and chief executive officer.[1] In 2000, VIS Interactive was renamed VIS Entertainment.[2]

In April 2003, the company acquired the London-based development studio of BAM! Entertainment.[3] In the same year, VIS Entertainment faced financial issues as reimbursements to investors meant that it could not finance its active projects. As a result, the company closed its studio on the Isle of Wight in July of that year, laying off all staf.[4] The company further announced the impending closure of its London studio in September 2003, citing project delays and cancellations.[5] In November, VIS iTV, a Dundee-based joint venture between VIS Entertainment and cable operator Telewest, laid off 75% of its staff.[6] Jane Karowoski, VIS Entertainment's chief operating officer whose task it was to implement cost reductions, subsequently announced her resignation.[7] VIS iTV's sole product, the "interactive virtual horseracing" project I-Race, was to debut on the newly established sports satellite channel iSports TV, but these plans never materialised and VIS iTV was placed into administration in December 2004.[8][9] In January 2005, Bellwether Group, a California-based venture capital group, acquired VIS iTV and I-Race and hired five of its previous staff, intending to market the product in the United States.[9]

On 18 February 2004, BAM! Entertainment announced that it had reached an agreement to acquire VIS Entertainment and its subsidiary State of Emergency Development, which had been set up to fund development for State of Emergency 2, for shares worth roughly US$7 million.[10][11] The acquisition was completed by 25 May 2004.[12][13] Despite the acquisition, VIS Entertainment was placed into administration on 7 April 2005.[14][15] Tom Maclennan and Kenny Craig of Tenon Recovery were installed as administrators.[16] Subsequently, VIS Entertainment's Dundee studio was shut down down and its 26 employees laid off.[17] Another 28 positions were cut at the Edinburgh headquarters, with the remaining 42 "sent home" during the administration process.[17] VIS Entertainment founder van der Kuyl established 4J Studios on 19 April.[1][18] The rights to State of Emergency 2 were sold to DC Studios announced in May 2005, and the company intended to hire between 10 and 40 former VIS Entertainment developers.[18][19] The administration ended in March 2007 and, following its liquidation, the entity was dissolved in July 2014.[20]

Games

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Year Title Platform(s) Publisher(s)
1998 H.E.D.Z. Windows Hasbro Interactive
1999 Earthworm Jim 3D Nintendo 64, Windows Interplay Entertainment, Rockstar Games
2000 Tom and Jerry in Fists of Furry NewKidCo, Ubi Soft
2001 The Powerpuff Girls: Chemical X-Traction Nintendo 64, PlayStation BAM! Entertainment
2002 State of Emergency PlayStation 2, Windows, Xbox Rockstar Games, Global Star Software
Tom and Jerry in War of the Whiskers GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox NewKidCo
The Powerpuff Girls: Relish Rampage GameCube, PlayStation 2 BAM! Entertainment
2003 Evil Dead: A Fistful of Boomstick PlayStation 2, Xbox THQ
2005 Narc PlayStation 2, Windows, Xbox Midway Games, Zoo Digital Publishing
Brave: The Search for Spirit Dancer PlayStation 2, Wii, Xbox 360 Sony Computer Entertainment, Evolved Games, SouthPeak Games

References

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  1. ^ a b c Elliott, Phil (12 August 2008). "4J's Chris van der Kuyl". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Games studio looking to give city another J". The Courier & Advertiser. 23 January 2013. Archived from the original on 14 January 2019. Retrieved 13 January 2019 – via PressReader.
  3. ^ "VIS Entertainment Axes London Studio". IGN. 3 October 2003. Archived from the original on 9 January 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  4. ^ Fahey, Rob (1 August 2003). "VIS studio shuts as developer faces financial crisis". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  5. ^ Fahey, Rob (30 September 2003). "VIS shuts London studio". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  6. ^ Fahey, Rob (20 November 2003). "Layoffs at VIS-ITV, but I-Race project still in the running". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  7. ^ Jenkins, David (20 November 2003). "VIS Joint Venture Suffers Staff Loss". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  8. ^ Fahey, Rob (2 December 2003). "VIS-iTV to launch i-Race on UK satellite". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  9. ^ a b Welsh, James (30 January 2005). "Vis iTV bought by US venture capital group". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  10. ^ Fahey, Rob (19 February 2004). "BAM! Entertainment buys VIS in $8.5 million share deal". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  11. ^ Jenkins, David (18 February 2004). "BAM! Losses Lessen; Acquires VIS Entertainment". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  12. ^ Jenkins, David (25 February 2004). "BAM! Revenues Fall; VIS Acquisition Accepted". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  13. ^ Fahey, Rob (26 May 2004). "BAM reports Q3 loss, completes VIS acquisition". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  14. ^ Fahey, Rob (7 April 2005). "VIS goes into administration; Dundee studio shut down". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  15. ^ Feldman, Curt (8 April 2005). "VIS Entertainment files for bankruptcy". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  16. ^ "It's game over for VIS". The Scotsman. 8 April 2005. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  17. ^ a b Jenkins, David (7 April 2005). "VIS Entertainment Enters Administration". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  18. ^ a b "New State of Emergency declared as Glasgow firm takes on game". The Scotsman. 1 May 2005. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  19. ^ Gibson, Ellie (3 May 2005). "DC Studios picks up State of Emergency 2". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  20. ^ "VIS Entertainment Limited – Insolvency". Companies House. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
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