Amaze Entertainment
 | |
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | 1996 |
| Founder | Dan Elenbaas |
| Defunct | July 2009 |
| Fate | Merged with Griptonite Games |
| Successor | Griptonite Games |
| Headquarters | , United States |
| Products |
|
Number of employees | 250 (2008[1]) |
| Parent | Foundation 9 Entertainment (2006–2009) |
| Website | Amaze Entertainment (archive) |
Amaze Entertainment, formerly KnowWonder, was an American video game developer based in Kirkland, Washington that operated from 1996 to 2009. Initially a developer of children's edutainment titles, they went on to develop video games for several high-profile properties, including Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, The Sims, The Chronicles of Narnia, and Pirates of the Caribbean. During its lifespan, it was one of North America's largest independent video game developers. It was acquired by Foundation 9 Entertainment in 2006, and in 2009 was merged with its former subsidiary Griptonite Games.
History
[edit]KnowWonder (1996-2001)
[edit]Amaze Entertainment, as KnowWonder, was founded by Dan Elenbaas in 1996 in Kirkland, Washington.[2] The company established itself as a developer of children's edutainment games with its self-published 1997 title The Totally Techie World of Young Dilbert, which was created to help children learn how to use computers.[2][3][4] However, at the time of the game's release, a price war between Hasbro Interactive, Mattel Interactive and The Learning Company lowered the prices of their offerings, leaving Young Dilbert unable to compete.[2]
Elenbaas then decided to begin developing for larger publishers, and entered a deal with Microsoft to develop titles based on The Magic School Bus. The first of these titles, The Magic School Bus Explores the World of Animals, was released on April 29, 1999,[5][6] and KnowWonder would develop a total of seven Magic School Bus titles up to 2001.[2][7] On May 2, KnowWonder announced that it had signed deals with Microsoft and Mattel to develop products for various digital platforms.[8] On November 1, KnowWonder announced its acquisition of the Seattle division of Realtime Associates.[9]
On January 3, 2000, KnowWonder began production on its first project for the upcoming Xbox console, announcing its development to coincide with the console's unveiling on March 10.[10] To accommodate its growth, KnowWonder moved to a 35,000 square foot facility in February 2000; the office was a few miles away from Microsoft and Nintendo of America.[11] The company's Xbox title, Azurik: Rise of Perathia, was released on November 20, 2001.[12] On November 16, KnowWonder released three video games based on Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone to coincide with the film's American premiere.[13]
Amaze Entertainment (2002-2009)
[edit]At the turn of 2001-02, the company was renamed Amaze Entertainment, while the branch responsible for personal computer titles retained the KnowWonder name. On March 12, 2002, Amaze Entertainment acquired Austin, Texas-based developer The Fizz Factor, which was formed from former Human Code employees.[14][15] In 2003, the KnowWonder studio won the Stevie Award for Best Creative Team in the inaugural American Business Awards.[16] By this time, the company was one of North America's largest independent video game developers, employing around 200 people.[2] In September 2003, it was named the second fastest-growing technology company in Washington by accounting firm Deloitte & Touche.[17]
Starting 2005, each production of the company (and its subordinate studios) would be signed under the Amaze Entertainment banner. In November 2006, the company was acquired by Foundation 9 Entertainment (F9E).[18][19] On July 21, 2008, F9E announced that the Amaze Entertainment brand would be split to promote the autonomy of its three studios, with the original Kirkland studio retaining the Amaze Entertainment name. At the time, Amaze Entertainment employed over 250 people.[1] In July 2009, F9E announced that, due to a slowdown in the video game industry, it would be closing The Fizz Factor and merging Amaze Entertainment and Griptonite Games. As stated by the company, these measures were aimed to align the company's production capacity with concurrent market conditions and maintain profitability and service quality for its partners and employees.[20]
Divisions
[edit]- KnowWonder – After the parent company was renamed Amaze Entertainment, the division responsible for PC productions of popular brands retained the name. The division was headed by Lindsay Gupton. The brand was discontinued in 2005.
- Griptonite Games (formerly Realtime Associates Seattle) – Founded by Steve Ettinger in 1994 and acquired in November 1999 by KnowWonder, this division was responsible for productions and ports for Nintendo handheld consoles. The division was headed by Steven Ettinger, and was sold in August 2011 to Glu Mobile.
- Adrenium Games – Founded in December 1999 in Kirkland, this division was responsible for next-gen productions, i.e. for new-generation consoles. The division was headed by Michael Waite. The brand was discontinued in 2005.
- The Fizz Factor – An Austin, Texas-based studio that was formed from former Human Code employees and acquired on March 12, 2002.[14][15] The division was headed by Rodney Gibbs and employed approximately 50 people. It closed in July 2009.
- Black Ship Games – A division established in April 2003 specifically for the Asian market that was headed by Scott K. Tsumura and was dissolved in 2005 after releasing its sole title, Digimon Rumble Arena 2.
- Amaze Entertainment - The division took over from KnowWonder and Adrenium Games in 2005, expanding its portfolio to include titles for the PlayStation Portable. Until 2006, Lindsay Gupton was the studio's CEO, and after him, Michael Waite took over. In July 2009, it was consolidated with Griptonite Games.
Games developed
[edit]As KnowWonder
[edit]| Year | Title | Platform(s) | Studio | Publisher(s) | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | The Totally Techie World of Young Dilbert | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS | KnowWonder | KnowWonder | [2] | |
| 1999 | The Magic School Bus Explores the World of Animals | Microsoft | ||||
| Easy-Bake Kitchen | Microsoft Windows | Hasbro Interactive | ||||
| My Interactive Notebook | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS | The Learning Company | ||||
| 2000 | The Magic School Bus Explores the World of Bugs | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS | KnowWonder | Microsoft | ||
| Heroes of Might and Magic | Game Boy Color | Realtime Associates Seattle | The 3DO Company | Published under the KnowWonder banner | ||
| Totally Angelica Boredom Buster | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS | KnowWonder | Mattel Interactive | |||
| The Magic School Bus in Concert | Microsoft | |||||
| The Magic School Bus Lands on Mars | ||||||
| Rugrats in Paris: The Movie | Microsoft Windows | Mattel Interactive | ||||
| HotWheels Slot Car Racing | ||||||
| Wild Thornberrys Animal Adventures | PlayStation | |||||
| Heroes of Might and Magic II | Game Boy Color | Realtime Associates Seattle | The 3DO Company | Published under the KnowWonder banner | ||
| 2001 | The Magic School Bus: Whales & Dolphins | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS | KnowWonder | Microsoft | ||
| The Magic School Bus Discovers Flight | ||||||
| The Magic School Bus: Volcano Adventure | ||||||
| Power Rangers Time Force | Microsoft Windows | THQ | ||||
| Cluefinders: The Incredible Toy Story | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS | The Learning Company | ||||
| Williams F1 Team Driver | Microsoft Windows | THQ | ||||
| Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS | KnowWonder | Electronic Arts | [21] | ||
| Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone | Game Boy Advance | Griptonite Games | [22] | |||
| Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone | Game Boy Color | [22] | ||||
| Azurik: Rise of Perathia | Xbox | Adrenium Games | Microsoft Game Studios |
As Amaze Entertainment
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "Kirkland-based Amaze Entertainment sets new branding strategy". Kirkland Reporter. Sound Publishing. August 6, 2008. Archived from the original on February 2, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f "GameDaily's Nightly Newsletter: Amaze Entertainment's CEO and Chairman Dan Elenbaas". GameDaily. May 1, 2003. Archived from the original on May 3, 2003. Retrieved September 21, 2022.
- ^ Angwin, Julia (September 21, 1997). "Software titles to feature some familiar faces". Lebanon Daily News. Lebanon, Pennsylvania.
- ^ "Young Dilbert's Class For Techie Tykes". Bloomberg. September 21, 1997. Retrieved September 21, 2022.
- ^ "What's New: Microsoft Ships Magic School Bus: Animals". Amaze Entertainment. April 29, 1999. Archived from the original on April 4, 2004. Retrieved September 21, 2022.
- ^ "Microsoft and The Magic School Bus Take Kids on a Wild Ride Into the World of Animals". Microsoft. April 29, 1999. Archived from the original on September 23, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2022.
- ^ "What's New: Microsoft releases Scholastic's The Magic School Bus Volcano Adventure Activity Center for Macintosh and Windows". Amaze Entertainment. May 30, 2001. Archived from the original on April 4, 2004. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ "What's New: KnowWonder Signs Major Clients to Multi-product, Multi-year Deals". Amaze Entertainment. May 2, 1999. Archived from the original on April 4, 2004. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ "What's New: KnowWonder Acquires Seattle Division of Realtime Associates". Amaze Entertainment. November 1, 1999. Archived from the original on April 4, 2004. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
- ^ Stelter, Brian (June 29, 2000). "Know This". IGN. Archived from the original on August 18, 2017. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
- ^ "What's New: KnowWonder Leases New Facilities". Amaze Entertainment. February 10, 2000. Archived from the original on April 4, 2004. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
- ^ "What's New: Azurik: Rise of Perathia Ships". Amaze Entertainment. May 2, 1999. Archived from the original on April 4, 2004. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
- ^ Ahmed, Shahed (November 13, 2001). "Harry Potter games ship". GameSpot. CNET Networks. Archived from the original on November 20, 2001. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
- ^ a b "What's New: The Fizz Factor, headquartered in Austin, TX, today joined with Amaze Entertainment to become our fourth game studio". Amaze Entertainment. March 12, 2002. Archived from the original on April 4, 2004. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
- ^ a b Hawkins, Lori (June 23, 2003). "Putting the fizz back into Austin gaming". Austin American-Statesman. pp. D1, D5.
- ^ "2003 Team Category Stevie Winners & Finalists". The American Business Awards. Stevie Awards. Archived from the original on June 30, 2003. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
- ^ Gillis, Cydney (September 19, 2003). "Amaze Entertainment makes Deloitte `Fast 50'; Kirkland video game company ranks No. 2". King County Journal. Horvitz Newspapers. Archived from the original on April 5, 2004. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
- ^ "Foundation 9 Amazed". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. November 14, 2006. Archived from the original on January 31, 2015. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
- ^ Martin, Matt (November 15, 2006). "Foundation 9 acquires Amaze Entertainment". GamesIndustry. Archived from the original on February 1, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ^ Takahashi, Dean (July 22, 2009). "Foundation 9 Entertainment cuts costs and staff in game studios". VentureBeat. Archived from the original on May 29, 2011. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ^ KnowWonder (November 16, 2001). Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Windows and Mac OS). Electronic Arts. Level/area: Credits.
- ^ a b "Griptonite Games: What We Do". Griptonite Games. Archived from the original on December 16, 2002. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
- ^ Harris, Craig (April 19, 2007). "Crash of the Titans First Look". IGN. Archived from the original on October 11, 2007. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
- ^ Benjamin, Paul (October 29, 2008). "Postmortem: Fizz Factor's The Incredible Hulk". Game Developer. Informa. Archived from the original on August 27, 2021. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
- 1996 establishments in Washington (state)
- 2006 mergers and acquisitions
- 2009 disestablishments in Washington (state)
- American companies established in 1996
- Defunct companies based in Kirkland, Washington
- Defunct video game companies of the United States
- Video game companies based in Washington (state)
- Video game companies established in 1996
- Video game companies disestablished in 2009