NetDevil

Basic Information
Company Type	N/A}
Company Industry	N/A
Company Status	Active
Foundation	1997
Products	Jumpgate, Auto Assault, Warmonger, LEGO Universe, Jumpgate Evolution
Location(s)
Louisville, Colorado, U.S

NetDevil, owned by Gazillion Entertainment, is an American developer of massively multiplayer online role-playing games in Louisville, Colorado.

History

Beginnings

NetDevil was founded in 1997 by Scott Brown, Peter Grundy and Steven Williams in Louisville, a suburb north of Denver, Colorado. Before forming NetDevil, Brown, Grundy, and Williams worked at Digital Creators, an information technology firm located in Boulder, Colorado. The three dreamed of being creators of their own digital worlds, and began developing Jumpgate, a space-based flight simulator MMO, during their spare evenings and weekends. After a year of part-time work, they quit their jobs and started NetDevil, headquartered in the basement of Scott Brown's home. Their first proper office was 750 square feet (70 m²), sub-leased from friends with another technology company. In an interview with GameDaily, Scott Brown shared that at one point they had fourteen people packed into one big room.

According to the company's website, the name NetDevil was chosen as a name because of the "owners' obsession with cool scary things that live in the deep dark waters of the world". All of the company's principals are certified SCUBA divers, including one certified dive master.

New location

In June 2007, NetDevil announced that they'd completed moving into their new location in Louisville, Colorado, a nearly 30,000 sq ft (2,800 m²) office facility which includes a professional sound studio, user testing facility and LEGO model shop. To celebrate their 10th year anniversary, they hosted a party at their new location.

Acquisition by Gazillion Entertainment

In July 2008, NetDevil was purchased by game publisher Gazillion Entertainment, though this fact was not made public until March 2009.

Products

Released

Jumpgate (2001) – A massively multiplayer online flight simulator set in space. Though it was initially published by 3DO, NetDevil regained control of the game after 3DO's bankruptcy in 2003.

Auto Assault (2006) – A massively multiplayer online game that combined vehicular combat with role-playing elements, allowing the player to explore a post-apocalyptic future in customizable cars, motorcycles, semis, and tanks inspired by the Mad Max series of films. It was published by NCsoft, and shut down in 2007.

Warmonger: Operation Downtown Destruction (2007) – An apocalyptic, first-person shooter (FPS), built around the AGEIA PhysX processor with Unreal Engine 3. It features a piece-by-piece destruction system and fluid and cloth-based effects.

In development

Lego Universe – In March 2007, the Lego Group announced it had commenced a working relationship with NetDevil to develop a massively multiplayer online gaming experience to further engage its dedicated and active community. Initially slated to release in mid-2008, it has since been rescheduled for release on October 12th, 2010.. Featuring role-play elements as well as social interactivity in a child-safe environment, LEGO Universe's goal is to "unite the fun, quality and creativity of a LEGO product with a virtual environment’s imaginative play possibilities!".

Jumpgate Evolution – In June 2007, NetDevil announced plans for Jumpgate Evolution, a remake of NetDevil's first project, the classic MMO Jumpgate. The space-based title will be getting a massive graphical revamp, along with many new features. In December 2007, NetDevil announced the launch of a website for Jumpgate Evolution containing backstory written by Keith Baker, in-game footage, screenshots and video, community forums, and a fan site kit available for download.

External links

• NetDevil's website
• Gazillion Entertainment's website
• Interview with Peter Grundy on FileFront.com
• LEGO Universe Website
• Official Jumpgate Evolution website
• Warmonger: Downtown Destruction's website

Template:Video game companies of the United States