Swingin' Ape Studios was a game development studio that worked on the development of StarCraft: Ghost.
History[]
Swingin' Ape released Metal Arms: Glitch in the System in 2003, receiving critical acclaim and catching Blizzard's attention. Thus, Blizzard handed development of Ghost to Swingin' Ape in July, 2004, after Nihilistic Software was taken off the project. Reportedly, Swingin' Ape was chosen primarily for multiplayer reasons.[1] Additionally, many Swingin' Ape staff members were friends with their counterparts at Blizzard, and the two companies' offices were located only 20 minutes drive apart.[2]
Reportedly, Swingin' Ape's early development of the game went well, as feedback between the two studios became more regular. Blizzard bought the studio outright in May, 2005. Initially, Swingin' Ape worked in facilities separate from Blizzard proper. The game was showcased at BlizzCon 2005, but the game was canceled in 2006.[1] By this point, Swingin' Ape was operating as Blizzard's console division.[2]
The console division formed from Swingin' Ape closed in 2006; World of Warcraft had reached 8 million subscribers, and consequently, needed additional staff. Some Swingin' Ape members joined Team 2, others were laid off or quit.[2]
Blizzard acquired the Metal Arms trademark in June, 2014.[3]
Known Members[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 July, 2016, STARCRAFT: GHOST: WHAT WENT WRONG. Polygon, accessed on 2016-07-08
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Schreier, Jason. Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Blizzard Entertainment. Grand Central Publishing.
- ↑ 2014-06-11, Blizzard Entertainment Acquires Metal Arms Trademark. Blizzplanet, accessed on 2015-03-17