Egosoft
 | |
| Formerly | Ego Software (1988–2006) |
|---|---|
| Company type | Private |
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | 1988 |
| Founder | Bernd Lehahn |
| Headquarters | , |
Key people | Bernd Lehahn (CEO) |
| Products | X series |
Number of employees | 20[1] (2020) |
| Website | egosoft |
Egosoft GmbH (formerly Ego Software) is a German video game developer based in Würselen, Germany. The company was founded by Bernd Lehahn in 1988.
Egosoft is best known for its X series of video games,[2] a series of space simulator games noted for combining open-ended gameplay, dynamic market-driven economy and compelling storyline.[3][4] The series began in 1999 with X: Beyond the Frontier. Since then, the series has expanded with three sequels and three standalone expansions; the latest being X4: Foundations, released 30 November 2018.[citation needed]
History[edit]
Egosoft was founded in Würselen by Bernd Lehahn in 1988, making it the oldest active video game company in Germany.[5] Its first game, Hotel Detective, was released for the Amiga in June 1988.[6]
In 2000, Egosoft planned a multiplayer online game called Online Universe or X Online. This project was intended to be "the next step in the evolution of Egosoft's X universe."[7] Egosoft has since released a number of games, yet has given little indication of the progress of this project. In 2003, Egosoft staff were working on a later version—codenamed X2OL—which Egosoft chief executive officer Bernd Lehahn described as their "long-term goal."[8][9] There is still no official information on the Online Universe, though there has been speculation that X2 and X3's 2007 uplink feature may be a positive spin-off of the project.[10]
In late 2009, Egosoft announced that Terran Conflict completed the story started in X: Beyond the Frontier, taken by some to mean the end of the franchise. However, in March 2011 they announced on their X-Universe forums that they would be attending FedCon XX in Düsseldorf on 28 April 2011, and would show preview footage of their current project,[11] previously only referred to by the codename TNBT (The Next Big Thing). However, on 20 April 2011, they released a trailer officially announcing X Rebirth, initially slated for a Q4 2011 release. X Rebirth will take place in the X Universe after a major catastrophe (the shutdown of the series' network of jump gates, thus starting a new chapter in the X Universe separate from the original plot line. Rebirth missed its first two proposed release dates (Q4 2011 and 2012) and was eventually released 15 November 2013.[12]
Games developed[edit]
| Year | Title | Platform(s) | Publisher(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Hotel Detective | Amiga | Euroline | |
| 1990 | Fatal Heritage | Delta Konzept | ||
| R1 R2 | Promotional game for Reemtsma | |||
| 1991 | Aquarius Game | Promotional game for Aquarius | ||
| Pepsi: All Over the World | Promotional game for Pepsi | |||
| 1992 | Light American Spacegame | Promotional game for Philip Morris International | ||
| Come Together (Around the World) | Promotional game for Peter Stuyvesant | |||
| Ugh! | Play Byte | |||
| 1993 | Elefanten! | Promotion Software | Promotional game for World Wide Fund for Nature | |
| Ketchup Connection | Amiga, MS-DOS | Promotional game for Kraft Ketchup | ||
| Flies: Attack on Earth | Rainbow Arts | |||
| 1994 | Balduin: Run for Fun | MS-DOS | Delta Konzept | Promotional game for the Techniker Krankenkasse |
| Abenteuer Europa | Tevox | Promotional game for the Social Democratic Party of Germany | ||
| 1995 | Heiermanns Return | Promotional game for the Sparkasse of Gelsenkirchen | ||
| 1996 | Imperium Romanum | Rainbow Arts | ||
| No Future? | Microsoft Windows | Delta Konzept | Promotional game for the Umweltbundesamt | |
| 1999 | Power Pool | Data Becker | ||
| X: Beyond the Frontier | THQ, Egosoft | Entry in the X video game series | ||
| 2000 | X-Tension | |||
| 2003 | X2: The Threat | Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows | Deep Silver, Egosoft | |
| 2005 | X3: Reunion | |||
| 2008 | X3: Terran Conflict | |||
| 2011 | X3: Albion Prelude | |||
| 2013 | X Rebirth | Egosoft | ||
| 2014 | X Rebirth: The Teladi Outpost | DLC for X Rebirth | ||
| 2016 | X Rebirth: Home of Light | |||
| 2017 | X Rebirth: VR Edition | Microsoft Windows | ||
| 2018 | X4: Foundations[13] | Linux, Microsoft Windows | Entry in the X video game series | |
| 2020 | X4: Split Vendetta[14] | DLC for X4: Foundations | ||
| 2021 | X3: Farnham's Legacy[15] | Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows | Entry in the X video game series | |
| 2021 | X4: Cradle of Humanity[16] | Linux, Microsoft Windows | DLC for X4: Foundations | |
| 2022 | X4: Tides of Avarice[17] | Linux, Microsoft Windows | ||
| 2023 | X4: Kingdom End | Linux, Microsoft Windows |
References[edit]
- ^ Fröhlich, Petra (10 January 2020). "Die größten Spiele-Entwickler in Deutschland 2020" [The largest game developers in Germany 2020]. GamesWirtschaft (in German).
- ^ Josh Venning (25 January 2006). "X3 Reunion: New Rolling Demo Tested". AnandTech. AnandTech. Retrieved 11 February 2008.
- ^ Wrentmore, John (12 December 2003). "X2 - The Threat Review". GameZone. GameZone Online. Archived from the original on 19 February 2008. Retrieved 11 February 2008.
- ^ Reed, Kristan (6 November 2005). "X3: Reunion". EuroGamer. Eurogamer Network Ltd. Retrieved 11 February 2008.
- ^ "Die 30 ältesten Games-Studios in Deutschland - Update". 29 June 2017.
- ^ Xenon_Slayer (5 June 2018). "30 Years of EGOSOFT games – June 2018 Celebration Month!". Egosoft. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
- ^ "ONLINE-UNIVERSE". Online Universe (Official Page). Retrieved 11 February 2008.
- ^ Stokky (10 May 2003). "Interview: X2 - The Threat". playfuls.com. Archived from the original on 6 October 2008. Retrieved 11 February 2008.
- ^ Presley, Paul (19 April 2003). "PC Preview: X2: The Threat". PC Zone. Future Publishing Limited. Retrieved 11 February 2008.
- ^ Caesar S. (3 January 2008). "Egosoft updates X3: Reunion, X2: The Threat". QJ.net. Content Holdings, LLC. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 11 February 2008.
- ^ "TNBT will soon be officially unveiled!!".
- ^ BurnIt!. "X Rebirth - The wait is almost over!". Egosoft.com forums. Egosoft GmbH. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
- ^ O'Connor, Alice (1 October 2018). "X4: Foundations blasting off in November". Rock Paper Shotgun. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
- ^ Vega, Sin (April 2020). "X4: Foundations gets a major update and expansion with Split Vendetta". Rock, Paper, Shotgun.
- ^ ""From April Fool's joke to May release: Unveiling X3: Farnham's Legacy" - Games Press". www.gamespress.com. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ "X4: Foundations - New Expansion, Cradle of Humanity Announced - IGN".
- ^ "X4: Foundations - New Expansion, Tides of Avarice Announced".
External links[edit]
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