Microids: Француздық бейне ойын компаниясының тарихы

French video game developer and publisher

Microids (formerly Microïds) is a French video game developer and publisher based in Paris. Founded in 1985 by Elliot Grassiano, it attained early success with games published through Loriciel in France and other partners (including Activision and Broderbund) in international markets. Through expanding its staff and development teams, Microïds generated funds to expand from just development to publishing and distribution and opening international offices. The company merged with MC2 in 2003 to create MC2 Microïds, whereafter it acquired publishers Wanadoo Edition and Cryo Interactive. Grassiano left MC2 Microïds in 2005; under new management, MC2 Microïds was briefly renamed MC2 before returning to the old Microïds name. It was then acquired by Anuman Interactive in 2010, which itself was renamed Microïds (then simplified to Microids) in 2019.

Microïds was founded by Elliot Grassiano, a French programmer. He was educated at the Lycée Louis le Grand school from 1972 to 1974 and later studied engineering, electronics, and computers at the École nationale supérieure d'arts et métiers. He started working as an engineer for the defence system company SAGEM in 1979. By the 1980s, Grassiano had become interested in telecommunications, consumer electronics, and video games. He acquired a Thomson MO5 model home computer, which he used to create his first game, Space Shuttle Simulator. The game was published by Loriciel and released to both critical and commercial success. Subsequently, Grassiano quit his job to establish his own company. He formally founded Microïds in 1985, setting it up in Vélizy Villacoublay, a suburb of Paris. He was aided in these efforts by Loriciel's founders, Laurent Weill and Marc Bayle, as well as Patrick Le Nestour, another engineer. The name "Microïds" was a portmanteau of "microinformatique" ("micro informatics") and "androids". Within its first year of operation, the company grew to five people, with Grassiano in the managerial role. Initially, Microïds set out to create consumer robotics projects before shifting its focus solely to video games. The first Microïds developed game was Air Attack, released by Loriciel for the Thomson MO5 to moderate commercial success. Early adventure games developed by Microïds include Oceania (developed by Le Nestour and released in 1985 for the Thomson MO5 and TO7) and Les Pyramides D'Atlantys (developed by Luc Thibaud and released for the Amstrad CPC in 1986). Air Attack provided the groundwork for subsequent Microïds games, such as 500 cc Grand Prix for the Amstrad CPC, which debuted in 1986. This game was the company's first breakthrough title, partially driven by the CPC's success in France. By way of a deal between Loriciel and Activision, the game was also released in the UK, it was also released in the US, and it was later ported to other systems, such as the Atari ST. The American market appeared especially viable for Microïds, who believed that game sales would vastly outnumber the domestic ones. For this reason, it partnered with the American publisher Broderbund in 1987, which released several Microïds games in the country, partially under altered names. In return, Microïds managed sales of Broderbund's games, notably Prince of Persia and Karateka in France. In 2004, MC2 Microïds proceeded to close Microïds UK, while Microïds Italia spun off as Blue Label Entertainment. Later that year, Grassiano left MC2 Microïds due to internal disagreements. He was succeeded by Index+ founder Emmanuel Olivier, who was named chief executive officer (CEO). In 2008, Microïds further acquired the assets and intellectual property of bankrupt publisher Cryo Interactive. The acquisition was completed on 1 January 2010, after which Microïds continued operating as a division of Anuman. Alongside the acquisition, Olivier left the company. A sub label for non adventure games, Microïds Games for All, was launched the same year. In July 2019, the Microïds label name was simplified to "Microids". That October, Microids announced that Anuman would be renamed "Microids", with Anuman CEO Stéphane Longeard becoming the CEO of Microids, co managing it with Grassiano. Microids also opened a Japanese office run by Martial Meyssignac and Yves Bléhaut, and strengthened the Microids Indie label with a dedicated team managed by Vincent Dondaine. A distribution arm, Microids Distribution France, was established in December 2020.

Microids has had a minority stake in OSome Studio since April 2022.

+ List of games developed and/or published by Microids Date Title Ref. (References) 1986Grand Prix 500 cc 1986Rodeo 1986Demonia 1987Superbike Challenge 1987Downhill Challenge / Super Ski 1989Highway Patrol 1989Chicago 90 1990Highway Patrol 2 1990Super Ski 2 1990Eagle's Rider 1991Sliders 1991Killerball 1991Grand Prix 500 2 1992Nicky Boom 1993Action Sport 1993Super Sport Challenge 1993Genesia/Ultimate Domain 1993Nicky 2 1994Super Ski 3 1994Ultimate Domain 1994Carlos 1995Fort Boyard The Challenge 1996Evidence: The Last Report 1996Secret Mission 1997Saban's Iznogoud 1997Des chiffres et des lettres 1997Rising Lands 1998Shogo: Mobile Armor Division 1999Amerzone: The Explorer's Legacy 1999Corsairs: Conquest at Sea 1999Dracula: Resurrection 1999Speed Demons 2000Empire of the Ants 2000Far Gate 2000Warm Up! 2001Fort Boyard 2001Monster Racer 2001Road to India: Between Hell and Nirvana 2001Open Kart 2001Tennis Masters Series 2001Times of Conflict 2001Druuna: Morbus Gravis 2001Snow cross, developed by Vicarious Visions 2001X'treme Roller 2002Kohan: Battles of Ahriman 2002Syberia 2002Post Mortem 2002War and Peace: 1796–1815 2002Warrior Kings 2002Casper 2004Jack the Ripper 2004Syberia II 2005Still Life 2005Jules Verne's Journey to the Center of the Moon 2006Dangerous Heaven: The Legend of the Ark Sinking Island 2007Nostradamus: The Last Prophecy 2008Dracula 3 The Path of the Dragon 2009Still Life 2 2009Return to Mysterious Island II 2011Red Johnson's Chronicles 2012Red Johnson's Chronicles One Against All 2012Crazy Cars: Hit the Road 2013Louisiana Adventure 2013Nicolas Eymerich, The Inquisitor: Book 1 The Plague 2013Dracula 4: The Shadow of the Dragon 2013Dream Chamber 2013Dracula 5: The Blood Legacy 20149 Elefants 2015Nicolas Eymerich, The Inquisitor: Book 2 The Village 2015Subject 13 2016Agatha Christie: The ABC Murders 2016The Descendant 2016Moto Racer 4 2016Yesterday Origins 2017Syberia III 2017Gear. Club Unlimited 2018Asterix & Obelix XXL 2 2018Toki 2019Asterix & Obelix XXL 3: The Cristal Menhir 2019Blacksad: Under the Skin 2020Asterix & Obelix XXL Romastered 2020The Bluecoats: North & South 2020Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? 2020XIII 2021Beyond a Steel Sky 2021The Smurfs: Mission Vileaf 2021Marsupilami: Hoobadventure 2021Asterix & Obelix: Slap Them All! 2021Alfred Hitchcock – Vertigo 2021F. I. S. T.: Forged In Shadow Torch 2022Syberia: The World Before 2022Asterix & Obelix XXXL: The Ram From Hibernia 2022Arkanoid: Eternal Battle 2022Garfield: Lasagna Party 2022Smurfs Kart 2022New Joe & Mac: Caveman Ninja 2023Scrap Riders 2023Operation Wolf Returns: First Mission 2023Tintin Reporter: Cigars of the Pharaoh 2023Flashback 2 2023Inspector Gadget: Mad Time Party 2023Dolphin Spirit: Ocean Mission 2023UFO Robot Grendizer: The Feast of the Wolves 2023Agatha Christie Murder on the Orient Express 2024Amerzone: The Explorer's Legacy remake 2024Unnamed Totally Spies game