List of Crystal Dynamics video games

Crystal Dynamics is an American video game developer that was founded in 1992 by Madeline Canepa, Judy Lange, and Dave Morse. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, California, Crystal Dynamics was the first licensed developer for the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer console.[1] Their first release, Crash 'n Burn, was included as a pack-in game with the console.[2] The 3DO's launch during the 1993 Christmas season was a commercial failure, severely damaging Crystal Dynamics' software strategy.[1] In 1994, the company became a publisher for two new gaming platforms, the PlayStation and the Sega Saturn.[1] The studio was acquired by Eidos Interactive, a British video game publisher, in 1998, which was in turn bought by Square Enix in 2009.[3]

Crystal Dynamics is best known for developing the Legacy of Kain and Gex series.[1] Although the first Legacy of Kain video game was developed by Silicon Knights,[4] Crystal Dynamics gained the rights to the franchise in 1998[5] and released four sequels between 1999 and 2003. In 2003, the studio took over the development of the best-selling Tomb Raider franchise[6] after its original developer, Core Design, failed to gain critical or commercial success with their later games.[7][8] Crystal Dynamics' first Tomb Raider game, Tomb Raider: Legend, became a commercial success with 4.5 million copies sold as of February 2009.[9] Its sequel, Tomb Raider: Underworld, sold 2.6 million copies.[9] Since 2003, the studio has developed five games in the series, encompassing two reboots of the franchise.[10]

  1. ^ a b c d "Crystal Dynamics". InterGames. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
  2. ^ "Shelley Duvall's It's a Bird's Life". Entertainment Weekly. January 14, 1994. Archived from the original on October 22, 2014. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
  3. ^ Ransom, James (July 7, 2009). "Eidos dissolved into 'Square Enix Europe', layoffs likely". Joystiq. AOL Inc. Archived from the original on October 13, 2012. Retrieved March 20, 2012.
  4. ^ "SK: The Complete Guide To Legacy of Kain - Behind The Scenes". Silicon Knights. Archived from the original on December 18, 2012. Retrieved December 12, 2012.
  5. ^ Casamassina, Matt (October 19, 2000). "The Art of Making Games". IGN. Archived from the original on November 17, 2012. Retrieved October 31, 2012.
  6. ^ "Eidos dumps Core, shifts Tomb Raider development". Spong. July 30, 2003. Archived from the original on June 10, 2015. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
  7. ^ Dormer, Dan (June 16, 2006). "Rebellion Purchases Core Design". 1UP.com. IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on June 10, 2015. Retrieved December 9, 2012.
  8. ^ Snow, Blake (February 3, 2006). "Tomb Raider: Legend, it's a date!". Joystiq. AOL Inc. Archived from the original on January 27, 2015. Retrieved December 9, 2012.
  9. ^ a b "Eidos plc half-yearly financial report for the six months ended 31 December 2008". FE Investegate. March 8, 2009. Archived from the original on March 8, 2009. Retrieved March 20, 2012.
  10. ^ Brown, Nathan (May 3, 2011). "Crystal Dynamics: Tomb Raider Reboot". Edge. Future Publishing Limited. Archived from the original on April 3, 2013. Retrieved December 10, 2012.