Total Annihilation

This article is about the 1997 real-time strategy video game. For the compilation album by Annihilator, see Total Annihilation (album).
Total Annihilation
Developer(s)Cavedog Entertainment
Publisher(s)
Producer(s)Ron Gilbert[4]
Designer(s)Chris Taylor
Artist(s)Clayton Kauzlaric[5]
Composer(s)Jeremy Soule
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows, Mac OS
Release
  • UK: September 25, 1997[2]
  • NA: September 27, 1997[1]
Genre(s)Real-time strategy
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Total Annihilation is a science fiction real-time strategy video game released in September 1997 for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS by Cavedog Entertainment and distributed internationally by GT Interactive.[6] Two expansion packs were released in 1998, The Core Contingency on April 29 and Battle Tactics on July 20, while a medieval-themed spin-off called Total Annihilation: Kingdoms was released on June 25, 1999.

Rights to the game passed to Infogrames (later Atari) following the 1999 acquisition and closure of Cavedog Entertainment's parent company, Humongous Entertainment. In July 2013, Wargaming bought the Total Annihilation franchise from Atari's bankruptcy proceedings.[7]

Total Annihilation has been re-released on Steam and GOG, but is no longer actively supported. The creators of XTA, a mod for Total Annihilation, independently developed the open-source 3D graphics Spring game engine.[8] The Total Annihilation 3D project began in 2006.[9] Former lead designer Chris Taylor went on to found Gas Powered Games which created Supreme Commander in 2007, considered the "spiritual successor" of Total Annihilation.[10]

  1. ^ "Cavedog Entertainment's Sept. 27 Debut of Total Annihilation™ (found in press release archive". 1998-11-11. Archived from the original on 2000-03-04. Retrieved 2023-04-15.
  2. ^ "PC World - The Latest Games Now Available". The Independent. September 25, 1997. p. 14. Retrieved December 11, 2023. Microsoft Flight Simulator 98 - New £39.99
  3. ^ "Total Annihilation jewel case (back)". MobyGames. Blue Flame Labs. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  4. ^ "Let Sleeping Dogs Die". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. 28 February 2000. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  5. ^ Kauzlaric, Clayton (2006-09-10). "TA-ncient History #.05: The Happy Layoff". Ton of Clay. Retrieved 2011-03-26.
  6. ^ "GameSpot Total Annihilation page". Gamespot. 17 May 2006. Retrieved June 21, 2010.
  7. ^ Solo, Adam (2013-07-23). "Wargaming Takes Master of Orion, Stardock Gets Star Control". spacesector.com. Retrieved 2014-05-15.
  8. ^ "The Spring Project". springrts.com. Retrieved March 19, 2012.
  9. ^ "TA3D Game". Unknown. Retrieved February 18, 2011.
  10. ^ Supreme Commander Q&A at gamespot.com (2005)