Blizzard Albany

2013-03-21T13:48:02Z

200.101.111.196:

{{Refimprove|date=August 2007}}
{{Infobox company
| company_name = Vicarious Visions
| company_logo =
| caption =
| company_type = [[Subsidiary]] of [[Activision]]
| company_slogan =
| foundation = [[1990 in video gaming|1990]]
| location = [[Menands, New York]], [[United States]]
| key_people = Karthik Bala and Guha Bala
| industry = [[Video game industry|Computer and video games]]
| products = [[Crash Bandicoot (series)|''Crash Bandicoot'' series]] (2012) [[Skylanders|''Skylanders'' series]] (2011-present) [[Guitar Hero|''Guitar Hero'' series]] (2007–2010)
| revenue =
| owner = [[Vivendi]]
| num_employees = 200+ developers, additional QA and temporary
| parent = [[Activision]]
| homepage = [http://www.vvisions.com/ Official site]
}}
'''Vicarious Visions''' is an [[United States|American]] [[video game developer]]. Vicarious Visions's games accounted for over 2.5 billion dollars in retail sales and over 40 million units of its software have been sold worldwide. The headquarters of Vicarious Visions is located in [[Menands, New York]].

==Studio history==
The studio was founded by brothers Karthik and Guha Bala in 1990 while both were in high school.

In the late 1990s, Vicarious Visions appointed Michael Marvin, an Albany based investor and entrepreneur and founder and former CEO of [[MapInfo]]; and Charles S. Jones, investor, who sat on the boards of various software and industrial companies including Geac and [[MRO Software|PSDI]], to its board of directors. Under their leadership, a sale of the company was negotiated to [[Activision]], earning the original investors over 20x their initial investment.

In January 2005, Vicarious Visions was acquired by publisher [[Activision]].

==Game history==
''[[Terminus (2000 video game)|Terminus]]'', an online multiplayer space trading and combat simulation game, won two [[Independent Games Festival]] Awards in 1999. They became known as a leading developer of handheld games breaking ground by the [[Tony Hawk (series)|''Tony Hawk's'' series]], developing every [[Game Boy Advance]] and [[Nintendo DS]] title in the franchise's main series as well as one spin off. They are also well known for many games including ''[[Spider-Man (2000 video game)|Spider-Man]]'', ''[[Spider-Man 2 (video game)|Spider-Man 2]]'', ''[[Ultimate Spider-Man (video game)|Ultimate Spider-Man]]'', ''[[Crash Nitro Kart]]'', ''[[Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast|Jedi Knight II]]'', ''[[Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy|Jedi Academy]]'', and ''[[Doom 3]]'' for the Xbox. Vicarious Visions developed for the [[Guitar Hero|''Guitar Hero'' series]] on the Nintendo DS and [[Wii]] platforms. For ''[[Guitar Hero: On Tour series|Guitar Hero: On Tour]]'', Vicarious Visions created the "Guitar Grip" peripheral for the Nintendo DS, which emulates the guitar controller for the portable system.

It was revealed on June 10, 2011, that Vicarious Visions was working on the 3DS version of ''[[Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/impressions/26739|title=Report: Job Losses At Vicarious Visions|author=|publisher=Nintendo World Report}}</ref>

In 2011 it was announced that Vicarious Visions is working on three unknown projects.<ref>{{cite web|last=Makuch|first=Eddie|title=Vicarious Visions working on Wii U|url=http://uk.gamespot.com/news/vicarious-visions-working-on-wii-u-6337307|publisher=Gamespot}}</ref>

==Games developed==
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:550px; border="1"
|-
! Year !! Video Game !! Platforms
|-
| [[1996 in games|1996]] || ''[[Synnergist]]'' || [[Personal computer|PC]]
|-
| [[1997 in games|1997]] || ''[[Dark Angael]]'' || PC
|-
| [[1999 in games|1999]] || ''[[Vigilante 8]]'' || [[Game Boy Color]]
|-
| 1999 || ''[[Zebco Fishing!]]'' || Game Boy Color
|-
| 2000 || ''[[Blue's Clues (video game)|Blue's Clues]]'':Alphabet Book || Game Boy Color
|-
| 2000 || ''[[Rescue Heroes (video game)|Rescue Heroes]]'': Fire Frenzy || Game Boy Color
|-
| 2000 || ''[[Barbie (video game)|Barbie]]'': Magic Genie Adventure || Game Boy Color
|-
| 2000 || ''[[The Wild Thornberrys: Rambler]]'' || Game Boy Color
|-
| 2000 || ''[[Spider-Man (2000 video game)|Spider-Man]]'' || Game Boy Color
|-
| 2000 || ''[[Terminus (2000 video game)|Terminus]]'' || [[Linux]], [[Mac OS X]], PC
|-
| 2000 || ''[[Polaris Snowcross]]'' || Game Boy Color, [[Nintendo 64]], PC, [[PlayStation]]
|-
| 2000 || ''[[Pro Darts]]'' || Game Boy Color
|-
| 2001 || ''[[Snowcross (video game)|Snowcross]]'' || Game Boy Color, PC
|-
| 2001 || ''[[Monsters, Inc. (video game)|Monsters, Inc.]]'' || Game Boy Color
|-
| 2001 || ''[[Zoboomafoo]]: Playtime in Zobooland'' || Game Boy Color
|-
| 2001 || ''[[Kelly Club: Clubhouse Fun]]'' || Game Boy Color
|-
| 2001 || ''[[Spider-Man: Mysterio's Menace]]'' || [[Game Boy Advance]]
|-
| 2001 || ''[[Power Rangers: Time Force (video game)|Power Rangers: Time Force]]'' || Game Boy Advance
|-
| 2001 || ''[[Spider-Man 2: Enter Electro]]'' || PlayStation
|-
| 2001 || ''[[Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2]]'' || Game Boy Advance
|-
| 2001 || ''[[Sea-Doo Hydrocross]]'' || Game Boy Color, Nintendo 64, PlayStation
|-
| 2001 || ''[[Jimmy White's Cue Ball]]'' || Game Boy Color
|-
| 2001 || ''[[SpongeBob SquarePants: Legend of the Lost Spatula]]'' || Game Boy Color
|-
| 2002 || ''[[Whiteout (video game)|Whiteout]]'' || PC, [[PlayStation 2|PS2]], [[Xbox]]
|-
| 2002 || ''[[Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast]]'' || [[Gamecube]], Xbox
|-
| 2002 || ''[[Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4]]'' || Game Boy Advance, PlayStation, Wireless
|-
| 2002 || ''[[SpongeBob SquarePants: Revenge of the Flying Dutchman]]'' || Game Boy Advance
|-
| 2002 || ''[[Frogger Advance: The Great Quest]]'' || Game Boy Advance
|-
| 2002 || ''[[Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3]]'' || Game Boy Advance
|-
| 2002 || ''[[Crash Bandicoot: The Huge Adventure]]'' || Game Boy Advance
|-
| 2002 || ''[[The Powerpuff Girls]]: HIM & Seek'' || Game Boy Advance
|-
| 2003 || ''[[The Muppets: On with the Show!]]'' || Game Boy Advance, PC
|-
| 2003 || ''[[Spy Muppets: License to Croak]]'' || Game Boy Advance, PC
|-
| 2003 || ''[[Crash Bandicoot 2: N-Tranced]] '' || Game Boy Advance
|-
| 2003 || ''[[Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy]]'' || Xbox
|-
| 2003 || ''[[Crash Nitro Kart]]'' || GameCube, Game Boy Advance, N-Gage, PS2, Xbox
|-
| 2003 || ''[[Finding Nemo (video game)|Finding Nemo]]'' || Game Boy Advance
|-
| 2003 || ''[[Disney's Brother Bear]]'' || Game Boy Advance
|-
| 2003 || ''[[Bruce Lee: Return of the Legend]]'' || Game Boy Advance
|-
| 2003 || ''[[X2: Wolverine's Revenge]]'' || Game Boy Advance
|-
| 2003 || ''[[Tony Hawk's Underground]]'' || Game Boy Advance
|-
| 2003 || ''[[SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom]]'' || Game Boy Advance
|-
| 2003 || ''[[Disney's The Lion King 1½]]'' || Game Boy Advance
|-
| 2003 || ''[[Joker's Wild (video game)|Joker's Wild]]'' || Wireless
|-
| 2003 || ''[[Disney's Extreme Skate Adventure]]'' || Game Boy Advance
|-
| 2003 || ''[[Jet Grind Radio (Game Boy Advance)|Jet Grind Radio]]'' || Game Boy Advance
|-
| 2004 || ''[[Kids Next Door: Operation S.O.D.A.]]'' || Game Boy Advance
|-
| 2004 || ''[[Shrek 2: Beg For Mercy!]]'' || Game Boy Advance
|-
| 2004 || ''[[That's So Raven]]'' || Game Boy Advance
|-
| 2004 || ''[[Tony Hawk's Underground 2]]'' || Game Boy Advance
|-
| 2004 || ''[[Shark Tale (video game)|Shark Tale]]'' || Game Boy Advance, Wireless
|-
| 2004 || ''[[Crash Bandicoot Purple: Ripto's Rampage]]'' || Game Boy Advance
|-
| 2004 || ''[[Spyro Orange: The Cortex Conspiracy]]'' || Game Boy Advance
|-
| 2004 || ''[[Shrek 2 (video game)|Shrek 2]]'' || Game Boy Advance
|-
| 2004 || ''[[Crosswords by VV]]'' || Wireless
|-
| 2004 || ''[[Rivet]]'' || Wireless
|-
| 2004 || ''[[Static Shock]]'' || Game Boy Advance
|-
| 2005 || ''[[Tony Hawk's American Sk8land]]'' || Game Boy Advance, [[Nintendo DS]]
|-
| 2005 || ''[[Madagascar: Operation Penguin]]'' || Game Boy Advance
|-
| 2005 || ''[[X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse]]'' || [[PlayStation Portable|PSP]]
|-
| 2005 || ''[[Ultimate Spider-Man (video game)|Ultimate Spider-Man]]'' || Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS
|-
| 2005 || ''[[Batman Begins (video game)|Batman Begins]]'' || Game Boy Advance
|-
| 2005 || ''[[Madagascar (video game)|Madagascar]]'' || Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS
|-
| 2005 || ''[[DOOM 3]]'' || Xbox
|-
| 2005 || ''[[Spider-Man 2 (video game)|Spider-Man 2]]'' || PSP, Nintendo DS, Wireless
|-
| 2006 || ''[[Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam]]'' || Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS
|-
| 2006 || ''[[Marvel: Ultimate Alliance]]'' || PSP, [[Wii]]
|-
| 2006 || ''[[Over the Hedge (video game)|Over the Hedge]]'' || Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS
|-
| 2006 || ''[[Over the Hedge: Hammy Goes Nuts]]'' || Game Boy Advance
|-
| 2007 || ''[[Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock]]'' || Wii
|-
| 2007 || ''[[Spider-Man 3 (video game)|Spider-Man 3]]'' || PS2, Wii, Nintendo DS, PSP
|-
| 2007 || ''[[Shrek the Third (video game)|Shrek the Third]]'' || Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS
|-
| 2007 || ''[[Transformers (video game)|Transformers: Autobots]] [[Transformers (video game)|Transformers: Decepticons]]'' || Nintendo DS
|-
| 2007 || ''[[Tony Hawk's Proving Ground]]'' || Nintendo DS
|-
| 2007 || ''[[Bee Movie Game]]'' || Nintendo DS
|-
| 2008 || ''[[Kung Fu Panda (video game)|Kung Fu Panda]]'' || Nintendo DS
|-
| 2008 || ''[[Guitar Hero: On Tour series#On Tour|Guitar Hero: On Tour]]'' || Nintendo DS
|-
| 2008 || ''[[Guitar Hero: Aerosmith]]'' || Wii
|-
| 2008 || ''[[Guitar Hero World Tour]]'' || Wii
|-
| 2008 || ''[[Guitar Hero: On Tour series#Decades|Guitar Hero On Tour: Decades]]'' || Nintendo DS
|-
| 2008 || ''[[Quantum of Solace (video game)|Quantum of Solace]]'' || Nintendo DS
|-
| 2009 || ''[[Mixed Messages (game)|Mixed Messages]]'' || [[Nintendo DSi]]
|-
| 2009 || ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (video game)|Transformers Revenge of the Fallen: Autobots]] [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (video game)|Transformers Revenge of the Fallen: Decepticons]]'' || Nintendo DS
|-
| 2009 || ''[[Guitar Hero: On Tour series#Modern Hits|Guitar Hero On Tour: Modern Hits]]'' || Nintendo DS
|-
| 2009 || ''[[Guitar Hero 5]]'' || Wii
|-
| 2009 || ''[[Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2]]'' || [[PlayStation 3|PS3]], [[Xbox 360]], Wii
|-
| 2009 || ''[[Band Hero]]'' || Wii, Nintendo DS
|-
| 2010 || ''[[Guitar Hero]]'' || [[iPhone]]
|-
| 2010 || ''Transformers War for Cybertron: Autobots Transformers War for Cybertron: Decepticons'' || Nintendo DS
|-
| 2010 || ''[[Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock]]'' || Wii
|-
| 2011 || ''Guitar Hero 7'' || Cancelled
|-
| 2011 || ''[[Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure]]'' || 3DS
|-
| 2012 || ''[[Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure|Skylanders: Cloud Patrol]]'' || iOS
|-
| 2012 || ''[[Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure|Skylanders: Lost Islands]]'' || iOS
|-
| 2012 || ''[[Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure|Skylanders: Battlegrounds]]'' || iOS
|-
| 2012 || ''[[Skylanders: Giants]]'' || [[Wii U]]
|-
| 2012 || ''Untitled Crash Bandicoot game'' || Cancelled
|-
| 2013 || ''[[Skylanders: Swap Force]]'' || PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U
|}

==Awards Received==
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:550px; border="1"
|-
! Year !! Award !! For
|-
| 1999 || ''[http://www.igf.com/1999finalistswinners.html#finalists GDC Independent Games Festival Awards: Best Programming]'' || [[Terminus (2000 video game)|Terminus]]
|-
| 1999 || ''[http://www.igf.com/1999finalistswinners.html#finalists GDC Independent Games Festival Awards: Best Audio Soundtrack]'' || [[Terminus (2000 video game)|Terminus]]
|-
| 2001 || ''[http://bestofe3.ign.com/overall2001.html E3 Award: Best Handheld Game]'' || [[Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2]]
|-
| 2001 || ''[http://bestofe3.ign.com/overall2001.html E3 Award: Best Sports Game for Handheld]'' || [[Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2]]
|-
| 2001 || ''[http://bestofe3.ign.com/overall2001.html E3 Award: Technological Excellence in Handheld]'' || [[Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2]]
|-
| 2001 || ''[http://gameboy.ign.com/articles/101/101051p1.html Editor’s Choice Award: Best of 2001 for Handheld Games - Best Extreme Sports Game]'' || [[Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2]]
|-
| 2002 || ''[http://www.gamespot.com/gba/sports/tonyhawksproskater3/index.html Gamespot: Best Sports Game on Game Boy Advance for 2002]'' || [[Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3]]
|-
| 2003 || ''[http://archive.gamespy.com/goty2003/gba/index14.shtml Gamespy: Best Action Sports Game]'' || [[Tony Hawk's Underground]]
|-
| 2003 || ''[http://archive.gamespy.com/goty2003/gba/ Gamespy: #10 GBA Game of the Year]'' || [[Tony Hawk's Underground]]
|-
| 2004 || ''[http://www.1up.com/features/1up-awards-2004 1up: Sports/Extreme Sports Game of the Year]'' || [[Tony Hawk's Underground]]
|-
| 2005 || ''[http://goty.gamespy.com/2005/xbox/index7.html Gamespy: 2005 Xbox Game of the Year: #5 Overall of Top 10]'' || [[Doom 3]]
|-
| 2005 || ''[http://features.teamxbox.com/xbox/1421/TeamXboxcom-Game-of-the-Year-Awards-2005/p1/ TeamXbox: 2005 Game of the Year First Runner Up for First Person Shooter and Best Graphics]'' || [[Doom 3]]
|-
| 2005 || ''[http://goty.gamespy.com/2005/ds/index2.html Gamespy: 2005 DS Game of the Year]'' || [[Tony Hawk's American Sk8land]]
|-
| 2005 || ''[http://goty.gamespy.com/2005/ds/index2.html Gamespy: 2005 DS Sports Game of the Year ]'' || [[Tony Hawk's American Sk8land]]
|-
| 2005 || ''[http://bestof.ign.com/2005/ds/1.html IGN: Best of 2005, Best Action Game ]'' || [[Tony Hawk's American Sk8land]]
|-
| 2005 || ''[http://bestof.ign.com/2005/ds/9.html IGN: Best of 2005, Best Artistic Design ]'' || [[Ultimate Spider-Man (video game)|Ultimate Spider-Man]]
|-
| 2005 || ''[http://bestof.ign.com/2005/psp/5.html IGN: Best of 2005, Best RPG ]'' || [[X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse]]
|-
| 2006 || ''[http://bestof.ign.com/2006/ds/13.html IGN: Best of 2006, DS Racing Game ]'' || [[Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam]]
|-
| 2006 || ''[http://bestof.ign.com/2006/ds/13.html IGN: Best of 2006, DS Racing Game ]'' || [[Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam]]
|-
| 2007 || ''[http://goty.gamespy.com/2007/wii/12.html IGN: Best of 2007, Music Game of the Year ]'' || [[Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock]]
|-
| 2007 || ''[http://bestof.ign.com/2007/wii/5.html IGN: Best of 2007, Reader’s Choice for Best Music Game ]'' || [[Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock]]
|-
| 2007 || ''[http://bestof.ign.com/2007/wii/14.html IGN: Best of 2007, Best Licensed Soundtrack ]'' || [[Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock]]
|-
| 2007 || ''[http://bestof.ign.com/2007/wii/14.html IGN: Best of 2007, Reader’s Choice for Best Licensed Soundtrack]'' || [[Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock]]
|-
| 2007 || ''[http://bestof.ign.com/2007/wii/17.html IGN: Best of 2007, Best Local Multiplayer Game]'' || [[Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock]]
|-
| 2007 || ''[http://bestof.ign.com/2007/wii/17.html IGN: Best of 2007, Reader’s Choice for Best Local Multiplayer Game]'' || [[Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock]]
|-
| 2007 || ''[http://goty.gamespy.com/2007/wii/7.html Gamespy: 2007 Awards, #5 of Top 10 Wii Games of the Year]'' || [[Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock]]
|-
| 2007 || ''[http://bestof.ign.com/2007/ds/6.html IGN: Best of 2007, Runner Up Best Platform Game]'' || [[Spider-Man 3 (video game)|Spider-Man 3]]
|-
| 2007 || ''[http://bestof.ign.com/2007/ds/6.html IGN: Best of 2007, Runner Up Most Innovative Design]'' || [[Spider-Man 3 (video game)|Spider-Man 3]]
|-
| 2007 || ''[http://goty.gamespy.com/2007/ds/12.html Gamespy: 2007 Awards, Sports Game of the Year]'' || [[Tony Hawk's Proving Ground]]
|-
| 2007 || ''[http://goty.gamespy.com/2007/ds/3.html Gamespy: 2007 Awards, #9 of Top 10 DS Games of the Year]'' || [[Tony Hawk's Proving Ground]]
|-
| 2007 || ''[http://bestof.ign.com/2007/ds/10.html IGN: Best of 2007, Reader’s Choice for Best Sports Game]'' || [[Tony Hawk's Proving Ground]]
|-
| 2008 || ''[http://bestof.ign.com/2008/ds/3.html IGN: Best of 2008, Best Music/Rhythm Game]'' || [[Guitar Hero On Tour]]
|-
| 2008 || ''[http://bestof.ign.com/2008/wii/3.html IGN: Best of 2008, Best Music/Rhythm Game]'' || [[Guitar Hero World Tour]]
|-
| 2008 || ''[http://bestof.ign.com/2008/wireless/12.html IGN: Best of 2008, Wireless Category, Best Multiplayer Game]'' || [[Guitar Hero World Tour Mobile]]
|-
| 2008 || ''[http://www.gamechronicles.com/reviews/360/kungfu/panda.htm Editor’s Game Chronicles Magazine Choice Award, June 2008]'' || [[Kung Fu Panda (video game)|Kung Fu Panda]]
|-
| 2009 || ''[http://games.ign.com/articles/992/992676p1.html IGN: Best of 2009, Best Music Game]'' || [[Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock]]
|-
| 2009 || ''[http://www.gameindustry.com/review/item.asp?id=1111 Gameindustry: Game of the Year, Best DS Game of 2009]'' || [[Guitar Hero On Tour]]
|-
| 2009 || ''[http://www.nickkcapress.com/2009KCA/winners.php Nickelodeon: Kid's Choice Awards, Favorite Video Game]'' || [[Guitar Hero World Tour]]
|-
| 2009 || ''[http://bestof.ign.com/2009/ds/best-multiplayer-game.html IGN: Best of 2009, Best Multiplayer Game]'' || [[Mixed Messages (game)|Mixed Messages]]
|-
| 2009 || ''[http://ds.ign.com/articles/921/921522p2.html IGN: #25 Top 25 Games of all Time 2009]'' || [[Tony Hawk's American Sk8land]]
|-
| 2009 || ''[http://gameboy.ign.com/articles/772/772284p5.html IGN: #5 Top 25 GBA Games of all Time 2009]'' || [[Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2]]
|-
| 2009 || ''[http://www.webbyawards.com/webbys/current.php?media_id=127&season=13 Webby Award: Best Hands-on Mobile Game]'' || [[Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock]]
|-
| 2010 || ''[http://www.cinemablend.com/games/2009-Golden-Joystick-Awards-Winners-Announced-20810.html 28th Annual Golden Joystick Awards: The Golden Joystick]'' || [[Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock]]
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://www.vvisions.com}}

{{Guitar Hero series}}
{{Tony Hawk games}}
{{Vivendi}}

[[Category:Activision]]
[[Category:Colonie, New York]]
[[Category:Companies based in New York]]
[[Category:Companies established in 1990]]
[[Category:International Game Developers Association members]]
[[Category:Video game companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Video game development companies]]

Wikipedia - Benutzerbeiträge [de]

Blizzard Albany