Rage Games (formerly Rage Software) was a British
video game developer
A video game developer is a broad term for a software developer specializing in video game development – the process and related disciplines of creating video games. A game developer can range from one person who undertakes all tasks to a large ...
. Formed in
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...
in 1992, its
video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...
s were marked by an emphasis on graphical effects with
arcade gameplay.
Rage's first title ''
Striker
Striker or The Strikers may refer to:
People
*A participant in a strike action
*A participant in a hunger strike
*Blacksmith's striker, a type of blacksmith's assistant
*Striker's Independent Society, the oldest mystic krewe in America
People wi ...
'' sold more than one million copies throughout its two-year life cycle and established Rage as a major creative force in the interactive entertainment industry. The company went through rapid expansion in the 1990s and partnered with multiple third party software publishers for distribution of its titles.
Rage Games Limited was floated on the stock exchange in 1996 as Rage Software
plc. Rage continued to form commercial partnerships with major publishing houses, including Microsoft, Intel, Dell, Compaq, Nintendo, Sony and Sega, and re-registered as a private company as Rage Software Limited in 1999.
In 2000, Rage began to expand into publishing. However, the costs of publishing and a run of games that did not sell as expected (most notably the David Beckham franchise) eventually led to the company closing in January 2003 due to bankruptcy. At its peak, it had offices in Liverpool, Birmingham, Sheffield, Newcastle, Bristol, Dundee and Warrington.
Some of the former development staff have formed other game development companies such as
Realtime Worlds in Dundee,
Swordfish Studios
Swordfish Studios Limited was a British video game developer based in Birmingham founded by Trevor Williams and Joan Finnegan (wife of Paul Finnegan, former managing director of Rage Software Limited) in September 2002.
Games developed by the co ...
in Birmingham,
Juice Games
THQ Inc. was an American video game company based in Agoura Hills, California. It was founded in April 1990 by Jack Friedman, originally in Calabasas, and became a public company the following year through a reverse merger takeover. Initial ...
in Warrington and
Venom Games
Venom Games Limited was a British video game developer based in Gateshead, England. The studio was established by Peter Johnson in 2003 and succeeded Rage Newcastle. Take-Two Interactive acquired the company in 2004, where it became part of t ...
in Newcastle.
List of games developed by Rage Software
1992
* ''
Striker
Striker or The Strikers may refer to:
People
*A participant in a strike action
*A participant in a hunger strike
*Blacksmith's striker, a type of blacksmith's assistant
*Striker's Independent Society, the oldest mystic krewe in America
People wi ...
'' (
Commodore Amiga,
Amiga CD32,
Atari ST
The Atari ST is a line of personal computers from Atari Corporation and the successor to the Atari 8-bit family. The initial model, the Atari 520ST, had limited release in April–June 1985 and was widely available in July. It was the first pers ...
,
PC,
Mega Drive/Genesis,
SNES
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), commonly shortened to Super NES or Super Nintendo, is a 16-bit home video game console developed by Nintendo that was released in 1990 in Japan and South Korea, 1991 in North America, 1992 in Euro ...
,
Sega Game Gear
The is an 8-bit Fourth generation of video game consoles, fourth generation handheld game console released by Sega on October 6, 1990, in Japan, in April 1991 throughout North America and Europe, and during 1992 in Australia. The Game Gear pri ...
)
1993
* ''
Ultimate Soccer
''Ultimate Soccer'' is a 1993 soccer video game by Rage Software released for the Mega Drive/Genesis by request of Sega which even allowed their mascot, Sonic, to be featured in the game menus. While similar in name, it has no relations with t ...
'' (
Mega Drive/Genesis,
Sega Master System,
Sega Game Gear
The is an 8-bit Fourth generation of video game consoles, fourth generation handheld game console released by Sega on October 6, 1990, in Japan, in April 1991 throughout North America and Europe, and during 1992 in Australia. The Game Gear pri ...
)
* ''
World Soccer '94: Road to Glory'' (
SNES
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), commonly shortened to Super NES or Super Nintendo, is a 16-bit home video game console developed by Nintendo that was released in 1990 in Japan and South Korea, 1991 in North America, 1992 in Euro ...
)
1994
* ''
Elite Soccer
''Striker'' is a soccer video game series first released by Rage Software in 1992.
Later also for the Commodore Amiga, Amiga CD32, Atari ST, PC, Mega Drive/Genesis, and Super NES. It was bundled in one of the Amiga 1200 launch packs. It was ...
'' (
Game Boy
The is an 8-bit fourth generation handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan on April 21, 1989, in North America later the same year, and in Europe in late 1990. It was designed by the same ...
)
* ''
Power Drive'' (
PC,
Mega Drive/Genesis,
SNES
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), commonly shortened to Super NES or Super Nintendo, is a 16-bit home video game console developed by Nintendo that was released in 1990 in Japan and South Korea, 1991 in North America, 1992 in Euro ...
,
Game Gear,
Amiga
Amiga is a family of personal computers introduced by Commodore in 1985. The original model is one of a number of mid-1980s computers with 16- or 32-bit processors, 256 KB or more of RAM, mouse-based GUIs, and significantly improved graphi ...
,
Amiga CD32)
* ''Striker Pro'' (
CD-i
The Compact Disc-Interactive (CD-I, later CD-i) is a Digital media, digital optical disc data storage device, data storage format that was mostly developed and marketed by Dutch company Philips. It was created as an extension of Compact Disc Di ...
)
* ''World Cup Striker'' (
SNES
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), commonly shortened to Super NES or Super Nintendo, is a 16-bit home video game console developed by Nintendo that was released in 1990 in Japan and South Korea, 1991 in North America, 1992 in Euro ...
)
1995
* ''
Power Drive Rally
''Power Drive Rally'' is a racing video game developed by Rage Software and published by Time Warner Interactive for the Atari Jaguar in North America and Europe in 1995. It was also published in Japan by Messe Sansao on the same year. It is the s ...
'' (
Atari Jaguar)
* ''
Revolution X'' (
PC,
Mega Drive/Genesis,
SNES
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), commonly shortened to Super NES or Super Nintendo, is a 16-bit home video game console developed by Nintendo that was released in 1990 in Japan and South Korea, 1991 in North America, 1992 in Euro ...
,
Sega Saturn
The is a home video game console developed by Sega and released on November 22, 1994, in Japan, May 11, 1995, in North America, and July 8, 1995, in Europe. Part of the fifth generation of video game consoles, it was the successor to the succ ...
,
PlayStation
is a video gaming brand that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone, as well as an online service and multiple magazines. The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a divisi ...
)
* ''Striker 95'' (
PC)
* ''Striker – World Cup Special'' (
3DO)
1996
* ''
FIFA Soccer 97'' (
SNES
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), commonly shortened to Super NES or Super Nintendo, is a 16-bit home video game console developed by Nintendo that was released in 1990 in Japan and South Korea, 1991 in North America, 1992 in Euro ...
)
* ''
Striker '96'' (
PC,
PlayStation
is a video gaming brand that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone, as well as an online service and multiple magazines. The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a divisi ...
)
1997
* ''AYSO Soccer '97'' (
PC))
* ''
Darklight Conflict
''Darklight Conflict'' is a space combat simulator video game developed by Rage Software and published by Electronic Arts in 1997 for the MS-DOS, and the Sega Saturn and PlayStation (console), Sony PlayStation game consoles. Players take on the pa ...
'' (
PC,
Sega Saturn
The is a home video game console developed by Sega and released on November 22, 1994, in Japan, May 11, 1995, in North America, and July 8, 1995, in Europe. Part of the fifth generation of video game consoles, it was the successor to the succ ...
,
PlayStation
is a video gaming brand that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone, as well as an online service and multiple magazines. The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a divisi ...
)
* ''
Doom
Doom is another name for damnation.
Doom may also refer to:
People
* Doom (professional wrestling), the tag team of Ron Simmons and Butch Reed
* Daniel Doom (born 1934), Belgian cyclist
* Debbie Doom (born 1963), American softball pitcher
* L ...
'' port to
Sega Saturn
The is a home video game console developed by Sega and released on November 22, 1994, in Japan, May 11, 1995, in North America, and July 8, 1995, in Europe. Part of the fifth generation of video game consoles, it was the successor to the succ ...
* ''
Jonah Lomu Rugby
''Jonah Lomu Rugby'' is a rugby union video game developed by Rage Software and published by Codemasters in 1997. It was released for MS-DOS, PlayStation and the Sega Saturn. The title refers to former All Blacks winger Jonah Lomu. It was the fir ...
'' (
Sega Saturn
The is a home video game console developed by Sega and released on November 22, 1994, in Japan, May 11, 1995, in North America, and July 8, 1995, in Europe. Part of the fifth generation of video game consoles, it was the successor to the succ ...
,
PlayStation
is a video gaming brand that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone, as well as an online service and multiple magazines. The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a divisi ...
)
* ''
Trash It
''Trash It'' is a puzzle-platform game developed by Rage Software and published by GT Interactive in July 1997. It was released in PAL-territories only for MS-DOS, PlayStation, and Sega Saturn.
Gameplay
Players play as construction worker Jack ...
'' (
PC,
Sega Saturn
The is a home video game console developed by Sega and released on November 22, 1994, in Japan, May 11, 1995, in North America, and July 8, 1995, in Europe. Part of the fifth generation of video game consoles, it was the successor to the succ ...
,
PlayStation
is a video gaming brand that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone, as well as an online service and multiple magazines. The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a divisi ...
)
1998
* ''
Dead Ball Zone'' (
PlayStation
is a video gaming brand that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone, as well as an online service and multiple magazines. The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a divisi ...
)
* ''
Incoming'' (
PC,
Dreamcast)
* ''
Jeff Wayne's The War of the Worlds'' (
PC)
1999
* ''
Microsoft International Football 2000'' (
PC)
* ''
Millennium Soldier: Expendable'' (
PC,
PlayStation
is a video gaming brand that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone, as well as an online service and multiple magazines. The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a divisi ...
,
Dreamcast)
* ''
UEFA Striker
''UEFA Striker'', known in North America as ''Striker Pro 2000'', is a sports video game developed by Rage Software and published by Infogrames in 1999-2000. It is the final game in the '' Striker'' series following the cancellation of its sequel, ...
'' (
PlayStation
is a video gaming brand that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone, as well as an online service and multiple magazines. The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a divisi ...
,
Dreamcast)
2000
* ''Space Debris'' (
PlayStation
is a video gaming brand that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone, as well as an online service and multiple magazines. The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a divisi ...
)
* ''
Wild Wild Racing'' (
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October 2000, in Europe on 24 November 2000, and in Australia on 3 ...
)
* ''Rage Rally'' (
PC)
2001
* ''
David Beckham Soccer
''David Beckham Soccer'' is a football video game for PlayStation, PlayStation 2 and Xbox, Game Boy Advance and Game Boy Color. All formats were developed and published by Rage Software, apart from the Game Boy versions which were developed b ...
'' (
PlayStation
is a video gaming brand that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone, as well as an online service and multiple magazines. The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a divisi ...
,
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October 2000, in Europe on 24 November 2000, and in Australia on 3 ...
,
Game Boy Advance,
Game Boy Color
The (commonly abbreviated as GBC) is a handheld game console, manufactured by Nintendo, which was released in Japan on October 21, 1998 and to international markets that November. It is the successor to the Game Boy and is part of the Game ...
)
* ''
Denki Blocks'' (
Game Boy Color
The (commonly abbreviated as GBC) is a handheld game console, manufactured by Nintendo, which was released in Japan on October 21, 1998 and to international markets that November. It is the successor to the Game Boy and is part of the Game ...
,
Game Boy Advance)
* ''
E-racer'' (
PC)
* ''
Eurofighter Typhoon'' (
PC)
* ''
Global Touring Challenge: Africa'' (
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October 2000, in Europe on 24 November 2000, and in Australia on 3 ...
)
* ''
Hostile Waters'' (
PC)
* ''
Off-Road Redneck Racing
''Offroad'', known in North America as ''Off-Road Redneck Racing'', is a video game developed by Rage Software for Windows in 2001. It is a spinoff of the ''Redneck Rampage'' series in North America.
Gameplay
The game features a variety of off-ro ...
'' (
PC)
* ''
Pocket Music
''Pocket Music'' is a 2002 video game developed by Jester Interactive and published by Rage Games for the Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance. The game is a handheld adaptation of the ''Music'' series of games released by the developer, and allow ...
'' (
Game Boy Color
The (commonly abbreviated as GBC) is a handheld game console, manufactured by Nintendo, which was released in Japan on October 21, 1998 and to international markets that November. It is the successor to the Game Boy and is part of the Game ...
,
Game Boy Advance)
2002
* ''
Go! Go! Beckham! Adventure on Soccer Island'' (
Game Boy Advance)
* ''
Gun Metal'', (
PC,
Xbox
Xbox is a video gaming brand created and owned by Microsoft. The brand consists of five video game consoles, as well as applications (games), streaming services, an online service by the name of Xbox network, and the development arm by the na ...
)
* ''
Incoming Forces'' (
PC)
* ''Midnight GT'' (
PC)
* ''
Mobile Forces'' (
PC)
* ''
Rocky
''Rocky'' is a 1976 American sports drama film directed by John G. Avildsen and written by and starring Sylvester Stallone. It is the first installment in the ''Rocky'' franchise and stars Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, and Burgess M ...
'' (
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October 2000, in Europe on 24 November 2000, and in Australia on 3 ...
,
Xbox
Xbox is a video gaming brand created and owned by Microsoft. The brand consists of five video game consoles, as well as applications (games), streaming services, an online service by the name of Xbox network, and the development arm by the na ...
,
Game Boy Advance,
GameCube
The is a home video game console developed and released by Nintendo in Japan on September 14, 2001, in North America on November 18, 2001, and in PAL territories in 2002. It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 (1996), and predecessor of the Wii ...
)
* ''
Totaled!
''Totaled!'', known in Europe as ''Crashed'' for the PlayStation 2 version, and ''Crash'' for the Xbox version, is a vehicular combat game released in 2002 for the Xbox and the PlayStation 2. It was developed by British video game developer Rage ...
'' (
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October 2000, in Europe on 24 November 2000, and in Australia on 3 ...
,
Xbox
Xbox is a video gaming brand created and owned by Microsoft. The brand consists of five video game consoles, as well as applications (games), streaming services, an online service by the name of Xbox network, and the development arm by the na ...
)
* ''Twin Caliber'' (
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October 2000, in Europe on 24 November 2000, and in Australia on 3 ...
)
2003
* ''
Rolling'' (
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October 2000, in Europe on 24 November 2000, and in Australia on 3 ...
,
Xbox
Xbox is a video gaming brand created and owned by Microsoft. The brand consists of five video game consoles, as well as applications (games), streaming services, an online service by the name of Xbox network, and the development arm by the na ...
)
* ''
Lamborghini
Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. () is an Italian brand and manufacturer of luxury sports cars and SUVs based in Sant'Agata Bolognese. The company is owned by the Volkswagen Group through its subsidiary Audi.
Ferruccio Lamborghini (1916–1993) ...
'' (
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October 2000, in Europe on 24 November 2000, and in Australia on 3 ...
,
Xbox
Xbox is a video gaming brand created and owned by Microsoft. The brand consists of five video game consoles, as well as applications (games), streaming services, an online service by the name of Xbox network, and the development arm by the na ...
)
See also
*
Network 23 (company) {{more citations needed, date=August 2011
Network 23 was a British video game developer founded by teenagers Chris Lloyd and Russell Hughes in 1990. Located on the Isle of Wight, they produced games exclusively for the Acorn Archimedes range of com ...
References
External links
* ''Football in the New Media Age'', Raymond Boyle, Richard Haynes, 2004. {{ISBN, 0-415-31790-8
Defunct video game companies of the United Kingdom
Video game development companies
Juice Games
Defunct companies based in Liverpool
Video game companies established in 1992
Video game companies disestablished in 2003
1992 establishments in England
2003 disestablishments in England