Insomniac Games

Infobox Company
company_name = Insomniac Games, Inc.
company_
company_slogan =
company_type = Private
owner =
foundation = 1994
location = Burbank, California, USA
industry = Computer and video game industry
revenue =
num_employees = 175+
key_people = Ted Price (CEO)
products =
homepage = [http://www.insomniacgames.com www.insomniacgames.com]

Insomniac Games, Inc. is an independent American video game developer founded in 1994 that has released titles for PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 3. They created the first three hugely successful "Spyro the Dragon" games, (Which later sold to Universal Interactive in 2001.) "Disruptor", and the "Ratchet & Clank" franchise, which have combined to sell over 25 million copies worldwide and have won dozens of awards. Insomniac released ' in 2006, a first-person shooter and PlayStation 3 launch title. In 2007, Insomniac released ', their first "Ratchet & Clank" title for the PlayStation 3 and are now in production on their third PS3 title, "Resistance 2". On August 21st, 2008, Insomniac released their first title for the PLAYSTATION Network, "".

Company overview

Insomniac was founded in 1994 as an independent video game developer and is now based in Burbank, California. Its initial game, a first-person shooter called "Disruptor" for the PlayStation, was released on November 20, 1996, and was a critical darling. Since then, the company has released eight more games in two series (both of which were created by the company) for the PlayStation, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation 3 and all have been both critical and commercial successes. After three "Spyro" games, the company went on to create the "Ratchet & Clank" series. The first "Ratchet & Clank" has the notable distinction of being the first Western-produced game to be officially bundled with the PS2 in Japan, a country notoriously fickle in its video game tastes. This was a result of "R&C" being the first western video game to crack Japan's top 100 list.

The company has been named as one of the top 10 Best Small Companies to work for in America for 3 years in a row for their relaxed environment, flexible hours, yoga, Fragfest Fridays, movie nights, and indoor 7/11. Their Yoga sessions have earned them the "Most Flexible Game Company" Award from IGN.com. The company also took its entire workforce on a free cruise.

In 2006, Insomniac released a comparatively mature, M-Rated PlayStation 3 first-person shooter, very unlike its other works. Its name during production was "I-8", but it was then renamed "". The game's futuristic weapons seem to be influenced by the company's "Ratchet & Clank".

In 2008, at the Game Developers Conference, Insomniac announced a new project titled The Nocturnal Initiative. This is a free wiki based project designed to encourage the distribution of development technologies which may be used in other games. Insomniac has shared technology they developed for use in titles such as Ratchet and Clank Future and Resistance 2. [cite web | url=http://kotaku.com/359346/insomniac-announces-nocturnal-initiative-gives-away-source-code | title=Insomniac Announces Nocturnal Initiative, Gives Away Source Code|accessdate=2008-02-22|date=2008-02-21]

In June, 2008, in an interview with GameDaily BIZ, Ted Price announced that Insomniac Games plan to expand and open a sister studio in North Carolina, with Chad Derzern taking on the role of Studio Director. Derzern will be hiring twenty-five to thirty new developers and will prepare the studio to begin work on games based on new and existing intellectual properties. The current plan is for the studio to open in January 2009. [cite web | url=http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/news/insomniac-to-open-studio-in-north-carolina?page=1 | title='Resistance' is futile. Insomniac Games has revealed to GameDaily BIZ that it's becoming bi-coastal with a new studio in North Carolina. We speak with CEO Ted Price about his company's plans.|accessdate=2008-06-06|date=2008-06-03]

Games

Insomniac Games have released/working or will be working on the following:

In ' and ', the player can visit an easter egg known as the "Insomniac Museum". This is located on the planets "Dantopia" (a reference to Dan Johnson who has since passed away) and "Burbank" (a reference to the company's location). The Museum lets players find items, monsters, objects and conceptions that did not make it into the final resulting games. The Insomniac Museum is notable because it has the actual layout of the Insomniac Games offices in Burbank, California.

People

*Ted Price (President & CEO)
*Alex Hastings (Chief Technology Officer)
*Brian Hastings (Chief Creative Officer)
*Chad Dezern (Art Director)
*See also [http://www.insomniacgames.com/about/team/ Team members]

The Full Moon Show

On the first and third Thursday of every month, Insomniac Games releases a new episode of The Full Moon Show, which lets gamers know what is happening in the world of Insomniac Games, along with community updates regarding "Resistance: Fall of Man" and their online community. Episodes can be downloaded either from the [http://www.insomniacgames.com/podcast/podcast.php Insomniac website] or iTunes and now ZUNE marcketplace. Insomniac Games has started to include members of their community in their podcasts. A few members from the "Resistance" community have been mentioned in this podcast such as bpowter, Lord Yod, Zotmaster, HiSToRiKL, and BertoFFA and a few clans from the game have also been mentioned, including [P$] ProFe$$ioNaL $kiLL$, [S!N] Slay! 9 as well as some others.

A company music video named "(pin)Ballz" was released instead of a podcast in the week of February 21st, 2008. The only other time they didn't make a podcast was in August because they went to Germany.

Relations with other developers

Naughty Dog

Insomniac has had a close relationship with fellow developer Naughty Dog from when they worked together in the same building on a Universal Studios backlot. They make games that are similar in style, which sometimes contain references to each other (as seen in secret "Jak 3" gun courses, the start-up menu in "," as well as on the T.V. screen in Clank's apartment and various posters throughout the games). Demos for one company's games often appear on the other's releases. ' contained a demo of "Crash Team Racing", for example. Because of their friendship, many fans have wondered if the two companies would collaborate on a game. However, they have, in the past, publicly stated that they don't have plans for making a game together, although both "Jak II" and "Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando" featured billboard cameos of each others heroes (and a scene in "Going Commando" shows Ratchet playing both his games, both "Jak" games, and "Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus"). This is taken one step further in ' and "" as both feature Ratchet and Jak respectively as unlockable skins/characters. In a more recent game, Daxter for the PSP, you can find a mask that makes Daxter look like Ratchet.

Contrary to popular opinion, Insomniac never at any time borrowed any part or form of Playstation 2 engine code or technology from Naughty Dog to use on the "Ratchet & Clank" games. As for the two companies direct involvement, Naughty Dog's Richard Lemarchand said in an IGN interview: "We don't really trade anything concrete in terms of technology, but we definitely compare war stories of life in the trenches, and try and learn from each other's experiences."Robinson, Martin. [http://ps3.ign.com/articles/895/895045p2.html "Naughty Dog Q&A"] IGN.uk 30 July 2008] Insomniac's president Ted Price described Insomniac's stance on engine technology in an interview with "Independent Playstation Magazine" (now called ""):

"We've always developed all our own technology. It's been a little frustrating in the past for us to hear people say, 'Oh yeah, the Insomniac game is running on the Naughty Dog engine." People assumed that we were using Naughty Dog's engine for "Ratchet", and that was not true. We shared some technology with Naughty Dog way back when, and that was great, but we are a company that puts stock in developing specialized technology and we will continue to do so." --Ted Price, "Independent Playstation Magazine, September 2006"Slate, Chris. "PS3 Trailblazing: PSM Chats With Ted Price, President of Insomniac Games." "Independent Playstation Magazine" Sep. 2006]

High Impact Games

High Impact Games is a newer company formed by ex-Insomniac staff, so far they have released "" and "Secret Agent Clank".

Other companies

Insomniac has stated that some of Sony's development teams are starting to develop closer relationships and are sharing technology and ideas. Naughty Dog also credits various first- and second-party developers of Sony in "".

ee also

*The Full Moon Show
*Ratchet & Clank (series)

References

External links

* [http://www.insomniacgames.com/ Official website]
* [http://forums.insomniacgames.com/index.php Official Insomniac Games Forum]