Bugbear Entertainment

In this article, we are going to explore the fascinating world of Bugbear Entertainment. From its impact on today's society to its relevance in history, Bugbear Entertainment has captivated the attention of many people over the years. Through detailed analysis, we will examine the different facets of Bugbear Entertainment, unraveling its mysteries and discovering its true meaning. With a critical and objective perspective, we will immerse ourselves in the multiple dimensions of Bugbear Entertainment, seeking to understand its importance and influence in various spheres of life. So get ready for an exciting journey as we delve deeper into the topic of Bugbear Entertainment and discover everything it has to offer.

Bugbear Entertainment Oy
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryVideo games
Founded2000 (2000)
FounderJanne Alanenpää
Headquarters
Helsinki
,
Finland
Key people
Janne Alanenpää (CEO, creative director)
Number of employees
28[1] (2021)
ParentTHQ Nordic (2018–present)
Websitebugbeargames.com

Bugbear Entertainment Oy is a Finnish video game developer based in Helsinki, founded by Janne Alanenpää in 2000. The company is best known for the FlatOut series and Wreckfest. In November 2018, a majority stake of the company was acquired by THQ Nordic.

History

Bugbear Entertainment was founded in Helsinki in 2000 by Janne Alanenpää.[2] On 14 November 2018, THQ Nordic announced that they had acquired 90% of Bugbear for an undisclosed sum, leaving open the option to acquire the remaining 10% later on.[3] At this time, Bugbear had 18 employees and was led by co-founder Alanenpää as chief executive officer and creative director.[2] As of March 2020, Bugbear has 28 employees.[4]

All computer games developed by Bugbear are made in the car simulator genre. One of the well-known developments is the FlatOut series of games, the first game of which was released in 2004 for the personal computer and the Xbox and PlayStation 2 game consoles. The games in the series have received various awards from the media and favorable reviews from critics and players. The average review score, according to Metacritic, is 76 out of 100.[5] In addition to the FlatOut series, the company has developed other game projects such as Rally Trophy, a realistic rallying simulator.

Bugbear also released a new game from the Ridge Racer series, Ridge Racer Unbounded, which was released in 2012.[6]

On June 14, 2018, the company released a new game, Wreckfest, previously known under the working title Next Car Game.[7]

Bugbear used its own ROMU game engine (also known as the Bugbear Game Engine) to develop all games.[8]

Games developed

Year Title Platform(s) Publisher(s)
2001 Rally Trophy Microsoft Windows JoWooD Productions
2003 Tough Trucks Activision Value
2004 FlatOut Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox Empire Interactive, Vivendi Universal Games
2005 Glimmerati N-Gage Nokia
2006 FlatOut 2 Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox Empire Interactive, Vivendi Universal Games, Konami
2007 FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 Empire Interactive
Sega Rally Revo PlayStation Portable Sega
2012 Ridge Racer Unbounded Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 Namco Bandai Games
2018 Wreckfest Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch THQ Nordic
TBA Wreckfest 2 Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S THQ Nordic

References

  1. ^ "Embracer Group Annual Report & Sustainability Report 2020 / 2021" (PDF). Embracer Group. 25 August 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 August 2021. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  2. ^ a b "THQ Nordic AB (publ) acquires Bugbear Entertainment" (PDF). Embracer Group. 14 November 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 September 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  3. ^ Kerr, Chris (14 November 2018). "THQ Nordic acquires Coffee Stain and Bugbear Entertainment". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on 14 November 2018. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  4. ^ Wingefors, Lars (27 August 2019). "Embracer Group Annual Report 2019/20" (PDF). Cision.
  5. ^ "FlatOut 2". Metacritic. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  6. ^ "Ridge Racer Unbounded colliding with Xbox 360, PS3 and PC in 2012". Engadget. 4 February 2011. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  7. ^ Twitter https://twitter.com/bugbeargames/status/518069049671294976. Retrieved 21 January 2022. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  8. ^ "FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS". Bugbear Community. Archived from the original on 6 April 2015. Retrieved 21 January 2022.