Favorite Defunct/Dead Games Companies?

[aozgolo]

For anyone who's held a controller or a mouse in their hand longer than a couple of years, you're bound to have seen just like in any other industry game companies come and they go. They may be absorbed by mega-corporations and dissolved in a vat of acid to extract their IP & Talent nutrients, they may just have poor money management, or perhaps fell victim to legal troubles. Whatever the reason, there are many dearly departed (and some not so dearly) game companies that just aren't around anymore.

Which ones do you miss? What game company makes you sit back in your reminiscing chair with your nostalgia goggles and go "Ahhh, nobody made games quite like they did!"

 

[ChupathingyX]

Some of my fondest memories during 6th gen were from playing games made by Pandemic.

They are and always will be missed.

 

[aozgolo]

Some of my fondest memories during 6th gen were from playing games made by Pandemic.

They are and always will be missed.

I really enjoyed the first Mercenaries, one of the absolute best open world sandbox shooters I've seen, kind of a shame that the sequel went and botched up the formula without adding ANYTHING new.

 

[thetoddo]

Does Bioware count?

More to the point, I miss Sierra and Apogee.

 

[josemlopes]

I would say Pandemic, Free Radical and Rare, their games always managed to get my interest

 

[Summerstorm]

Troika - every different opinion is wrong *g*.

Come on: Arkanum, Vampires: Bloodlines... even Temple of Elemental Evil was pretty good.
They had a bright future... If they would have sold well.

 

[Sp3ratus]

Impressions Games: For their excellent isometric city builders, specifically Caesar 3, which I have lost many hours to. Tilted Mill seems to be having a rough time lately, so it doesn't seem like we'll get anything even remotely close soon, sadly.

Adventure Soft: I really liked Simon the Sorcerer, admittedly the first moreso than any of the sequels.

Presage Software Inc: Basically for Lode Runner 2. I know it got a lot of flak back when it was released, but I've enjoyed it and still do, more than any of the other installments of the series.

 

[Fireaxe]

Troika - every different opinion is wrong *g*.

Come on: Arkanum, Vampires: Bloodlines... even Temple of Elemental Evil was pretty good.
They had a bright future... If they would have sold well.

Troika would be correct if Bloodlines hadn't been so badly coded (and thus, buggy), the boss fights so utter shit, and the game pretending it was Deus Ex like only to turn into pretty much pure combat at the end. The fact that Bloodlines was enjoyable despite those was a massive testament to the quality of writing, atmosphere, and lore.


Anyway, Iron Lore Entertainment did a great job with Titan Quest then disappeared, and Looking Glass Studios put out some great games before going under too.