Difference between revisions of "Probe Entertainment"

Revision as of 08:32, 25 October 2021

Probe Entertainment

Founded: 1984^[1]

Defunct: 2000-04

Headquarters:

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Probe Entertainment, formerly known as Probe Software and later known as Acclaim Studios London, was a British video game developer and one of the largest names in the British personal computer industry.

Company

Founded Fergus McGovern in 1984 as Probe Software, the company experienced a significant amount of success with a license-centric business model, producing a number of licensed movie games and home ports of popular Sega arcade games. Often working with publishers Acclaim and U.S. Gold, the company would later find a niche in the development of the home ports of Midway's popular arcade fighting game Mortal Kombat.

In 1995, Probe Software was acquired by Acclaim for around $40,000,000 and renamed Probe Entertainment. In May 1999, the company was once again renamed, now known as Acclaim Studios London. Less than one year later, Acclaim Studios London was officially closed, and one of the most influential names in the British video game industry was no more.

Softography

Master System

Sega Chess (1991) (as Probe Software)
OutRun Europa (1991) (as Probe Software)
Lemmings (1992) (as Probe Software)
G-LOC: Air Battle (1992) (as Probe Software)
The Terminator (1992) (as Probe Software)
Alien 3 (1992) (as Probe Software)
Smash T.V. (1992) (as Probe Software)
Bram Stoker's Dracula (1993) (as Probe Software)
Desert Speedtrap Starring Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote (1993) (as Probe Software)
Mortal Kombat (1993) (as Probe Software)
California Games II (1993) (as Probe Software)
T2: The Arcade Game (1993) (as Probe Software)
The Flash (1993) (as Probe Software)
Home Alone (1993) (as Probe Software)
Mortal Kombat II (1994) (as Probe Software)
Road Rash (1994) (as Probe Software)
Daffy Duck in Hollywood (1994) (as Probe Software)
The A-Team (unreleased) (as Probe Software)

Mega Drive

Back to the Future Part III (1991) (as Probe Software)
Alien 3 (1992) (as Probe Software)
T2: The Arcade Game (1992) (as Probe Software)
The Terminator (1992) (as Probe Software)
Smash T.V. (1992) (as Probe Software)
Gunship (1993) (as Probe Software)
Mortal Kombat (1993) (as Probe Software)
G-LOC: Air Battle (1993) (as Probe Software)
Body Count (1994) (as Probe Software)
The Incredible Hulk (1994) (as Probe Software)
The Pagemaster (1994) (as Probe Software)
Batman Forever (1995)
Primal Rage (1995)
Stargate (1995) (as Probe Software)
Judge Dredd (1995)
Bugs Bunny in Double Trouble (1996)
Jelly Boy (unreleased) (as Probe Software)

Game Gear

Lemmings (1992) (as Probe Software)
OutRun Europa (1992) (as Probe Software)
Smash T.V. (1992) (as Probe Software)
The Terminator (1992) (as Probe Software)
Alien 3 (1992) (as Probe Software)
Bram Stoker's Dracula (1993) (as Probe Software)
Desert Speedtrap Starring Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote (1993) (as Probe Software)
Mortal Kombat (1993) (as Probe Software)
T2: The Arcade Game (1993) (as Probe Software)
Daffy Duck in Hollywood (1994) (as Probe Software)
Mortal Kombat II (1994) (as Probe Software)
Road Rash (1994) (as Probe Software)
Stargate (1994) (as Probe Software)
Batman Forever (1995)
Judge Dredd (1995)
Primal Rage (1995)
Bugs Bunny in Double Trouble (1996)

Mega-CD

Mortal Kombat (1994) (as Probe Software)
Alien Trilogy (unreleased)

32X

FIFA Soccer 96 (1995)
Primal Rage (1995)

Mega-CD 32X

Alien Trilogy (unreleased)

Commodore 64

Turbo OutRun (1989) (as Probe Software)
Galaxy Force II (1990) (as Probe Software)
Golden Axe (1990) (as Probe Software)
Super Monaco GP (1991) (as Probe Software)
OutRun Europa (1991) (as Probe Software)

IBM PC

Golden Axe (1990) (as Probe Software)

Amstrad CPC

Quartet (1987) (as Probe Software)
OutRun (1987) (as Probe Software)
Golden Axe (1990) (as Probe Software)
Super Monaco GP (1991) (as Probe Software)
OutRun Europa (1991) (as Probe Software)

ZX Spectrum

Quartet (1987) (as Probe Software)
OutRun (1987) (as Probe Software)
Golden Axe (1990) (as Probe Software)
Super Monaco GP (1991) (as Probe Software)
OutRun Europa (1991) (as Probe Software)

Atari ST

OutRun (1988) (as Probe Software)
Golden Axe (1990) (as Probe Software)
Super Monaco GP (1991) (as Probe Software)
OutRun Europa (1991) (as Probe Software)

Amiga

OutRun (1988) (as Probe Software)
Golden Axe (1990) (as Probe Software)
Super Monaco GP (1991) (as Probe Software)
OutRun Europa (1991) (as Probe Software)

Saturn

FIFA Soccer 96 (1995)
Alien Trilogy (1996)
Primal Rage (1996)
Die Hard Trilogy (1997)
Condemned (unreleased) (as Probe Software)
Destruction Derby 2 (unreleased)
Formula 1 (unreleased)

Dreamcast

Re-Volt (1999) (as Acclaim Studios London)

Articles

An article detailing the company's history, by Jerry Muir of Amstrad User, August 1988.

References

[https:.2F.2Fwww.polygon.com.2F2016.2F2.2F29.2F11132430.2Ffergus-mcgovern-obituary-probe-entertainment-1] ttps://www.polygon.com/2016/2/29/11132430/fergus-mcgovern-obituary-probe-entertainment

[https:.2F.2Fdperry.com.2F2016.2F02.2F28.2Ffergus-mcgovern.2F-2] ttps://dperry.com/2016/02/28/fergus-mcgovern/

[1]

[2]

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 | width=
 | founded=1984{{ref|https://www.polygon.com/2016/2/29/11132430/fergus-mcgovern-obituary-probe-entertainment}}
-| defunct=
+| defunct=2000-04
 | tseries=
 | mergedwith=
 | mergedinto=
 | headquarters=[[wikipedia:Croydon, England|Croydon, England, United Kingdom]]{{ref|https://dperry.com/2016/02/28/fergus-mcgovern/}}
-}}
+}}{{stub}}'''{{PAGENAME}}''', formerly known as '''Probe Software''' and later known as '''Acclaim Studios London''', was a British video game developer and one of the largest names in the British personal computer industry.
-{{stub}}'''Acclaim Studios London''', formerly known as '''Probe Software''' (1984–1995) and '''Probe Entertainment''' (1995–2001), was a British video game developer.
+==Company==
+Founded [[Fergus McGovern]] in 1984 as Probe Software, the company experienced a significant amount of success with a license-centric business model, producing a number of licensed movie games and home ports of popular [[Sega]] arcade games. Often working with publishers [[Acclaim]] and [[U.S. Gold]], the company would later find a niche in the development of the home ports of [[Midway]]'s popular arcade fighting game ''[[wikipedia:Mortal Kombat|Mortal Kombat]]''.
-==Company==
+In 1995, Probe Software was acquired by Acclaim for around $40,000,000 and renamed Probe Entertainment. In May 1999, the company was once again renamed, now known as Acclaim Studios London. Less than one year later, Acclaim Studios London was officially closed, and one of the most influential names in the British video game industry was no more.
-During their Probe years, the studio was responsible for porting many games to [[Sega]] systems, mainly those published by [[Acclaim]] or [[U.S. Gold]].
 ==Softography==