Difference between revisions of "Michael Latham"

Latest revision as of 00:41, 21 November 2023

Michael B. Latham

Date of birth: 19xx-xx-xx
Date of death: 2021-04-10 (age 21-121)
Employment history: Rainbird Software Mediagenic Sega of America Divisions: SegaSoft Omega Group Family Group
Role(s): Director, Producer, Designer

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Michael B. Latham was an American businessman and former Sega of America Producer and Designer, best known as the creator of the Eternal Champions series of fighting games. An industry veteran with years of production experience, Latham joined Sega of America and served as Producer to over two dozen games, and also designed many of them personally. Latham would later lead both Sega of America's product development division, SegaSoft, as well as the children's game-oriented Family Group.

History

Pre-Sega

Latham entered the video game industry upon being hired by Rainbird Software, a sister company of Firebird Software, to localize computer games for the American market.

In 1988, he moved to Mediagenic where he served as a Producer on titles such as Ghostbusters II and Tongue of the Fatman before the company went bankrupt in early 1991.

Sega of America

In April 1991, Latham joined Sega of America as a Producer, where he designed games like Home Alone, Greendog: The Beached Surfer Dude!, and Eternal Champions.

Sometime around April 1994, Sega of America restructured its internal development groups, resulting in Latham and his teams being merged into Omega Group. Upon hearing news of this restructuring, it's Director Scott Berfield abruptly quit the company altogether, with Latham serving as the group's new Director.

Michael Latham also served as Director of Family Group.

SegaSoft

Post-Sega

Latham passed away on April 10, 2021.^[1]

Production history

David Robinson's Supreme Court (Mega Drive; 1992) — Producers^[2]
Greendog: The Beached Surfer Dude! (Mega Drive; 1992) — Game Design^[3]
Greendog: The Beached Surfer Dude! (Mega Drive; 1992) — Producer^[3]
TaleSpin (Mega Drive; 1992)^[4]
TaleSpin (Mega Drive; 1992) — Producer^[4]
Home Alone (Mega Drive; 1992) — Design by
Home Alone (Mega Drive; 1992) — Produced by
Greendog: The Beached Surfer Dude! (Game Gear; 1993) — Wild Game Design^[5]
Home Alone (Game Gear; 1993) — Game Design
TaleSpin (Game Gear; 1993) — Game Design^[6]
TaleSpin (Game Gear; 1993) — Producer^[6]
Pepe's Puzzles (Pico; 1994) — Special Thanks to
Instruments of Chaos Starring Young Indiana Jones (Mega Drive; 1994) — Designer & Producer^[7]
World Championship Soccer II (Mega Drive; 1994) — Special Thanks^[8] (as Mike Latham)
World Heroes (Mega Drive; 1994) — Special Thanks^[9] (as Mike Latham)
Mickey's Blast into the Past (Pico; 1994) — Special Thanks To (as Mike Latham)
Crystal's Pony Tale (Mega Drive; 1994) — Sega Special Thanks (as Mike Latham)
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (Mega-CD; 1994) — Special Thanks^[10] (as Mike Latham)
NFL '95 (Mega Drive; 1994) — Special Thanks To^[11]
Fred Couples Golf (Game Gear; 1994) — Special Thanks to^[12] (as Mike Latham)
Scholastic's The Magic School Bus: Space Exploration Game (Mega Drive; 1995) — Special Thanks
Wild Woody (Mega-CD; 1995) — Special Thanks^[13] (as Mike Latham)
Garfield: Caught in the Act (Game Gear; 1995) — Executive Producuer^[14]
Motocross Championship (32X; 1995) — Special Thanks^[15]
Pebble Beach Golf Links (Saturn; 1995) — Special Thanks^[16] (as Mike Latham)
Daytona USA (Saturn; 1995) — Special Thanks^[17] (as Mike Latham)
Sega International Victory Goal (Saturn; 1995) — Special Thanks^[18] (as Mike Latham)
Eternal Champions: Challenge From the Dark Side (Mega-CD; 1995) — Designer and Executive Producer^[19]
Eternal Champions: Challenge From the Dark Side (Mega-CD; 1995) — Manual^[19]
Clockwork Knight 2 (Saturn; 1995) — Special Thanks^[20] (as Mike Latham)
Virtua Fighter (32X; 1995) — For SOA^[21] (as Michael B. Latham)
Virtua Fighter (32X; 1995) — Executive Producer^[22]
Hang-On GP (Saturn; 1995) — Special Thanks^[23]
Ecco Jr. and the Great Ocean Treasure Hunt! (Pico; 1994) — Special Thanks To (as Mike Latham)
Garfield: Caught in the Act (Mega Drive; 1995) — Executive Producer^[24]
Battle Arena Toshinden Remix (Saturn; 1995) — Assistant Producer^[25]
Battle Arena Toshinden Remix (Saturn; 1995) — Assistant Producers^[25]
Grossology (Windows PC/Macintosh; 1996) — Special Thanks to
X-Perts (Mega Drive; 1996) — Game Designers^[26]
NiGHTS into Dreams (Saturn; 1996) — Special Thanks^[27] (as Mike Latham)
Garfield: Caught in the Act (Windows PC; 1997) — Executive Producer
Scud: The Disposable Assassin (Saturn; 1997) — Game Design by^[28]
A Year at Pooh Corner (Pico; 1994) — Special Thanks To (as Mike Latham)
Eternal Champions: The Final Chapter (Saturn; unreleased)
Outlaw Racing (Mega Drive; unreleased) — Assistance
The Sacred Pools (Saturn; unreleased) — Producers

Slaughter Sport (1990)

Interviews

External links

References

[https:.2F.2Farchive.vn.2Fi6VjX-1] @MikeJMika on Twitter (archive.today)

[:File:David_Robinsons_Supreme_Court_MD_US_Manual.pdf_p13-2] File:David Robinsons Supreme Court MD US Manual.pdf, page 13

[:File:Greendog_MD_credits.pdf_p-3] 3.0 ^3.1 File:Greendog MD credits.pdf

[:File:TaleSpin_MD_credits.pdf_p-4] 4.0 ^4.1 File:TaleSpin MD credits.pdf

[:File:Greendog_GG_credits.pdf_p-5] File:Greendog GG credits.pdf

[:File:TaleSpin_GG_US_Manual.pdf_p10-6] 6.0 ^6.1 File:TaleSpin GG US Manual.pdf, page 10

[:File:InstrumentsofChaos_MD_US_Manual.pdf_p18-7] File:InstrumentsofChaos MD US Manual.pdf, page 18

[:File:World_Championship_Soccer_II_MD_US_Manual.pdf_p27-8] File:World_Championship Soccer II MD US Manual.pdf, page 27

[:File:Worldheroes_md_us_manual.pdf_p23-9] File:Worldheroes md us manual.pdf, page 23

[:File:Mighty_Morphin_Power_Rangers_MCD_credits.pdf_p-10] File:Mighty Morphin Power Rangers MCD credits.pdf

[:File:NFL_95_MD_credits.pdf_p-11] File:NFL 95 MD credits.pdf

[:File:Fred_Couples_Golf_GG_credits.pdf_p-12] File:Fred Couples Golf GG credits.pdf

[:File:Wild_Woody_MCD_credits.pdf_p-13] File:Wild Woody MCD credits.pdf

[:File:Garfield_Caught_in_the_Act_GG_US_Manual.pdf_p19-14] File:Garfield Caught in the Act GG US Manual.pdf, page 19

[:File:Motocross_Championship_32X_credits.pdf_p-15] File:Motocross Championship 32X credits.pdf

[:File:Pebblebeach_sat_us_manual.pdf_p22-16] File:Pebblebeach sat us manual.pdf, page 22

[:File:Daytonausa_sat_us_manual.pdf_p18-17] File:Daytonausa sat us manual.pdf, page 18

[:File:Ivg_sat_us_manual.pdf_p-18] File:Ivg_sat_us_manual.pdf

[:File:Eternal_Champions_MCD_credits.pdf_p-19] 19.0 ^19.1 File:Eternal Champions MCD credits.pdf

[:File:Clockworkknight2_sat_us_manual.pdf_p22-20] File:Clockworkknight2 sat us manual.pdf, page 22

[:File:Virtua_Fighter_32X_credits.pdf_p-21] File:Virtua Fighter 32X credits.pdf

[:File:Virtuafighter_32x_us_manual.pdf_p31-22] File:Virtuafighter 32x us manual.pdf, page 31

[:File:Hangongp_sat_us_manual.pdf_p3-23] File:Hangongp sat us manual.pdf, page 3

[:File:Garfield_Caught_in_the_Act_MD_credits.pdf_p-24] File:Garfield Caught in the Act MD credits.pdf

[:File:Battle_Arena_Toshinden_Remix_Saturn_credits.pdf_p-25] 25.0 ^25.1 File:Battle Arena Toshinden Remix Saturn credits.pdf

[:File:XPerts_MD_US_Manual.pdf_p26-26] File:XPerts MD US Manual.pdf, page 26

[:File:Nightsintodreams_sat_us_manual.pdf_p30-27] File:Nightsintodreams sat us manual.pdf, page 30

[:File:Scud_Saturn_credits.pdf_p-28] File:Scud Saturn credits.pdf

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{stub}}'''Michael Latham''' was a producer at [[Sega of America]], best known for creating ''[[Eternal Champions]]''.
+{{PersonBob
+| image=MichaelLatham.jpeg
+| name=Michael B. Latham
+| birthplace=
+| dob=19xx-xx-xx
+| dod=2021-04-10
+| employment={{Employment
+| company=[[wikipedia:Telecomsoft|Rainbird Software]]
+| notsega=yes
+}}
+{{Employment
+| company=[[Mediagenic]]
+| notsega=yes
+}}
+{{Employment
+| company=[[Sega of America]]
+| divisions=[[SegaSoft]], [[Omega Group]], [[Family Group]]
+}}
+| role=Director, Producer, Designer
+| education=
+}}
+{{stub}}'''Michael B. Latham''' was an American businessman and former [[Sega of America]] Producer and Designer, best known as the creator of the ''[[Eternal Champions]]'' series of fighting games. An industry veteran with years of production experience, Latham joined Sega of America and served as Producer to over two dozen games, and also designed many of them personally. Latham would later lead both [[Sega of America]]'s product development division, [[SegaSoft]], as well as the children's game-oriented [[Family Group]].
-==Production History==
+==History==
+===Pre-Sega===
+Latham entered the video game industry upon being hired by [[wikipedia:Telecomsoft|Rainbird Software]], a sister company of [[wikipedia:Telecomsoft|Firebird Software]], to localize computer games for the American market.
+In 1988, he moved to [[Mediagenic]] where he served as a Producer on titles such as ''[[wikipedia:Ghostbusters II (computer video game)|Ghostbusters II]]'' and ''[[wikipedia:Tongue of the Fatman|Tongue of the Fatman]]'' before the company went bankrupt in early 1991.
+===Sega of America===
+In April 1991, Latham  joined [[Sega of America]] as a Producer, where he designed games like ''[[Home Alone]]'', ''[[Greendog: The Beached Surfer Dude!]]'', and ''[[Eternal Champions]]''.
+Sometime around April 1994, [[Sega of America]] restructured its internal development groups, resulting in Latham and his teams being merged into [[Omega Group]]. Upon hearing news of this restructuring, it's Director [[Scott Berfield]] abruptly quit the company altogether, with Latham serving as the group's new Director.
+Michael Latham also served as Director of [[Family Group]].
+===SegaSoft===
+===Post-Sega===
+Latham passed away on April 10, 2021.{{ref|https://archive.vn/i6VjX|https://twitter.com/MikeJMika/status/1381040876823085056}}
+==Production history==
+{{ProductionHistory|Michael Latham|Mike Latham|Michael B. Latham}}
+[[Category:Uncredited role]]
+[[Category:Use ProductionHistory template]]
 *''[[Slaughter Sport]]'' (1990)
-*''[[Eternal Champions]]'' (1994) — Designer, Executive Producer
-*''[[NFL '95]]'' — Special Thanks To
-*''[[Eternal Champions: Challenge From the Dark Side]]'' (1995)
-*''[[Pebble Beach Golf Links]]'' (Saturn Version) (1995) — Special Thanks (as '''Mike Latham''')
-*''[[Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (Mega-CD)|Mighty Morphin Power Rangers]]'' (Mega-CD Version) (1995) — Special Thanks (as '''Mike Latham''')
-*''[[Garfield: Caught in the Act]]'' (Mega Drive Version)  (1995) — Executive Producer
-*''[[Hang-On GP]]'' (1995) — Special Thanks
-*''[[Virtua Fighter]]'' (32X Version) (1995) — Special Thanks (for SOA) (as '''Michael B. Latham'''), Executive Producer
-*''[[Eternal Champions: The Final Chapter]]'' (unreleased)
-{{DEFAULTSORT:Latham, Michael}}
+==Interviews==
-[[Category:Producers]]
+{{InterviewList|Michael Latham|Mike Latham|Michael B. Latham}}
+==External links==
+*[https://tempusfugitive.com Official website]
+*[https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-latham-97a274/ Michael Latham on LinkedIn]
+*[https://twitter.com/tempusfugitive Michael Latham on Twitter]
+==References==
+<references />