Difference between revisions of "Probe Entertainment"

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{{Company
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{{CompanyBob
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| founded=1984{{ref|https://www.polygon.com/2016/2/29/11132430/fergus-mcgovern-obituary-probe-entertainment}}
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| founded=1984 (as Probe Software)
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| defunct=2000-04
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| headquarters=[[wikipedia:Croydon, England|Croydon, England, United Kingdom]]{{ref|https://dperry.com/2016/02/28/fergus-mcgovern/}}
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}}'''{{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.
  
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{{stub}}'''''Acclaim Studios London''''', formerly known as '''''Probe Software''''' (1984–1995) and '''''Probe Entertainment''''' (1995–2001), was an active video game developer throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
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==Company==
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Founded by [[Fergus McGovern]] in 1984 primarily as a distributor and publisher, Probe Software began its existence by contracting out the development of computer games to smaller development studios. Their first game, the [[Commodore 16]] budget title ''Alcatraz'', did not perform as well in the marketplace as the company had expected, leading McGovern to re-evaluate the company's direction. Soon, Probe switched to developing for the [[Amstrad CPC]], [[Commodore 64]], and [[ZX Spectrum]], when they notably acquired an official license to port many of [[Sega]]'s flagship franchises to contemporary home computers.
  
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During their Probe years, the studio was responsible for porting many games to [[Sega]] systems, mainly those published by [[Acclaim]] or [[U.S. Gold]].
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The company experienced a significant amount of success with their license-centric business model, producing a number of officially-licensed movie games and home ports of popular [[Sega]] arcade games. Often working with publishers [[Acclaim]], [[U.S. Gold]], and [[Arena Entertainment]], 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]]''.
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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. Development on sequels to ''[[Re-Volt]]'' and the ''Extreme-G'' franchise moved over to the newly-formed [[Acclaim Studios Cheltenham]].
  
 
==Softography==
 
==Softography==
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{{multicol|
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{{CompanyHistoryAll|Probe Entertainment|Probe Software|Acclaim Studios London}}
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===Amstrad CPC===
 
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*''[[Super Monaco GP]]'' (1991)
 
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===Commodore 64===
 
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*''[[Galaxy Force II|Galaxy Force]]'' (some programming) (1989)
 
−
 
 
−
===ZX Spectrum===
 
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*''[[Super Monaco GP]]'' (1991)
 
−
 
 
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===[[Sega Master System|Master System]]===
 
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*''[[OutRun Europa]]'' (1991)
 
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*''[[Sega Chess]]'' (1991)
 
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*''[[Alien³]]'' (1992)
 
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*''[[Back to the Future Part III]]'' (1992)
 
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*''[[Lemmings]]'' (1992)
 
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*''[[Super Smash T.V.]]'' (1992)
 
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*''[[The Terminator]]'' (1992)
 
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*''[[Home Alone (Master System)|Home Alone]]'' (1993)
 
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*''[[California Games II]]'' (1993)
 
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*''[[Mortal Kombat]]'' (1993)
 
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*''[[T2: The Arcade Game]]'' (1993)
 
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*''[[Bram Stoker's Dracula (8-bit)|Bram Stoker's Dracula]]'' (1993)
 
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*''[[Desert Speedtrap starring Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote]]'' (1993)
 
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*''[[Road Rash]]'' (1994)
 
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*''[[Mortal Kombat II]]'' (1994)
 
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*''[[The Incredible Hulk]]'' (1994)
 
−
 
 
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===[[Sega Mega Drive|Mega Drive]]===
 
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*''[[Back to the Future Part III]]'' (1991)
 
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*''[[Alien³]]'' (1992)
 
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*''[[Super Smash T.V.]]'' (1992)
 
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*''[[The Terminator]]'' (1992)
 
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*''[[George Foreman's KO Boxing]]'' (1992)
 
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*''[[G-Loc Air Battle]]'' (1993)
 
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*''[[Mortal Kombat]]'' (1993)
 
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*''[[T2: The Arcade Game]]'' (1993)
 
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*''[[The Pagemaster]]'' (1994)
 
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*''[[Mortal Kombat II]]'' (1994)
 
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*''[[Body Count]]'' (1994)
 
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*''[[The Incredible Hulk]]'' (1994)
 
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*''[[Stargate]]'' (1995)
 
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*''[[Primal Rage]]'' (1995)
 
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*''[[Judge Dredd]]'' (1995)
 
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*''[[Batman Forever]]'' (1995)
 
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*''[[Bugs Bunny in Double Trouble]]'' (1996)
 
−
 
 
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===[[Sega Game Gear|Game Gear]]===
 
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*''[[OutRun Europa]]'' (1991)
 
−
*''[[Alien³]]'' (1992)
 
−
*''[[Lemmings]]'' (1992)
 
−
*''[[Super Smash T.V.]]'' (1992)
 
−
*''[[The Terminator]]'' (1992)
 
−
*''[[Mortal Kombat]]'' (1993)
 
−
*''[[T2: The Arcade Game]]'' (1993)
 
−
*''[[Bram Stoker's Dracula (8-bit)|Bram Stoker's Dracula]]'' (1993)
 
−
*''[[Desert Speedtrap starring Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote]]'' (1993)
 
−
*''[[Road Rash]]'' (1994)
 
−
*''[[Mortal Kombat II]]'' (1994)
 
−
*''[[Stargate (Game Gear)|Stargate]]'' (1995)
 
−
*''[[The Incredible Hulk]]'' (1995)
 
−
*''[[Primal Rage]]'' (1995)
 
−
*''[[Judge Dredd]]'' (1995)
 
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*''[[FIFA Soccer 96]]'' (1995)
 
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*''[[Batman Forever]]'' (1995)
 
−
 
 
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===[[Sega 32X|32X]]===
 
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*''[[Mortal Kombat II]]'' (1994)
 
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*''[[Primal Rage]]'' (1995)
 
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*''[[FIFA Soccer 96]]'' (1995)
 
−
 
 
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===[[Sega Saturn|Saturn]]===
 
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*''[[FIFA Soccer 96]]'' (1995)
 
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*''[[Mortal Kombat II]]'' (1996)
 
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*''[[Primal Rage]]'' (1996)
 
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*''[[Alien Trilogy]]'' (1996)
 
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*''[[Bubble Bobble also featuring Rainbow Islands]]'' (1996)
 
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*''[[Die Hard Trilogy]]'' (1997)
 
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*''[[Doom]]'' (1997)
 
  
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===[[Sega Dreamcast|Dreamcast]]===
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==Articles==
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*''[[Re-Volt]]'' (1999)
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<gallery>
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}}
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ProbeSoftware AmstradUser1988-08 article.pdf|An article detailing the company's history, by Jerry Muir of ''Amstrad User'', August 1988.
 +
</gallery>
  
 +
==References==
 +
<references />
 
[[Category:Third-party software developers]]
 
[[Category:Third-party software developers]]

Latest revision as of 12:57, 19 March 2024

https://segaretro.org/images/a/a9/ProbeEntertainment_logo.png

ProbeEntertainment logo.png
Probe Entertainment
Founded: 1984[1]
Defunct: 2000-04
Headquarters:
Croydon, England, United Kingdom[2]

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 by Fergus McGovern in 1984 primarily as a distributor and publisher, Probe Software began its existence by contracting out the development of computer games to smaller development studios. Their first game, the Commodore 16 budget title Alcatraz, did not perform as well in the marketplace as the company had expected, leading McGovern to re-evaluate the company's direction. Soon, Probe switched to developing for the Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum, when they notably acquired an official license to port many of Sega's flagship franchises to contemporary home computers.

The company experienced a significant amount of success with their license-centric business model, producing a number of officially-licensed movie games and home ports of popular Sega arcade games. Often working with publishers Acclaim, U.S. Gold, and Arena Entertainment, 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. Development on sequels to Re-Volt and the Extreme-G franchise moved over to the newly-formed Acclaim Studios Cheltenham.

Softography

Master System

Mega Drive

Game Gear

Mega-CD

32X

Mega-CD 32X

Commodore 64

IBM PC

Amstrad CPC

ZX Spectrum

Atari ST

Amiga

Saturn

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

  1. ↑ https://www.polygon.com/2016/2/29/11132430/fergus-mcgovern-obituary-probe-entertainment
  2. ↑ https://dperry.com/2016/02/28/fergus-mcgovern/
Retrieved from "https://segaretro.org/index.php?title=Probe_Entertainment&oldid=968359"