BBC Multimedia
BBC Multimedia was a division of the BBC which dealt with the publishing of computer-game versions of well-known BBC television programmes.
 | |
| Founded | 1995 |
|---|---|
| Defunct | 2006 |
| Headquarters | Broadcasting House, Portland Place, London , |
| Products | Doctor Who Robot Wars Teletubbies Tweenies Bob the Builder Noddy Pingu Wallace and Gromit |
| Parent | British Broadcasting Corporation |
| Subsidiaries | Gamezlab |
History
The Multimedia division was founded in 1995[1] and mostly focused on CD-ROM software for Microsoft Windows and Macintosh.
The company attended E3 2002 by announcing their first title for the Xbox - Robot Wars: Extreme Destruction, set for a November 2002 release,[2] as well as a game adaptation of the CBBC series Ace Lightning for the PlayStation 2, with both titles also seeing Microsoft Windows and Game Boy Advance releases.[3] Other CD-ROM titles announced this time were Bob the Builder: Bob Builds a Park, set for a July 2002 release[4] and Tweenies: Messy Time, set for an October 2002 release.[5]
In July 2002, the company launched a budget range called "Favourites", consisting of their pre-school titles.[6] On 5 November 2002, the company announced they would publish a Fimbles CD-ROM for a June 2003 release.[7]
On February 6, 2003, the company announced that the Ace Lightning video game would release in March.[8] At E3 2003, the company announced a video game based on FightBox for PlayStation 2, Microsoft Windows and Game Boy Advance for a pre-Christmas release window to tie-in with the show's airing.[9] The company also showcased their Fimbles CD-ROM, in addition to a game based on Tiny Planets, a Bob the Builder title - Bob's Castle Adventure for a July 2003 release,[10] and an Engie Benjy CD-ROM for a September 2003 release.[11] In October, the company announced that the FightBox video game would release in February 2004.[12] On November 24, the company announced a Balamory CD-ROM for 2004.[13]
In January 2004, the Balamory title was announced for a release in the following month.[14] A compilation release titled Playtime! was announced for a release as well.[15] In February, the company announced a video game based on Spooks for the PlayStation 2, Xbox and Windows, for a Autumn 2004 release window.[16] On 2 November 2004, Global Software Publishing announced that they had acquired exclusive distribution rights to BBC Multimedia's library.[17]
BBC Multimedia was closed 2006 after sales declined in its boxed product business.[18]
Games
| Game | Platform(s) | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| Attenborough's Antarctic | Windows 95 / 98 / 3.1 | 1997 |
| Balamory | Windows 98 / 95 / XP | 2004 |
| Bill & Ben: Flowerpot Fun! | Windows 98 / 95 | 2001 |
| BBC Games Collection Featuring Toybox/Playtime | Windows 98 / 95 / XP | 2003 / 2005 |
| Blue Peter | Windows 95 | 1997 |
| Bob the Builder: Bob Builds a Park (Published in North America by THQ) | Windows 98 / Me / XP | 2001 |
| Bob the Builder: Bob's Castle Adventure (Published in North America by THQ) | Windows 98 / Me / XP | 2003 |
| Bob the Builder: Can We Fix It? (Published in North America by THQ) | Microsoft Windows, PlayStation | 2000 / 2001 |
| Bob the Builder: Fix it Fun! (Published in North America by THQ) | Game Boy Color | 2000 / 2001 |
| Changing Rooms | Windows 95 / 98 | N/A |
| Doctor Who: Destiny of the Doctors | Windows 95 | 1997 |
| Fast Show Comedy Fun Pack | Windows 95 / 98 | N/A |
| Fawlty Towers – Comedy Pack | Windows 95 / 98 | N/A |
| Fimbles: Fimbling Fun | Windows 95 / 98 / XP | 2003 |
| Gardeners' World Magazine Garden Manager with Alan Titchmarsh | Windows 95 / 98 | N/A |
| GCSE Bitesize Revision: Maths | Windows 95 / 98 | 2000 |
| GCSE Bitesize Revision: Science | Windows 95 / 98 | 2000 |
| The Human Body – Your Body | Windows 95 / 98 | 1999 |
| Key Stage 2 ReviseWise Science | Windows 95 / 98 | 1997 |
| Key Stage 3 Bitesize Revision English | Windows 95 / 98 | 1999 |
| Key Stage 3 Bitesize Revision Maths | Windows 95 / 98 | 1999 |
| Live & Kicking: Show Maker | Windows 3.1 / 95 / 98 | 1995 |
| Mastermind | Windows 3.1 / 95 / 98 | 1997 |
| Noddy: Let's Get Ready for School! (Released in North America as Noddy: Playtime in Toyland) (Published in North America by Knowledge Adventure) | Windows 95 / 98 | 1998 (UK) 1999 (US) |
| Noddy: The Magic of Toytown | Windows 95 / 98 | 1996 |
| Noddy's Magic Adventure | PlayStation | 2000 |
| Noddy and the Birthday Party | Game Boy Color | 2000 |
| Only Fools & Horses | Windows 95 / 98 | N/A |
| Pingu & Friends | Windows, Macintosh | 1999 |
| Pingu: A Barrel of Fun! | Windows 95 / 98 | 1997 |
| Play with the Teletubbies (Published in North America by Knowledge Adventure) | Windows 95 / 98 /PlayStation | 1998 / 2000 |
| Teletubbies 2: Favourite Games (Published in North America by Knowledge Adventure) | Windows 95 / 98 | 1999 |
| Result: The BBC Sports Quiz presented by Desmond Lynam | Windows 95 | N/A |
| Robot Wars: Advanced Destruction (Published in North America by Vivendi Universal Games) | Game Boy Advance | 2001 |
| Robot Wars: Metal Mayhem | Game Boy Color | 2000 |
| Rotten Ralph – Big Night In | Windows 95 / 98 | 2000 |
| S Club 7: On The Road | Windows 95 / 98 / Me / 2000 / XP | 2003 |
| Shakespeare on CD-ROM: Macbeth | Windows 3.1 / 95 / 98 | 1995 |
| Shakespeare on CD-ROM: Romeo and Juliet | Windows 95 / 98 | 1995[19] |
| SMart | Windows 95 / 98 / NT | N/A |
| Spark Island Adventures in Literacy 7-9 | Windows, Macintosh | 1997 |
| Spark Island Adventures in Literacy 9-11 | Windows, Macintosh | 1997 |
| Spark Island Adventures in Maths 7-9 | Windows, Macintosh | 1997 |
| Spark Island Farmer Rumtums Letter Fun 3-5 | Windows, Macintosh | 1999 |
| Spark Island Farmer Rumtums Number Fun 3-5 | Windows, Macintosh | 1999 |
| Spark Island Maths Adventures 9-11 | Windows, Macintosh | 2001 |
| Spark Island Number Games 5-7 | Windows, Macintosh | 2001 |
| Spark Island Reading Games 5-7 | Windows, Macintosh | 2001 |
| Top Of The Pops: Mix Factory | Windows 95 / 98 | N/A |
| Top Of The Pops: Mix Factory 2 | Windows 95 / 98 | 1999[20] |
| Tweenies: Doodles' Bones | Windows 95 / 98, Game Boy Color | 2000 |
| Tweenies: Game Time | PlayStation | 2001 |
| Tweenies: Messy Time Magic | Windows 95 / 98 | 2002 |
| Tweenies: Play to the Music | Windows 95 / 98 / Me / XP | 2004 |
| Tweenies: Ready to Play | Windows 95 / 98 | 2000 |
| Wallace & Gromit Cracking Animator | Windows 95 / 98 | 1997 |
| Wallace & Gromit Print-o-matic | Windows 95 / 98 | 1998 |
| The Weakest Link (published by Activision) | Microsoft Windows, PlayStation, PlayStation 2 | 2001 |
| Yoho Ahoy: All Aboard! | Windows 98 | 2000 |
Gamezlab Titles
| Game | Platform(s) | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| Robot Wars: Arenas of Destruction (Published in North America by Vivendi Universal Games) | Windows 98 / Me, PlayStation 2 | 2001 |
| Robot Wars: Extreme Destruction | Windows 95 / 98 / 2000 / Me / XP, Xbox, Game Boy Advance | 2002 |
| Ace Lightning | Windows, PlayStation 2 | 2002 |
| FightBox | Windows, PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance | 2004 |
| Spooks | PlayStation 2, Xbox, Windows | Cancelled |
References
- French, Michael (6 August 2007). "BBC to return to games development?". MCV. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/bbcworldwide/worldwidestories/pressreleases/2002/05_may/robot_wars_xbox.shtml
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/bbcworldwide/worldwidestories/pressreleases/2002/05_may/e3.shtml
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/bbcworldwide/worldwidestories/pressreleases/2002/05_may/bob_builds_a_park.shtml
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/bbcworldwide/worldwidestories/pressreleases/2002/05_may/tweenies.shtml
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/bbcworldwide/worldwidestories/pressreleases/2002/07_july/multimedia_childrens_software.shtml
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/bbcworldwide/worldwidestories/pressreleases/2002/11_november/fimbles_cdrom.shtml
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/bbcworldwide/worldwidestories/pressreleases/2003/02_february/ace_ps2.shtml
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/bbcworldwide/worldwidestories/pressreleases/2003/05_may/fightbox_e3.shtml
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/bbcworldwide/worldwidestories/pressreleases/2003/05_may/bob_castle.shtml
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/bbcworldwide/worldwidestories/pressreleases/2003/05_may/enjie_benjy_pc.shtml
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/bbcworldwide/worldwidestories/pressreleases/2003/10_october/fightbox_multimedia.shtml
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/bbcworldwide/worldwidestories/pressreleases/2003/11_november/balamory.shtml
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/bbcworldwide/worldwidestories/pressreleases/2004/01_january/balamory_pc_cd.shtml
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/bbcworldwide/worldwidestories/pressreleases/2004/01_january/playtime_cdrom.shtml
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/bbcworldwide/worldwidestories/pressreleases/2004/02_february/spooks_multimedia.shtml
- https://www.gamesindustry.biz/gsp-licenses-bbc-worldwides-catalogue-of-award-winning-software
- French, Michael (21 January 2010). "BBC gets back into games". MCV. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
- BBC Shakespeare on CD-ROM – Romeo and Juliet. ASIN 0003252787.
25 April 1995
- "Top Of The Pops: Mix Factory 2". GameTrailers. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
External links
- bbc.co.uk, BBC's official website
