Rocket Science Games

Infobox_Company
company_name = Rocket Science Games
company_
company_type = Defunct
company_slogan =
foundation = 1993
defunct = 1997 | location = Palo Alto, California
key_people = Steve Blank, founder, CEO
Peter Barret
Ron Cobb
Mike Backus
Bill Davis
industry =
products =
revenue =
homepage =

"Rocket Science Games" was a video game developer that created games for consoles and computers from 1993 to 1997. The company was responsible for games such as "Obsidian", "Rocket Jockey", and "The Space Bar".

History

Steven Gary Blank founded Rocket Science Games in 1993, receiving $12 million in funding from Sega Enterprises and the Bertelsmann Music Group in May 1994 [cite journal | last = Snider | first = Burr | title = Rocket Science | journal = Wired Magazine | volume = 2.11 | date = November 1994 | url = http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/2.11/rocket.science.html | accessdate = 2008-06-28 ] . Staffed with some of the brightest rising stars of the computer, comics and movie industries, RSG created a huge buzz even before the release of their first titles and claimed to be an on the verge of revolutionizing the video game industry. Founded at the height of the FMV video game craze of the '90s, their first three games utilized the technology heavily; but as a backlash grew and their fortunes suffered due to poor sales, they shifted away from consoles and FMV to concentrate only on more traditional PC games.

After the disappointing sales of their early games they received much needed funds from SegaSoft, who then became the sole publisher for their titles, then in development. Unfortunately, while some of their SegaSoft games were critically acclaimed, ("Computer Gaming World", May 1997) [Computer Gaming World, May 1997.] , ( [http://www.gamespot.com/pc/adventure/obsidian/ "GameSpot"] , "Obsidian," review included.) [ [http://www.gamespot.com/pc/adventure/obsidian/ "Obsidian"] at GameSpot, review is included.] , ("PC Gamer", May 1997) [PC Gamer, May 1997.] , ("Four Fat Chicks", "Obsidian" review, June 2002) [ [http://www.fourfatchicks.com/Reviews/Obsidian/Obsidian.shtml Obsidian review] at Four Fat Chicks, June 2002.] , ( "Just Adventure", "Obsidian review, undated) [ [http://www.justadventure.com/reviews/Obsidian/Obsidian_review.shtm Obsidian review] at Just Adventure, undated.] none of them did particularly well financially, and unable to secure additional funding, RSG was forced to close down in 1997.

"The Space Bar" was the last game released that involved RSG. "Darwin Pond " [http://www.ventrella.com/Darwin/darwin.html] was an unreleased title that was completed before the fall of RSG but was never commercially released; later its creator Jeffrey Ventrella released it for free over the Internet.

List of games made by Rocket Science

Released (by date)

*""
*""
*""
*"Rocket Jockey"
*"Obsidian"
*"The Space Bar"

Unreleased (alphabetical)

*"Darkride"
*"Darwin Pond"
*"Ganymede"
*"Loadstar II: Showdown on Phobos"
*"Rocket Boy"

See also

* Boffo Games
* SegaSoft

References

External links

* [http://www.mobygames.com/company/rocket-science-games-inc Rocket Science Games profile] from MobyGames
* [http://www.ventrella.com/Darwin/darwin.html Darwin Pond Official Homepage]

Articles

* [http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/2.11/rocket.science.html Wired: Rocket Science] Article on RSG from 1994
* [http://www.csoon.com/issue17/p_rocket.htm "Coming Soon" Article] Article about SegaSoft and RSG from 1996
* [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_1996_Feb_13/ai_17991589 Business Wire Article] Article about upcoming RSG from 1996.