Stainless Games

Stainless Games is a video game developer based on the Isle of Wight that specialises in developing downloadable games for Microsoft Windows and the Xbox 360's Xbox Live Arcade. They are most well known for developing the multimillion-selling Carmageddon franchise.

Originally named Stainless Software, the company was founded in 1993 by industry veteran Patrick Buckland, and Neil Barden, previously a senior designer at Conran and The Body Shop. Starting out with sub-contracted 3D engine work for Argonaut Games, and developing medical multimedia titles for the Times-Mirror Company, the company then went on to develop what later became Carmageddon for SCi. This was launched amidst much controversy over its violent content in 1997 but garnered high review scores thanks to its compelling gameplay and many ground-breaking features (including a fully-featured physics engine - a world-first for video games). Stainless released a sequel, Carmageddon II in 1998. Subsequent versions of the franchise (including TDR2000) were contracted by SCi to other developers.

In 2006 Stainless were sub-contracted by Blitz Games to code one of their three Burger King games, PocketBike Racer, although all design and contractual work was carried out by Blitz themselves.

The company has subsequently become experts in the console download field, having eleven titles released or soon to be released on XBLA, plus two titles on PSN (PS3).

These include a range of Atari classic titles which feature both the original version running under an emulator, and a completely re-written evolved version. These have also been released on PSP as a single product in December 2007.

Electronic Arts released the Stainless developed PSP and DS title Scrabble in early 2009. This was available for the North American market only, for licensing reasons. The company released Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers  in June 2009 on XBLA. Developed over nearly two years in conjunction with Wizards of the Coast, the title broke sales records on Live Arcade (171,000 in the first month) and was well received by both critics and players.

Stainless has also licensed Buckland's 80's Mac classic Crystal Quest and has produced versions for XBLA and Vista.

Games

 * RISK: Factions (2010)
 * Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers (Wizards of the Coast) (2009)
 * Scrabble DS/PSP - EA, North America only (2009)
 * Happy Tree Friends: False Alarm (2008)
 * Red Baron PS3 (2008)
 * Red Baron PC (2008)
 * Warlords (2008)
 * Battlezone (2008)
 * Atari Classics Evolved PSP (2007)
 * Tempest (2007)
 * Asteroids/Asteroids Deluxe (2007)
 * Missile Command (2007)
 * Centipede/Millipede (2007)
 * PocketBike Racer (2006)
 * Crystal Quest (2006)
 * Novadrome (2006)
 * Carmageddon II: Carpocalypse Now (1998)
 * Carmageddon (1997)