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{{Infobox company | company_name = The Creative Assembly Ltd. | company_logo = The creative assembly-logo.png | type = [[Private company limited by shares|Limited company]],<br />[[Subsidiary]] of [[Sega|Sega Europe Ltd.]] | foundation = 1987<ref name="CA Profile">{{cite web|url=http://www.creative-assembly.co.uk/info.html|title=CA Profile|publisher=The Creative Assembly|accessdate=2008-11-02}}</ref> | location = [[Horsham]], [[West Sussex]], [[United Kingdom|UK]] | key_people = Tim Ansell <small>(founder)</small><br />Michael Simpson<br />[[Jeff van Dyck]] | industry = [[Video game industry]] | parent = [[Sega|Sega Europe Ltd.]] | owner = [[Sega]] | products = [[Total War (series)|''Total War'' series]] | num_employees = ~120<ref>name="CA Profile"/url="http://rometotalwar.com/?page_id=14"</ref> | homepage = [http://www.creative-assembly.co.uk creative-assembly.co.uk] }} '''The Creative Assembly''' is a British [[video game developer]] established in 1987 by Tim Ansell and based in the [[West Sussex]] town of [[Horsham]]. An Australian branch is also operated from [[Fortitude Valley, Queensland]]. In its early years, the company worked on [[porting]] games to [[DOS]] from [[Amiga]] and [[ZX Spectrum]] platforms, later working with [[Electronic Arts]] to produce a variety of games under the [[EA Sports]] brand. In 1999, the company had sufficient resources to attempt a new and original project, proceeding to develop the strategy computer game ''[[Shogun: Total War]]''. ''Shogun: Total War'' was highly successful for the Creative Assembly and is regarded as one of the benchmark strategy games. Subsequent titles in the [[Total War (series)|''Total War'' series]] built on the triumph of ''Shogun: Total War'', increasing the company's critical and commercial success. In March 2005, the Creative Assembly was acquired by Japanese giant [[Sega]] as a European [[subsidiary]]. Under Sega, further ''Total War'' titles were developed, and the Creative Assembly entered the [[video game console|console]] market with [[action-adventure game]]s such as ''[[Spartan: Total Warrior]]'' and ''[[Viking: Battle for Asgard]]''. The company's most recent products are ''[[Napoleon: Total War]]'' and the [[real-time strategy]] title, ''[[Stormrise]]''. ==History== ===Founding=== The Creative Assembly was founded on 18 August 1987 as a limited company. The founder, Tim Ansell, had begun professional [[computer programming]] in 1985, working on video game titles for the [[Amstrad CPC]], [[Commodore 64]] and [[Atari 800]]. Initially, Ansell kept the company small so he could personally work on computer programming.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.giantbomb.com/tim-ansell/72-13180/|title=Tim Ansell|publisher=[[Giant Bomb]]|accessdate=2008-11-05}}</ref> The company's early work, often produced personally by Ansell, involved porting games from the [[Amiga]] and [[ZX Spectrum]] platforms to [[DOS]], such as the 1989 titles [[Geoff Crammond|Geoff Crammond's]] ''[[Stunt Car Racer]]'' and ''[[Shadow of the Beast]]'' by [[Psygnosis]].<ref name="CA history"/> The Creative Assembly began work with [[Electronic Arts]] in 1993, producing titles under the [[EA Sports]] label, starting with the DOS version of the early ''[[FIFA (series)|FIFA]]'' games.<ref name="CA history"/> With EA Sports, The Creative Assembly was able to produce low development risk products bearing official league endorsements. The company's products included official [[Rugby World Cup]] titles for 1995 and 2001, the official game for the [[1999 Cricket World Cup]] and the [[Australian Football League]] games for 1998 and 1999, of which the ''AFL98'' title was particularly successful in the Australian market.<ref name="CA history"/> When it became clear that the company needed to expand further, Ansell employed Michael Simpson in 1996 as studio director. Simpson, a [[integrated circuit|microchip]] designer turned video game designer, later became the driving force for the creative design of the ''Total War'' series.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.giantbomb.com/michael-m-simpson/72-27217/|title=Michael M. Simpson|publisher=[[Giant Bomb]]|accessdate=2008-11-05}}</ref> ===Early Total War titles=== As a result of their success in sports titles, by 1999 the Creative Assembly had sufficient resources and backing from Electronic Arts to develop more high risk titles in other genres. The result of this was ''[[Shogun: Total War]]'', the company's breakthrough title. A blend of [[real-time tactics]] and [[turn-based strategy|turn-based]] gameplay, ''Shogun: Total War'' was first announced in early 1999. The game focused the [[Sengoku period]] of Japanese feudal history, and upon release its in June 2000 it was met with critical acclaim. The game won multiple industry awards and became regarded as one of the benchmark strategy video games.<ref name="awards"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/shoguntotalwar|title=''Shogun: Total War'' (PC: 2000)|publisher=[[Metacritic]]|accessdate=2008-11-04}}</ref> Inhouse composer [[Jeff van Dyck]] won both a [[BAFTA]] and an [[EMMA]] award for his work on the game's soundtrack.<ref name="awards">{{Cite web|url=http://rometotalwar.com/?page_id=11|title=Awards|publisher=The Creative Assembly|accessdate=2008-11-03}}</ref> In May 2001, the Creative Assembly announced ''[[Shogun: Total War: The Mongol Invasion|The Mongol Invasion]]'', an [[expansion pack]] focusing on the earlier [[Mongol invasions of Japan]]. Released in August 2001, the expansion pack also received a positive response. Soon after, the Creative Assembly broke away from Electronic Arts, instead using [[Activision]] as a publisher and distributor.<ref name="CA history">{{cite web|url=http://www.creative-assembly.co.uk/history.html|title=History|publisher=The Creative Assembly|accessdate=2008-11-03}}</ref> In August 2001, the Creative Assembly announced a second ''Total War'' video game, this time set in the [[Middle Ages]]. ''[[Medieval: Total War]]'' was of a larger scope than ''Shogun: Total War'', spanning a larger time period and the entire of Medieval Europe. Released in August 2002, the game was a greater success than ''Shogun: Total War'', becoming the best-selling video game in the UK for the first two weeks, and the fourth best-selling game in the US market in its first week.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.games.ign.com/articles/370/370995p1.html|title=''Medieval: Total War'' Tops PC Sales Through Charts|publisher=[[IGN]]|date=2002-09-13|accessdate=2008-11-03}}</ref> As with ''Shogun: Total War'', ''Medieval: Total War'' won multiple industry awards, and was named the top game of 2002 by ''[[PC Gamer]]'', unseating [[Valve Corporation|Valve Software's]] ''[[Half-Life (video game)|Half-Life]]''.<ref>"Top 100", ''[[PC Gamer UK]]'': 2002</ref> The Creative Assembly itself was also awarded the [[European Computer Trade Show]] PC Game Developer of the Year award.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamershell.com/news_3701.html|title=ECTS: Awards Winners Announced|publisher=Gamer's Hell|date=2002-08-30|accessdate=2008-11-03}}</ref> ''[[Medieval: Total War: Viking Invasion|Viking Invasion]]'', an expansion pack focusing on the [[Viking Age#England|Viking invasions of Britain]] in the [[Dark Ages]], was released in May 2003. A third ''Total War'' title was announced in January 2003. Entitled ''[[Rome: Total War]]'', the game featured an entirely new [[game engine]] to ''Shogun: Total War'' and ''Medieval: Total War'', and redesigned the approach to the series. Set during the rise of the [[Roman Empire]], the game's code was used for two television shows, the [[BBC Television|BBC's]] ''[[Time Commanders]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7045018.stm|title=Machinima waits to go mainstream|first=Peter|last=Price|date=2007-10-16|publisher=[[BBC]]|accessdate=2008-11-03}}</ref> and the [[History Channel|History Channel's]] ''[[Decisive Battles]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/532/532411p1.html|title=History Channel's Decisive Battles|publisher=[[IGN]]|date=2004-07-21|first=Steve|last=Butts|accessdate=2008-11-03}}</ref> Upon release in September 2004, the game was given near universal praise, becoming one of the year's top ten best-selling titles.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/rometotalwar/news.html?sid=6116992&mode=all|title=NPD full-year PC tally nets hat trick for Activision|publisher=[[GameSpot]]|date=2005-01-24|accessdate=2008-11-03}}</ref> Jeff van Dyck was again nominated for a BAFTA award for the game's soundtrack.<ref name="JVD official">{{cite web|url=http://jeffvandyck.com/|title=Jeff van Dyck|accessdate=2008-11-03}}</ref> ===Buyout and later games=== Despite speculation that Activision might buy the Creative Assembly, as the publisher has done for previous successful developers under its wing,<ref name="acquisition">{{cite web|url=http://uk.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/rometotalwar/news.html?sid=6120096&mode=all|title=Sega conquers The Creative Assembly|publisher=[[GameSpot]]|first=Tor|last=Thorsen|date=2005-03-09|accessdate=2008-11-04}}</ref> the Japanese company [[Sega]] announced on 9 March 2005 that they had sealed an acquisition deal with the Creative Assembly,<ref name="acquisition"/> purchasing all issued [[Share (finance)|shares]] in the company.<ref name="acquistion IGN">{{cite web|url=http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/594/594612p1.html|title=GDC 2005: SEGA Gets Creative|publisher=[[IGN]]|first=Jeremy|last=Dunham|date=2005-03-08|accessdate=2008-11-04}}</ref> Sega explained that the acquisition was to strengthen Sega Europe's presence in the European and North American video game markets.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/594/594649p1.html|title=SEGA Buys The Creative Assembly|publisher=[[IGN]]|first=David|last=Adams|date=2005-03-09|accessdate=2008-11-04}}</ref> Sega's impact on the Creative Assembly was quickly made clear with the coinciding announcement of ''[[Spartan: Total Warrior]]'', a [[video game console|console]]-exclusive [[spin-off (media)|spin-off]] of the ''Total War'' series.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.gamespot.com/ps2/action/spartantotalwarrior/news.html?page=1&sid=6120019|title=Sega announces ''Spartan: Total Warrior''|first=Justin|last=Calvert|publisher=[[GameSpot]]|date=2005-03-09|accessdate=2008-11-04}}</ref> ''Spartan: Total Warrior'' was the Creative Assembly's first console title; all preceding titles in the ''Total War'' series had been exclusively [[computer game]]s. By July 2005, Sega had acquired the publishing rights to ''Rome: Total War'' from Activision,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/rometotalwar/news.html?sid=6128505&mode=all|title=Sega Secures Publishing Rights to Rome: Total War Expansion|publisher=[[GameSpot]]|date=2005-07-01|accessdate=2008-11-04}}</ref> and the game was followed by two expansion packs: ''[[Rome: Total War: Barbarian Invasion|Barbarian Invasion]]'' was released in September 2005 and showed the [[decline of the Roman Empire]], while ''[[Rome: Total War: Alexander|Alexander]]'' was released in September 2006 and focused on the exploits of [[Alexander the Great]]. ''Spartan: Total Warrior'' was released in October 2005 on [[Xbox]], [[PlayStation 2]] and [[Nintendo GameCube|GameCube]], receiving a favourable reception from critics.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/xbx/spartantotalwarrior|title=''Spartan: Total Warrior'' (Xbox: 2005)|publisher=[[Metacritic]]|accessdate=2008-11-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/ps2/spartantotalwarrior|title=''Spartan: Total Warrior'' (PS2: 2005)|publisher=[[Metacritic]]|accessdate=2008-11-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/cube/spartantotalwarrior|title=''Spartan: Total Warrior'' (Cube: 2005)|publisher=[[Metacritic]]|accessdate=2008-11-04}}</ref> A fourth ''Total War'' outing was announced in January 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/682/682409p1.html|title=''Total War'' Goes Medieval Again|publisher=[[IGN]]|first=Wade|last=Steel|date=2006-01-20|accessdate=2008-11-04}}</ref> The new title, ''[[Medieval II: Total War]]'', was a remake of ''Medieval: Total War'' using the new assets and technology behind ''Rome: Total War''. The game was released in November 2006, and although not as successful as ''Rome: Total War'',<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/medieval2totalwar?q=Medieval II|title=''Medieval II: Total War'' (PC: 2006)|publisher=[[Metacritic]]|accessdate=2008-11-04}}</ref> ''Medieval II: Total War'' was still a critical and commercial hit, holding a place in the UK games charts in November 2006,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/medieval2totalwar/news.html?sid=6161632&mode=all|title=UK game charts: November 5β11|publisher=[[GameSpot]]|first=Emma|last=Boyes|date=2006-11-15|accessdate=2008-11-04}}</ref> and in the US charts until the end of January 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/medieval2totalwar/news.html?sid=6165564&mode=all|title=PC game charts: January 21β27|publisher=[[GameSpot]]|first=Brendan|last=Sinclair|date=2007-02-08|accessdate=2008-11-04}}</ref> An expansion pack, ''[[Medieval II: Total War: Kingdoms|Kingdoms]]'', was announced in March 2007. Its campaigns focused on four areas: the [[Crusades]] in the [[Holy Land]], the [[Northern Crusades]] of the [[Teutonic Knights]], the conquering of [[New Spain]] and the medieval wars in the [[British Isles]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/medievaliitotalwarkingdoms/news.html?sid=6168368&mode=all|title=''Medieval II: Total War'' overruns ''Kingdoms''|publisher=[[GameSpot]]|date=2007-03-31|accessdate=2008-11-04}}</ref> The expansion received a positive reception from critics upon release in August 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/medieval2totalwarkingdoms?q=Medieval%20II|title=''Medieval II: Total War Kingdoms'' (PC: 2007)|publisher=[[Metacritic]]|accessdate=2008-11-04}}</ref> At the [[Games Convention]] in [[Leipzig]], [[Germany]] in August 2007, the Creative Assembly simultaneously announced new titles. The first, ''[[Viking: Battle for Asgard]]'', was another console-exclusive title, similar in style to ''Spartan: Total Warrior'', but focusing on [[Norse mythology]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.gamespot.com/ps3/action/vikingbattleforasgard/news.html?page=1&sid=6177050|title=Viking officially pillaging PS3, 360|publisher=[[GameSpot]]|first=Tor|last=Thorsen|date=2007-08-21|accessdate=2008-11-04}}</ref> The game was released in March 2008 but only received an average reception from critics in the industry.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/ps3/vikingbattleforasgard|title=''Viking: Battle for Asgard'' (PS3: 2008)|publisher=[[Metacritic]]|accessdate=2008-11-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/xbox360/vikingbattleforasgard |title=''Viking: Battle for Asgard'' (Xbox 360: 2008)|publisher=[[Metacritic]]|accessdate=2008-11-04}}</ref> The second title was a fifth ''Total War'' installment, ''[[Empire: Total War]]'', set in the [[early modern period]] of the 1700s and early 1800s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/empiretotalwar/news.html?sid=6177198&mode=all|title=Sega waging new ''Total War''|publisher=[[GameSpot]]|first=Tom|last=Magrino|date=2007-08-21|accessdate=2008-11-04}}</ref> As was the case with ''Rome: Total War'', ''Empire: Total War'' features a redesigned approach to the series and a new game engine. It was released in March 2009, receiving high praise from many within the industry,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/empiretotalwar |title=''Empire: Total War'' (PC:2009)|publisher=[[Metacritic]] |accessdate=2009-04-08}}</ref> selling double the amount of units sold for ''Medieval II: Total War'' and ''Rome: Total War''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/news/45324/Empire-Total-War-Breaks-U-K-Sales-Records|title=''Empire: Total War'' Breaks U.K. Sales Records|publisher=[[Gamasutra]]|date=2009-03-10|first=Andrew|last=Burnes|accessdate=2009-03-19}}</ref> In July 2008, the Creative Assembly announced another title, ''[[Stormrise]]''. Unlike previous historically-based games, ''Stormrise'' is a [[science fiction]] [[real-time strategy]] game developed for both consoles and PC, released in 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.gamespot.com/ps3/strategy/stormrise/news.html?sid=6193595&om_act=convert&om_clk=newsfeatures&tag=newsfeatures;title;2|title=Creative Assembly building console RTS|publisher=[[GameSpot]]|first=Tom|last=Magrino|date=2008-07-10|accessdate=2008-11-04}}</ref> ''Stormrise'' received negative and mediocre responses, with criticisms focusing on broken pathfinding and the game's flawed control scheme (designed with the intent to create an easy interface for consoles).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/ps3/stormrise|title=''Stormrise'' (PS3: 2009)|publisher=[[Metacritic]]|accessdate=2009-04-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/xbox360/stormrise|title=''Stormrise'' (Xbox 360: 2009)|publisher=[[Metacritic]]|accessdate=2009-04-19}}</ref> The Australian branch of the Creative Assembly ported the first three ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (series)|Sonic The Hedgehog]]'' games and the ''[[Sonic & Knuckles]]'' lock-on games to ''[[Sonic Classic Collection]]''. This compilation received overall positive reviews from ''Aussie-Nintendo'' and ''[[Official Nintendo Magazine]]'', but criticised some speed issues when playing, rarely speeding up or slowing down and some graphical and sound glitches, but this is due to the fact that the DS is just emulating the games{{Citation needed|date=May 2010}}. Reviewers also criticised the removal of multiplayer in the games, previously available in earlier versions of the games. ==References== {{Reflist|2}} ==External links== * [http://www.creative-assembly.co.uk/ The Creative Assembly official website] * [http://www.queenslandgames.com Queensland Games] * [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7932414.stm BBC News "Inside Games: Creative Assembly"] {{Creative Assembly}} {{sega}} [[Category:Sega divisions and subsidiaries]] [[Category:Video game developers]] [[Category:Video game companies of the United Kingdom]] [[de:Creative Assembly]] [[fr:Creative Assembly]] [[it:The Creative Assembly]] [[lt:Creative Assembly]] [[nl:Creative Assembly]] [[pl:Creative Assembly]] [[ru:Creative Assembly]] [[sv:Creative Assembly]] [[tr:The Creative Assembly]] [[uk:Creative Assembly]] [[zh:The Creative Assembly]]
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