Harebrained Schemes
Parent Paradox Interactive (2018–2023) | | |
Website | harebrained-schemes |
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Harebrained Schemes, LLC is an American
History
In 2011, Weisman and Gitelman reunited to work on the mobile game Crimson: Steam Pirates, which became Harebrained Schemes' first game. The following year, the studio released a second mobile game, Strikefleet Omega. Both games were well received, with Crimson: Steam Pirates making Metacritic's "Best iPhone Games of 2011" list and Strikefleet Omega making the Google Play store's "Best Games of 2012" list.[1]
Harebrained then went on to develop several games in the Shadowrun franchise. In 2012, the studio raised $1.8 million through Kickstarter to fund the development of Shadowrun Returns,[5] becoming only the third studio to raise $1 million on Kickstarter.[6] The studio had been considering using Kickstarter as a funding source since 2011, but it was not until the Kickstarter for Broken Age raised over $3 million that Harebrained Schemes felt that the crowdfunding platform could be a viable funding option.[1] The game was released in mid-2013.[7] One of the campaign's stretch goals was a second city, which became the expansion campaign Shadowrun: Dragonfall. Dragonfall was released free to backers of Shadowrun Returns, and in September 2014 was re-released (still free to backers) as a stand-alone game, Shadowrun: Dragonfall – Director's Cut.[8][9]
The studio returned to Kickstarter to fund Shadowrun: Hong Kong in early 2015.[6] Work on Shadowrun: Hong Kong had already begun using the studio's own funds by the time that the Kickstarter campaign was launched; the money raised through Kickstarter instead went towards expanding the amount of content that they would be able to put into the game.[6] The studio set a funding goal of $100,000, which it reached in two hours;[10] the campaign would go on to raise $1.2 million.[11] The series has been well reviewed by critics. Shadowrun Returns received an aggregate rating of 76/100 on Metacritic. As an expansion, Shadowrun: Dragonfall received a score of 81/100, while the stand-alone re-release received a score of 87/100. Shadowrun: Hong Kong received a score of 81/100.[12]
In addition to its Shadowrun titles, Harebrained Schemes also funded the development of the board game
In mid-2015, the studio announced that they were preparing to hold a fourth Kickstarter to fund a new game in the
In 2018 Paradox Interactive acquired Harebrained Schemes for US$7,500,000.[23][24]
In October 2023, Paradox Interactive announced that The Lamplighters League was a commercial disappointment and that significant layoffs had taken place at Harebrained Schemes prior to the completion of the game.[25] Following the tepid performance of The Lamplighters League, Harebrained Schemes and Paradox Interactive announced that they had reached a mutual agreement to go their separate ways, which allowed Harebrained Schemes to regain their independence from January 1, 2024 onwards. Paradox retains ownership of their previously released games.[26]
Games developed
Year | Title |
---|---|
2011 | Crimson: Steam Pirates |
2012 | Strikefleet Omega |
2013 | Shadowrun Returns |
2014 | Shadowrun: Dragonfall |
2014 | Golem Arcana |
2015 | Shadowrun: Hong Kong |
2016 | Necropolis |
2018 | BattleTech |
2023 | The Lamplighters League |
References
- ^ a b c d Nichols, Derek (27 February 2014). "Know your developer: An interview with Shadowrun Returns creator Harebrained Schemes". VentureBeat. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
- ^ Bergfeld, Carlos (6 December 2007). "FASA Founder Regains Rights to MechWarrior, Shadowrun, Crimson Skies from Microsoft". Shacknews. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
A prolific entrepreneur, Weisman founded the original FASA role-playing company ...
- ^ a b Futter, Mike (21 May 2015). "Harebrained Schemes Hints At Another Classic IP Reboot, Could Be BattleTech Or Crimson Skies". Game Informer. GameStop. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
- ^ https://www.pcgamer.com/harebrained-schemes-is-independent-again-paradox-parts-ways-with-the-studio-less-than-a-week-after-confirming-major-layoffs-earlier-this-year/
- ^ a b Chalk, Andy (20 May 2015). "Harebrained Schemes hints at something new from an old franchise". PC Gamer. Future plc. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
- ^ a b c Futter, Mike (13 January 2015). "Shadowrun Team's Third Project Will Change The Way You Think About Kickstarter". Game Informer. GameStop. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
- ^ "It's Happening". Kickstarter. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
- ^ Morrow, Rob (18 August 2014). "Shadowrun: Dragonfall – Director's Cut will release on September 18". Destructoid. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
- ^ Sykes, Tom (13 September 2014). "Shadowrun: Dragonfall Director's Cut detailed ahead of release next week". PC Gamer. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
- ^ Chalk, Andy (12 January 2015). "Harebrained Schemes reveals Shadowrun: Hong Kong". PC Gamer. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
- ^ "Shadowrun: Hong Kong". Kickstarter. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
- CBS Interactive. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
- ^ Hsu, Dan (7 August 2014). "Golem Arcana: The hybrid tabletop/video game that's going to make a lot of money (but off just a few of you)". VentureBeat. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
- ^ Smith, Mike (4 September 2014). "Golem Arcana Turns Your Tablet into a Board Game Overlord". Yahoo! Tech. Yahoo!. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
- ^ Miller, Matt (14 October 2013). "Golem Arcana". Game Informer. GameStop. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
- ^ "Golem Arcana". Kickstarter. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
- Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
- ^ Narcisse, Evan (13 March 2015). "A Gameworld That Changes Every Time You Die". Kotaku. Gawker Media. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
- ^ Carey, Gabe (29 July 2015). "Harebrained Schemes bringing Battletech to Kickstarter later this year". Digital Trends. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
- ^ "BATTLETECH". Kickstarter. 29 September 2015. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
... Harebrained Schemes has budgeted over a million dollars to self-fund the STAGE 1 SKIRMISH GAME (see below), and we've already started pre-production.
- ^ Grill, Scott (29 September 2015). "'BattleTech' Revived: Creator Returns With Kickstarter That's Already Hitting Goals For PC Release". Inquisitr. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
- ^ Birnbaum, Ian (29 September 2015). "A new turn-based BattleTech game is in development". PC Gamer. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
- ^ "Paradox Interactive to acquire Seattle-based Harebrained Schemes". Paradox Interactive. June 5, 2018. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
- ^ O'Conner, Alice (June 5, 2018). "Paradox buying BattleTech studio Harebrained Schemes". Rock Paper Shotgun. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
- ^ "Paradox calls The Lamplighters League sales 'a big disappointment'". VGC. 2023-10-11. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
- ^ Carter, Justin (October 17, 2023). "Harebrained Schemes splits off from Paradox, will be independent again in 2024". Game Developer. Archived from the original on October 17, 2023. Retrieved October 17, 2023.