SkyBox Labs
Parent NetEase (2023–present) | | |
Website | skyboxlabs |
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SkyBox Labs Inc. is a Canadian video game developer located in Burnaby, British Columbia. Founded in 2011 by Derek MacNeil, Shyang Kong and Steven Silvester formerly from EA Vancouver,[2] they are mostly known for their work with Xbox Game Studios on the Halo, Age of Empires and Minecraft franchises.
History
Formation
SkyBox Labs co-founders, Derek MacNeil, Shyang Kong and Steven Silvester worked together at EA Vancouver from 2004 to 2010 on the FIFA, Need for Speed, NBA Live and NHL franchises, where MacNeil was development director while Kong was senior producer and Silvester technical director, when they decided to set up an independent studio in Burnaby, Vancouver.[3][4]
Initially being a contract-based studio, in the year of its founding SkyBox Labs signed an agreement with publisher
Development
Midway through the development of the game, SkyBox Labs was contracted to produce some low-fidelity gameplay prototypes for
SkyBox Labs continued working with
On June 17, 2014,
Their next work was a
Japanese company DeNA published their next two video games, first being Military Masters for iOS and Android, which was released on December 4, 2014, and second being Protocol Zero for Samsung Gear VR, which was released on January 5, 2015.
SkyBox Labs then developed and self-published Parade Runner for iOS and Android, which was released on April 9, 2015. Company is also working on a PC game called Lethal Tactics, which was released in Early Access on Steam on May 20, 2015.
In 2018, after E3, SkyBox announced a new partnership with 343 Industries and Microsoft, where the studio will be co-developing Halo Infinite, the next major entry to the Halo franchise.
SkyBox Labs was acquired by NetEase Games in January 2023.[9]
Games
Release date | Title | Publisher | Genre(s) | Platform(s) | Additional note(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
September 18, 2012 | Kinect Nat Geo TV | Microsoft Studios
|
Interactive movie, simulation
|
Xbox 360 with Kinect | Contributed some simple prototypes to the game made by Relentless Software |
November 5, 2013 | Dragon Arena | SkyBox Labs | Fighting, strategy | iOS | Developed, published |
November 7, 2013 | Age of Empires II HD: The Forgotten
|
Microsoft Studios
|
Real-time strategy | Windows | Co-developed expansion pack with Forgotten Empires |
May 8, 2014 | Age of Mythology: Extended Edition | Microsoft Studios
|
Real-time strategy | Windows | Remastered |
June 12, 2014 | Rise of Nations Extended Edition | Microsoft Studios
|
Real-time strategy | Windows | Remastered |
June 17, 2014 | EA Sports UFC | Electronic Arts | sports
|
Xbox One, PlayStation 4 | Co-developed with EA Canada
|
October 8, 2014 | Project Spark | Microsoft Studios
|
Simulation, sandbox | Xbox One, Windows | Co-developed with Team Dakota |
December 4, 2014 | Military Masters | DeNA | Turn-based tactics | iOS, Android | Developed |
January 5, 2015 | Protocol Zero | DeNA | First-person shooter, stealth | Gear VR | Developed |
April 9, 2015 | Parade Runner | SkyBox Labs | Endless runner
|
iOS, Android | Developed, published |
August 24, 2015 | Grandia II Anniversary Edition | GungHo Online Entertainment | Role-playing | Windows | Developed |
November 5, 2015 | Age of Empires II HD: The African Kingdoms
|
Microsoft Studios
|
Real-time strategy | Windows | Co-developed expansion pack with Forgotten Empires |
January 28, 2016 | Age of Mythology: Tale of the Dragon | Microsoft Studios
|
Real-time strategy | Windows | Co-developed expansion pack with Forgotten Empires |
May 10, 2016 | TASTEE: Lethal Tactics | SkyBox Labs | Turn-based tactics | Windows | Developed, published |
September 8, 2016 | Halo 5: Forge | Microsoft Studios
|
Windows | Developed | |
December 19, 2016 | Age of Empires II HD: Rise of the Rajas | Microsoft Studios
|
Real-time strategy | Windows | Co-developed expansion pack with Forgotten Empires |
June 21, 2018 | Minecraft | Microsoft Studios
|
Sandbox, survival | Windows, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, iOS, Android, Gear VR, Fire TV | Co-developed Bedrock Edition for Nintendo Switch[10][11] and PlayStation 4,[12] as well as major content updates: Update Aquatic, Village & Pillage, and Buzzy Bees. |
October 11, 2019 | Stela | SkyBox Labs | Platformer | Microsoft Windows, Apple Arcade, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch | Developed, published |
December 8, 2021 | Halo Infinite | Xbox Game Studios | First-person shooter | Co-developed with 343 Industries[13] |
References
- ^ "SkyBox Labs is looking for a Senior Gameplay Animator to make a new IP with more than 200 employees". Retrieved July 23, 2021.
- ^ "Derek MacNeil MBA 05 not your typical Keyboard Warrior". Retrieved October 2, 2017.
- ^ a b "Skybox Labs: Development and co-development in broad vistas". Retrieved April 22, 2019.
- ^ "SkyBox Labs Brings Bedrock Version of Minecraft to Nintendo Switch". Retrieved July 20, 2018.
- ^ "Kinect Nat Geo TV Unleashed for Xbox 360 Reviews - Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
- ^ "Age of Mythology: Extended Edition for PC Reviews - Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
- ^ "EA Sports UFC for Xbox One Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
- ^ "EA Sports UFC for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
- ^ "SkyBox Labs is joining NetEase Games". NetEase Games. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
- ^ "SkyBox Labs Brings Bedrock Version of Minecraft to Nintendo Switch - SkyBox Labs". skyboxlabs.com. Retrieved July 27, 2018.
- ^ "MINECRAFT (Bedrock Version, Nintendo Switch)". SkyBox Labs. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
- ^ "MINECRAFT (Bedrock Version, PlayStation®4)". SkyBox Labs. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
- ^ Makuch, Eddie (July 27, 2018). "Halo Infinite Adds A Co-Developer". GameSpot. Retrieved July 27, 2018.