Core Design
Encyclopedia
Core Design was a British video game studio best known today for creating the popular Tomb Raider
series.
, England, Core Design was set up in 1988 by Chris Shrigley, Andy Green, Rob Toone, Terry Lloyd, Simon Phipps
, Dave Pridmore, Jeremy Heath-Smith and Greg Holmes. Most were former employees of Gremlin Graphics.
The studio was part of distribution company CentreGold
when it was acquired by Eidos Interactive
in 1996. Eidos subsequently sold most of CentreGold, but retained U.S. Gold
, the owners of Core Design. Core had a brief history of producing titles for the Sega
consoles, such as Thunderhawk for the Sega CD and later the original Tomb Raider
game for the Sega Saturn
.
and Paul Howard Douglas, which was released in 1996 and followed by several sequels. The success of Tomb Raider and its subsequent sequels played a huge part in keeping Eidos Interactive
financially solvent.
After the release of the original Tomb Raider
, which had debuted on the Sega Saturn
platform ahead of the PlayStation
version (they had been developed simultaneously) Sony Computer Entertainment
recognised the game's huge popularity and the potential mass appeal of future Tomb Raider titles. They offered Core Design and Eidos Interactive an exclusivity agreement, to ensure that the first sequel would not be developed for either the Saturn or the N64
. The full terms of this offer have never been revealed, but it is likely to have included either a lump sum cash offer, a reduction in the third-party royalty rate or a contractual cross-promotional agreement (perhaps even all three).
By making the PlayStation the only console with Tomb Raider II
, Sony Computer Entertainment was able to benefit by attracting new PlayStation owners leveraging Tomb Raider as a killer application
and using Lara Croft as a marketing character alongside Sony's own first party
characters. Core Design also had the advantage of developing only for a single console, rather than several at once. This exclusivity agreement was further extended to cover the third game in the series. The fourth and fifth games in the franchise, Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation
and Tomb Raider: Chronicles respectively, were also released for the Sega Dreamcast.
, another Eidos-owned studio, after the sixth instalment, Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness, was met with mixed reactions by reviewers and was not a large commercial success. This prompted three key members of the Core Design team and several others to leave the company and establish a game development team of their own, Circle Studio
.
Jeremy Heath-Smith, a key member of the company and executive producer of the vast majority of their games, resigned from Core Design on 15 July 2003.
On 11 May 2006 it was announced that Core's assets and staff were sold to independent development group Rebellion
. Eidos still owns the Core brand and IP
, including those of Tomb Raider.
In June 2006 screenshots were released showing development of a PSP version of an anniversary edition of the original Tomb Raider, developed by Core Design. Days later, SCI, the owners of Eidos Interactive at that time, issued a press release announcing that Crystal Dynamics would be producing the game, rather than Core Design.
Remnants of the Core Design team (under the banner of Rebellion) went on to work on several titles in the years since including Shellshock 2: Blood Trails
and Rogue Warrior. The Derby studio was closed by Rebellion in 2010 due to an expiring lease and the inability for the company to find a financier for the Derby studio.
Tomb Raider series
Tomb Raider is a media franchise consisting of video games, comic books, novels, theme park rides and movies, centring around the adventures of the fictional British archaeologist Lara Croft...
series.
History
Based in the city of DerbyDerby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
, England, Core Design was set up in 1988 by Chris Shrigley, Andy Green, Rob Toone, Terry Lloyd, Simon Phipps
Simon Phipps (game designer)
Simon Phipps is a British self-taught game programmer and video game designer. He began making games in 1982 when he wrote his first published video game he wrote while he was at school. He spent a few months writing business software before he was approached to provide some freelance artwork for...
, Dave Pridmore, Jeremy Heath-Smith and Greg Holmes. Most were former employees of Gremlin Graphics.
The studio was part of distribution company CentreGold
CentreGold
CentreGold Ltd. was a three-way partnership between two video game publishers and a video game developer . It was based in the United Kingdom. CentreGold was short-lived, being acquired by Eidos Interactive in April 1996...
when it was acquired by Eidos Interactive
Eidos Interactive
Eidos Interactive Ltd. is a British video game publisher and is a label of Square Enix Europe. As an independent company Eidos plc was headquartered in the Wimbledon Bridge House in Wimbledon, London Borough of Merton....
in 1996. Eidos subsequently sold most of CentreGold, but retained U.S. Gold
U.S. Gold
U.S. Gold was a British video game publisher and developer from the early 1980s through the mid-1990s, producing numerous titles on a variety of 8-bit, 16-bit and 32-bit platforms.-History:...
, the owners of Core Design. Core had a brief history of producing titles for the Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
consoles, such as Thunderhawk for the Sega CD and later the original Tomb Raider
Tomb Raider
Tomb Raider is an action-adventure video game developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive. It was originally released in 1996 for the Sega Saturn, with MS-DOS and PlayStation versions following shortly thereafter...
game for the Sega Saturn
Sega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
.
Tomb Raider
The company is widely known for the Tomb Raider series, created by Toby GardToby Gard
Toby Gard is an English computer game character designer and consultant, notably creating female British archaeologist Lara Croft...
and Paul Howard Douglas, which was released in 1996 and followed by several sequels. The success of Tomb Raider and its subsequent sequels played a huge part in keeping Eidos Interactive
Eidos Interactive
Eidos Interactive Ltd. is a British video game publisher and is a label of Square Enix Europe. As an independent company Eidos plc was headquartered in the Wimbledon Bridge House in Wimbledon, London Borough of Merton....
financially solvent.
After the release of the original Tomb Raider
Tomb Raider
Tomb Raider is an action-adventure video game developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive. It was originally released in 1996 for the Sega Saturn, with MS-DOS and PlayStation versions following shortly thereafter...
, which had debuted on the Sega Saturn
Sega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
platform ahead of the PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
version (they had been developed simultaneously) Sony Computer Entertainment
Sony Computer Entertainment
Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. is a major video game company specializing in a variety of areas in the video game industry, and is a wholly owned subsidiary and part of the Consumer Products & Services Group of Sony...
recognised the game's huge popularity and the potential mass appeal of future Tomb Raider titles. They offered Core Design and Eidos Interactive an exclusivity agreement, to ensure that the first sequel would not be developed for either the Saturn or the N64
Nintendo 64
The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
. The full terms of this offer have never been revealed, but it is likely to have included either a lump sum cash offer, a reduction in the third-party royalty rate or a contractual cross-promotional agreement (perhaps even all three).
By making the PlayStation the only console with Tomb Raider II
Tomb Raider II
Tomb Raider II is an action-adventure video game in the Tomb Raider series and is the sequel to the 1996 video game Tomb Raider. Developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive, the game was originally released for PlayStation, Windows 95 in November 1997, Macintosh in 1998 and on the...
, Sony Computer Entertainment was able to benefit by attracting new PlayStation owners leveraging Tomb Raider as a killer application
Killer application
A killer application , in the jargon of marketing teams, has been used to refer to any computer program that is so necessary or desirable that it proves the core value of some larger technology, such as computer hardware, gaming console, software, or an operating system...
and using Lara Croft as a marketing character alongside Sony's own first party
First-party developer
A video game development party can be one of two parties: a first-party or third-party developer.- First-party developer :In the video game industry, a first-party developer is a developer that is part of a company that manufactures a video game console, and develops exclusively for it...
characters. Core Design also had the advantage of developing only for a single console, rather than several at once. This exclusivity agreement was further extended to cover the third game in the series. The fourth and fifth games in the franchise, Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation
Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation
Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation is the fourth video game in the Tomb Raider series. It was developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive. It was released on PC, PlayStation and eventually to the Sega Dreamcast with exclusive graphical and sound enhancements...
and Tomb Raider: Chronicles respectively, were also released for the Sega Dreamcast.
Later years
In 2003, parent company Eidos moved development of the Tomb Raider franchise from Core Design to Crystal DynamicsCrystal Dynamics
Crystal Dynamics is an American video game developer based in the San Francisco Bay Area and founded in 1992 by Judy Lang, Madaline Canepa and Dave Morris...
, another Eidos-owned studio, after the sixth instalment, Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness, was met with mixed reactions by reviewers and was not a large commercial success. This prompted three key members of the Core Design team and several others to leave the company and establish a game development team of their own, Circle Studio
Circle Studio
Circle Studio was a video game developer located in Derby, United Kingdom.The company was founded in October 2003 by a group of former employees at Core Design, a studio owned by Eidos Interactive...
.
Jeremy Heath-Smith, a key member of the company and executive producer of the vast majority of their games, resigned from Core Design on 15 July 2003.
On 11 May 2006 it was announced that Core's assets and staff were sold to independent development group Rebellion
Rebellion Developments
Rebellion is a British computer games company, based in Oxford, who are most famous for the first Aliens vs. Predator computer game. It has published comic books since 2000 and launched its own book imprint, Abaddon Books, in 2006.-History:...
. Eidos still owns the Core brand and IP
Intellectual property
Intellectual property is a term referring to a number of distinct types of creations of the mind for which a set of exclusive rights are recognized—and the corresponding fields of law...
, including those of Tomb Raider.
In June 2006 screenshots were released showing development of a PSP version of an anniversary edition of the original Tomb Raider, developed by Core Design. Days later, SCI, the owners of Eidos Interactive at that time, issued a press release announcing that Crystal Dynamics would be producing the game, rather than Core Design.
Remnants of the Core Design team (under the banner of Rebellion) went on to work on several titles in the years since including Shellshock 2: Blood Trails
Shellshock 2: Blood Trails
Shellshock 2: Blood Trails is a first-person shooter video game developed by Rebellion Developments and published by Eidos Interactive for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. It is the sequel to Shellshock: Nam '67, developed by Guerrilla Games and published by Eidos in 2004...
and Rogue Warrior. The Derby studio was closed by Rebellion in 2010 due to an expiring lease and the inability for the company to find a financier for the Derby studio.
Games
Core Design had developed and published numerous games in their time, including the following titles:- Asterix and the Great RescueAsterix and the Great RescueAsterix and the Great Rescue was released by Sega for Mega Drive in 1993 and for Game Gear and Master System in 1994.- Story :This game is based on the long-running, French comic book series Asterix the Gaul...
(uncredited) - Asterix and the Power of the Gods
- Banshee
- Battlecorps
- BC RacersBC RacersBC Racers is a racing video game released by Core Design in 1994 in Mega-CD, in 1995 in Sega 32X and 3DO, and also released by the company in PC as freeware in 1995. It was the third game released in the Chuck Rock series...
- Bubba 'N' StixBubba 'N' StixBubba 'n' Stix is a 2-D side-scrolling platform game for the Mega Drive/Genesis, Amiga and Amiga CD32 designed by Core Design and released by Tengen in 1993.The player controls Bubba, a redneck character, who is accompanied by a sentient stick named Stix...
- CarVupCarVup-Summary:The gameplay involves controlling a cartoon-like car called Arnie, jumping from platform to platform and avoiding enemies.If the time limit of level was reached a demon like creature called Turbo was released which homed in on the play within 15 seconds and this would cost the player a...
- Chuck RockChuck RockChuck Rock is a slapstick side-scrolling platform video game of the early to mid 1990s, which was initially created by Core Design in 1991 and was subsequently ported to a large number of home consoles of the time over the next few years....
- CorporationCorporation (video game)Corporation is a video game for Amiga, Atari ST and DOS, later ported to the Mega Drive/Genesis. It was developed for Core Design by Dementia Productions by Bill Allen with graphics and design by Kevin Bulmer.The PC and Sega versions were published by Virgin Games...
- Curse of EnchantiaCurse of EnchantiaCurse of Enchantia is a fantasy adventure computer game created by Core Design and released by Virgin Games for the PC DOS and Amiga in 1992.- Story :...
- Cyberpunks
- DarkmereDarkmereDarkmere - The Nightmare's Begun is an Action Adventure computer game developed by Zero Hour Software and published by Core Design Ltd. in 1993. It is Zero Hour's only title to date...
- Doodlebug
- Fighting ForceFighting ForceFighting Force is a 1997 3D beat 'em up developed by Core Design and published by Eidos in the same lines of classics such as Final Fight and Streets of Rage...
- Fighting Force 2Fighting Force 2Fighting Force 2 is the sequel to 1997's original Fighting Force, which was one of the first 3D takes on the 2D beat-em-up genre. The game was released for the PlayStation and Dreamcast and was developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive...
- ThunderhawkThunderhawk (Video Game)Thunderhawk is a helicopter combat simulator game released by Core Design for the Amiga, Atari ST and IBM PC in 1991, and for the Sega Mega-CD in 1993. The game was renamed to AH-3 ThunderStrike for its USA release.In the game the player is part of the "MERLIN" helicopter combat assault team,...
- Firestorm: Thunderhawk 2Firestorm: ThunderHawk 2is a combat flight simulator that was originally released for the Sega Saturn in 1994. PlayStation and PC ports were released in January 1995. It was developed and published by Core Design. It is the sequel to Thunderhawk...
- Thunderhawk: Operation Phoenix
- Frenetic
- Free Running
- HeimdallHeimdall (computer game)Heimdall is an action-adventure computer game developed by a team called The Eighth Day and published by Core Design for DOS, Amiga and Atari ST in early 1992. A version of the Heimdall was also released for the Sega Mega-CD in early 1994...
- HookHook (video game)Hook is the name of four distinct video games released in 1992, all based on the Steven Speilberg film of the same name.-Hook by Irem:...
- Herdy GerdyHerdy GerdyHerdy Gerdy is a video game for the PlayStation 2 console released in 2002. It was developed by Core Design, and published by Eidos Interactive. The game is a 3D, third person, strategy game that involves herding animals, navigating obstacles, and solving puzzles. The player has to collect a...
- Jaguar XJ-220
- Machine Head
- Monty Python's Flying CircusMonty Python's Flying CircusMonty Python’s Flying Circus is a BBC TV sketch comedy series. The shows were composed of surreality, risqué or innuendo-laden humour, sight gags and observational sketches without punchlines...
- Ninja: Shadow of DarknessNinja: Shadow of DarknessNinja: Shadow of Darkness - sometimes referred to simply as Ninja - is an action-adventure game released for the PlayStation in September 1998. It was developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive. The game referred to a Ninja Story with Samurai of Japan.-External links:* at GameFAQs...
- Project EdenProject EdenProject Eden is a video game for the PC and PlayStation 2 released in 2001. It is a hybrid between first- and third-person shooter with an emphasis on teamwork and puzzle solving over combat...
- Rick DangerousRick DangerousRick Dangerous is a series of two platform games released by Core Design in the 1980s.- Rick Dangerous :...
- Saint and Greavsie
- Smart BombSmart bombSmart bomb has several meanings:* In weapons, a smart bomb is a precision-guided munition* Smart Bomb Interactive, a video game development studio based in Salt Lake City, Utah...
- SoulstarSoulstarSoulstar is a pseudo 3D space shooter in a similar vein to Nintendo's Star Fox, released in 1994 for the Sega Mega CD.-Overview:The game is a shoot 'em up viewed from a behind-the-ship 3D perspective incorporating scaling and rotating sprites style of graphical effect...
- Shellshock
- Skeleton Krew
- Skidz
- Switchblade
- The Big Red AdventureThe Big Red AdventureThe Big Red Adventure is a PC adventure game, created in 1995 by Paolo Costabel for Dynabyte and published by Core Design.- Developers :*Game designer: Paolo Costabel*Backgrounds Artist: Alessandro Belli*Animators: Gabriele Zucchelli, Alessandro Belli...
- Thunderhawk AH-73MThunderhawk (Video Game)Thunderhawk is a helicopter combat simulator game released by Core Design for the Amiga, Atari ST and IBM PC in 1991, and for the Sega Mega-CD in 1993. The game was renamed to AH-3 ThunderStrike for its USA release.In the game the player is part of the "MERLIN" helicopter combat assault team,...
- Tomb Raider
- Tomb Raider IITomb Raider IITomb Raider II is an action-adventure video game in the Tomb Raider series and is the sequel to the 1996 video game Tomb Raider. Developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive, the game was originally released for PlayStation, Windows 95 in November 1997, Macintosh in 1998 and on the...
- Tomb Raider IIITomb Raider IIITomb Raider III is an action-adventure video game developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive. It is the third instalment in the Tomb Raider series, and the sequel to Tomb Raider II...
- Tomb Raider: The Last RevelationTomb Raider: The Last RevelationTomb Raider: The Last Revelation is the fourth video game in the Tomb Raider series. It was developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive. It was released on PC, PlayStation and eventually to the Sega Dreamcast with exclusive graphical and sound enhancements...
- Tomb Raider ChroniclesTomb Raider ChroniclesTomb Raider Chronicles is the fifth game in the Tomb Raider series and the sequel to Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation. It was developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive. The game was originally released in 2000 for PC, Sega Dreamcast and PlayStation...
- Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness
- Universe
- War Zone
- WolfchildWolfchildWolfchild is a platform game originally released for the Amiga and the Atari ST by Core Design in 1992. It was later released for the SNES, Mega Drive/Genesis, Mega-CD, Sega Master System, and Sega Game Gear....
- Wonder DogWonder DogWonder Dog is the name of a Sega CD side-scrolling adventure game and it is also one of the first games developed of the system. You control a dog whose friend has been kidnapped, and he finds a suit in a bone-like spaceship...