Paradox Development
Encyclopedia
Midway Studios - Los Angeles Inc. (formerly known as Paradox Development) was an American-based video game developer. They are best known for fighting games such as the X-Men Mutant Academy and Backyard Wrestling
franchises, as well as the Mortal Kombat action game spin-off
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks
. The team was also responsible for the controversial PlayStation title Thrill Kill
.
Paradox Development was founded in 1994 by Christine Hsu and went on to produce titles for top video game publishers including Activision
, Electronic Arts
, Virgin Interactive
(later acquired by Electronic Arts), Interplay
, and Namco
. In 2004 they were bought out by publisher Midway Games
, where they were renamed Midway Studios - Los Angeles Inc., sometimes called "Midway Los Angeles" or "Midway L.A."
In 2008, Midway Los Angeles was relocated and merged with Midway's San Diego office. The following year, publisher Midway Games filed for bankcruptcy, and in August of 2009 the Midway San Diego studio was closed and most of its assets were purchased by publisher THQ
, who only offered about 40% of the studio's personnel new positions within the company.
PlayStation
PlayStation 2
Xbox
Backyard Wrestling: Don't Try This at Home
Backyard Wrestling is a video game developed by Paradox Development, and published by Eidos Interactive in 2003 for Xbox and PlayStation 2.- General summary :The goal of backyard wrestling is largely to use the environment to defeat an opponent....
franchises, as well as the Mortal Kombat action game spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks is an action/beat-em-up video game based on the Mortal Kombat series of fighting games. Shaolin Monks was developed by Midway LA and published by Midway for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox...
. The team was also responsible for the controversial PlayStation title Thrill Kill
Thrill Kill
Thrill Kill is a cancelled and unpublished 1998 fighting video game for the Sony PlayStation. While the technical feat of allowing four players to fight simultaneously in the same room was to be a major selling point, this was overshadowed by the controversy surrounding the game's depictions of...
.
Paradox Development was founded in 1994 by Christine Hsu and went on to produce titles for top video game publishers including Activision
Activision
Activision is an American publisher, majority owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA. Its current CEO is Robert Kotick. It was founded on October 1, 1979 and was the world's first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles...
, Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
, Virgin Interactive
Virgin Interactive
Virgin Interactive was a British video game publisher. It was formed as Virgin Games Ltd. in 1981. The company became much larger after purchasing the budget label, Mastertronic in 1987. It was part of the Virgin Group...
(later acquired by Electronic Arts), Interplay
Interplay Entertainment
Interplay Entertainment Corporation is an American video game developer and publisher, founded in 1983 as Interplay Productions by Brian Fargo. The company had been a quality developer until they started publishing their own games in 1988, like Neuromancer and Battle Chess. The company was renamed...
, and Namco
Namco
is a Japanese corporation best known as a former video game developer and publisher. Following a merger with Bandai in September 2005, the two companies' game production assets were spun off into Namco Bandai Games on March 31, 2006. Namco Ltd. was re-established to continue domestic operation of...
. In 2004 they were bought out by publisher Midway Games
Midway Games
Midway Games, Inc. is an American company that was formerly a major video game publisher. Following a bankruptcy filing in 2009, it is no longer active and is in the process of liquidating all of its assets. Midway's titles included Mortal Kombat, Ms.Pac-Man, Spy Hunter, Tron, Rampage, the...
, where they were renamed Midway Studios - Los Angeles Inc., sometimes called "Midway Los Angeles" or "Midway L.A."
In 2008, Midway Los Angeles was relocated and merged with Midway's San Diego office. The following year, publisher Midway Games filed for bankcruptcy, and in August of 2009 the Midway San Diego studio was closed and most of its assets were purchased by publisher THQ
THQ
THQ Inc. is an American developer and publisher of video games. Founded in 1989 in the United States, the company develops products for video game consoles, handheld game systems, as well as for personal computers and wireless devices...
, who only offered about 40% of the studio's personnel new positions within the company.
PlayStationPlayStationThe 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...
- Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots Arena
- Thrill KillThrill KillThrill Kill is a cancelled and unpublished 1998 fighting video game for the Sony PlayStation. While the technical feat of allowing four players to fight simultaneously in the same room was to be a major selling point, this was overshadowed by the controversy surrounding the game's depictions of...
(unreleased) - Wu-Tang: Shaolin StyleWu-Tang: Shaolin StyleWu-Tang: Shaolin Style - aka Wu-Tang: Taste the Pain in PAL regions - is a four-player, 3D fighting game for the PlayStation. The basis for the game's story and setting is the real-life rap group the Wu-Tang Clan, featuring characters based on their stage personas and the martial arts themes of...
- X-Men: Mutant AcademyX-Men: Mutant AcademyX-Men: Mutant Academy is a 3-D/2D fighting game developed by Paradox, the company behind Activision's Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style and the never-published Thrill Kill, and based on X-Men characters, from Marvel Comics...
- X-Men: Mutant Academy 2X-Men: Mutant Academy 2X-Men: Mutant Academy 2 is a PlayStation video game, the sequel to X-Men: Mutant Academy. Both feature the X-Men in a 3-D fighting arena similar to Mortal Kombat 4. Like its predecessor, the game allows the player to select from several heroes and villains and includes many of the signature moves...
- Disney's The Lion King: Simba's Mighty Adventure
PlayStation 2PlayStation 2The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
- Backyard Wrestling 2: There Goes the NeighborhoodBackyard Wrestling 2: There Goes The NeighborhoodBackyard Wrestling 2: There Goes the Neighborhood is the second installment in the Backyard Wrestling series and was released on Xbox and PlayStation 2. The licensed soundtrack includes music by Andrew W.K., Kool Keith, the Insane Clown Posse, Bad Brains, Body Count, Six and Violence, Mudvayne and...
- Backyard Wrestling: Don't Try This at HomeBackyard Wrestling: Don't Try This at HomeBackyard Wrestling is a video game developed by Paradox Development, and published by Eidos Interactive in 2003 for Xbox and PlayStation 2.- General summary :The goal of backyard wrestling is largely to use the environment to defeat an opponent....
- X-Men: Next DimensionX-Men: Next DimensionX-Men: Next Dimension is a fighting game, released in 2002 for the Xbox, PlayStation 2, and GameCube video game consoles. It is the third game in the X-Men: Mutant Academy fighting game series, following X-Men: Mutant Academy and X-Men: Mutant Academy 2...
XboxXboxThe Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
- Backyard Wrestling 2: There Goes the NeighborhoodBackyard Wrestling 2: There Goes The NeighborhoodBackyard Wrestling 2: There Goes the Neighborhood is the second installment in the Backyard Wrestling series and was released on Xbox and PlayStation 2. The licensed soundtrack includes music by Andrew W.K., Kool Keith, the Insane Clown Posse, Bad Brains, Body Count, Six and Violence, Mudvayne and...
- Backyard Wrestling: Don't Try This At HomeBackyard Wrestling: Don't Try This at HomeBackyard Wrestling is a video game developed by Paradox Development, and published by Eidos Interactive in 2003 for Xbox and PlayStation 2.- General summary :The goal of backyard wrestling is largely to use the environment to defeat an opponent....
- X-Men: Next DimensionX-Men: Next DimensionX-Men: Next Dimension is a fighting game, released in 2002 for the Xbox, PlayStation 2, and GameCube video game consoles. It is the third game in the X-Men: Mutant Academy fighting game series, following X-Men: Mutant Academy and X-Men: Mutant Academy 2...