Lionhead Studios
In 1987 Peter Molyneux founded Bullfrog Productions, along with his then partner Les Edgar in Guildford, Surrey, England to develop an idea he had for a revolutionary new type of strategy game for home computers. This first game, Populous, went on to sell over 4 million copies. Molyneux’s follow-up designs included hits like Powermonger, Syndicate, Magic Carpet and Dungeon Keeper. Each sold in excess of 500,000 copies and firmly established Bullfrog as one of the most innovative game design studios in the world. Another Molyneux title, Theme Park sold over 3.5 million copies and became a sensation in Japan.
In 1995 Molyneux sold Bullfrog to the world’s largest computer games publisher, Electronic Arts. In early 1997 he announced he was leaving Bullfrog to set up a new venture with three other likeminded individuals. Mark Webley, a colleague from Bullfrog who had headed up Bullfrog’s highly efficient conversions department before producing, designing and programming the top selling Theme Hospital. Two other directors also joined Lionhead, Steve Jackson who had co founded Games Workshop and had a great deal of success with the Fighting Fantasy series of books and Tim Rance one of the Cities most highly regarded systems analysts
The new venture was immediately in the news, with lengthy features on Lionhead and Molyneux himself appearing in all the leading UK trade and consumer magazines. Similar articles appeared in dozens of overseas publications.
In late March 2001 Lionhead’s first game Black & White was released to widespread critical acclaim, attracting some of the highest review scores ever achieved by a software program. Worldwide sales are currently top the two million mark. Autumn 2004 saw the release of Lionhead’s second game Fable for Xbox. Sales now top the 2 million mark and it was the Xboxes fastest selling game at that time. PC owners got their own version of Fable, Fable The Lost Chapters (Autumn 2005) and the Xbox version was also updated with extra content.
Black & White 2 the long awaited sequel to Black & White was released on 30th September and The Movies a simulation which allows the player to manage a movie studio, create their own stars and make their own unique Movies was released on 8th November.
Lionhead Studios was acquired by Microsoft Corp on 6th April 2006, this combination of creativity and stability is bound to offer gamers some exciting times ahead.
...
Recent articles about Lionhead Studios
Fable Fortunes closes Kickstarter in favour of private funding
Undisclosed sources to bring ex-Lionhead's card game to life
Lionhead officially closes today
"We have nothing but heart-felt thanks for the team at Lionhead"
Fable Legends' closure marks the end of Lionhead Studios
Microsoft is in the process of issuing refunds to those who purchased in-game currency after beta is taken offline
Lionhead shutdown shines a light on Microsoft Studios
First-party development for Xbox One has slowed to a trickle; does Microsoft's third-party focus see Xbox as part of the Windows 10 ecosystem?
Lionhead closing, Fable Legends cancelled
Microsoft focusing "on the games and franchises that fans find most exciting and want to play"; Press Play Studios also shutting down
Fable Legends officially delayed
Free-to-play debut of Lionhead RPG series will miss 2015 launch window, open beta now scheduled for spring 2016
Lionhead: Microsoft doesn't need us to be evil
Fable Legends game director David Eckelberry explains the free-to-play decision
Lionhead's Legends takes lead from League
Lionhead's incubation department goes public
Fable studio decides to share experiments with community
Fable lead designer departs Lionhead
Ted Timmins had recently been appointed Fable's franchise manager
Lionhead on "opposite end of the scale" from Microsoft
Lionhead creative director Gary Carr insists that the studio retains its own entity within Microsoft
The Lion's Den: Meet The New Team Behind Fable Legends
John Needham is playing the long game with a 10-year plan for Xbox One's adventure in Albion
John Needham becomes head of Lionhead studio
Former CEO of Gazillion, Cryptic brings MMO skills to Fable studio
Scott Henson takes head of operations role at Xbox, overseeing Lionhead
Former EA Origin biz dev Roger Walkden also joins Microsoft as chief of staff
Microsoft lays off Lionhead employees
Number of staff affected to be less than 10% of workforce
Fable The Journey devs "destroyed" by negative backlash
The Lionhead team working on the Kinect-powered adventure were hit hard by criticism
Lionhead: "Milo lives on in Fable. He's now a little wizard."
Creative director Gary Carr on life after Milo and Molyneux
Lionhead developing MMO-style RPG for next Xbox?
A job advertisement points to the next game for a post-Molyneux Lionhead
The industry overachiever shares the secrets of his new studio, 22 Cans, and what made him leave Lionhead behind
Fable franchise getting book publishing deal
Fable becomes yet another Xbox franchise to join print media expansion
Office details
- 2nd Floor, 1 Occcam Court, Occam Road, Surrey Research Park
- Guildford
- GU2 7YQ
- United Kingdom
Contact details
- Phone +44 (0)1483 401000
- Fax +44 (0)1483 401001
- Contact Cathy Campos
- Email cathy@panachepr.co.uk
- Websitehttp://www.lionhead.com
Employees
Lionhead Studios has 96 employees registered on the GamesIndustry.biz network. Register or login to see them!