It looks like some classic 3DO games are about to get a second life.
As part of a newly-announced deal, Ziggurat Interactive acquired a library of more than 30 games from Prism Entertainment. The titles include Captain Quazar, Killing Time, Requiem: Avenging Angel, Uprising: Join or Die, and Uprising: Lead and Destroy.
Ziggurat now wholly owns the properties, which hopefully means that their legacies will be preserved. The company says that it has taken over publishing rights on digital platforms including Steam and GOG.com.
A brief history
Here’s a quick history lesson on the system and company. The 3DO debuted to a good deal of fanfare. It was a CD-based console when cartridges still dominated the market. It was even called Time magazine’s “Product of the Year” in 1993.
The founder of Electronic Arts, Trip Hawkins, conceived of 3DO and The 3DO Company. While the console sold over a million units during its lifespan, it ultimately failed to gain broad adoption due to its high price.
And, boy, was it expensive. The 3DO launched for an eye-popping $699. Adjusted for inflation, that’s the equivalent of a nearly $1,300 console today. Yikes!
So what happened to The 3DO Company?
Astute readers will notice that some of the games included in the Ziggurat deal never appeared on the 3DO console. Rather, they were published under the 3DO label when the company became a third-party developer and publisher in the late ’90s.
The company developed several Army Men titles. It also published games in the Heroes of Might and Magic franchise. However, its stint as a third party did not last long. 3DO filed for bankruptcy in 2003.
Anyway, it’s a good thing to see these games find a new home. There’s no word yet on any re-releases or remakes, but we’ll let you know if they announce anything. Now, if you’ll excuse me. I’m going to go boot up Gex.
