Editing Ritual Entertainment

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Short description|Former video game developer}}
{{Infobox company
|name = Ritual Entertainment
|logo = [[File:Ritual logo 2005.jpg|Ritual Entertainment logo]]
|type = [[Subsidiary]]
|foundation = August 12, 1996
|founders = {{unbulleted list|Robert Atkins|Mark Dochtermann|Jim Dosé|[[Richard Gray (game designer)|Richard Gray]]|Michael Hadwin|Harry Miller|Tom Mustaine}}
|defunct = January 24, 2007
|fate = Acquired by [[MumboJumbo]], assets acquired by iplay.com
|location_city = [[Dallas]], [[Texas]]
|location_country = U.S.
|key_people = 
|industry = [[Video game industry|Video games]]
|products = ''[[SiN]]'' series
|revenue = 
|operating_income = 
|net_income = 
|num_employees = 
|website = [https://web.archive.org/web/20061022001546/http://www.ritual.com/ ritual.com] (archived)
}}
'''Ritual Entertainment''' was an American [[video game developer]] established in 1996 by Robert Atkins, Mark Dochtermann, Jim Dosé, [[Richard Gray (game designer)|Richard 'Levelord' Gray]], Michael Hadwin, Harry Miller, and Tom Mustaine. Based in [[Dallas|Dallas, Texas]], Ritual Entertainment was formerly known as '''Hipnotic Interactive''', during which period they began development of their signature video game ''[[SiN]]''.

==History==
Members of the Ritual Entertainment development team have contributed assets to other games such as ''[[American McGee's Alice]]'', ''[[Medal of Honor: Airborne]]'', ''[[Tomb Raider: Legend]]'', and ''[[25 to Life]]'', and are also the creators of "Übertools" for [[id Tech 3]], which has been licensed for a number of other games.

Shortly after signing Hipnotic, publisher [[Activision]] claimed that Hipnotic had been at the core of the ''[[Duke Nukem 3D]]'' development team. ''Duke Nukem 3D'' developer [[3D Realms]] vigorously denied this, stating that only five members of Hipnotic Interactive were former staff of 3D Realms, and of these five only three had a significant role in making ''Duke Nukem 3D''.<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Colin|last=Campbell|title=Apogee Fuming |magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]] |issue=29|publisher=[[Imagine Media]]|date=May 1997 |page=30}}</ref>

In late 1997, Hipnotic changed their name to Ritual Entertainment in order to avoid a trademark conflict with another video-game developer, [[Hypnotix]].<ref>{{cite magazine |title=NG Alphas: SiN |magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]|issue=37 |publisher=[[Imagine Media]] |date=January 1998 |pages=128–129}}</ref>

On January 24, 2007, developer [[MumboJumbo]] announced the acquisition of Ritual Entertainment.<ref>[http://www.playfuls.com/news_9082_Ritual_Entertainment_Acquired_By_Casual_Games_Developer.html Ritual Entertainment Acquired By Casual Games Developer] January 24, 2007. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080905055900/http://www.playfuls.com/news_9082_Ritual_Entertainment_Acquired_By_Casual_Games_Developer.html |date=September 5, 2008 }}.</ref> With this acquisition, Ritual's focus on traditional action-oriented games was changed to [[casual game]]s, essentially "stalling" Ritual's latest game series, ''[[SiN Episodes]]'', after releasing only one [[episodic gaming|episode]] out of a planned nine.

The purchase followed months of departures of several key employees, including chief executive officer Steve Nix, who became director of business development at [[id Software]],<ref>[http://planetquake.gamespy.com/fullstory.php?id=108741 id Software Welcomes New Member]. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071116093420/http://planetquake.gamespy.com/fullstory.php?id=108741 |date=November 16, 2007 }}. Planet Quake, Friday, December 1, 2006.</ref> vice president and co-founder Tom Mustaine, who left to found [[Escalation Studios]]. Several months after the acquisition, community relations manager Steve Hessel left the company<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ritualistic.com/newsarticle.php?id=1840 |author=badman |title=badman Writes Long Post, Steps Into Teleporter and Disappears |date=2007-05-06 |website=Ritualistic |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927015313/http://www.ritualistic.com/newsarticle.php?id=1840 |archive-date=2011-09-27}}</ref> to join [[Splash Damage]].

Prior to the announcement, on December 6, 2006, Ritual announced the appointment of Ken Harward as the company's new studio director.<ref>[http://ritualistic.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18781 Ritual Apparently Not Exploded, Announces New Studio Director].  Ritualistic Forums.</ref>

Following the company's closure, many of the deveopers have left to other companies such as [[id Software]], [[Gearbox Software]], [[Nerve Software]], [[Escalation Studios]], and the now-defunct [[Paradigm Entertainment]].

==Games developed==
{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan="2" | Year
! rowspan="2" | Title
! colspan="6" | Platform(s)
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
! style="width:3em; font-size:90%" | [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]
! style="width:3em; font-size:90%" | [[Linux]]
! style="width:3em; font-size:90%" | [[macOS]]
! style="width:3em; font-size:90%" | [[PlayStation 2|PS2]]
! style="width:3em; font-size:90%" | [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]]
! style="width:3em; font-size:90%" | [[Dreamcast]]
|-
| 1997
| ''[[Quake (video game)#Scourge of Armagon|Quake Mission Pack No. 1: Scourge of Armagon]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{partial|Commercial homebrew released in Russia only<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGBPMIiKi8E|title = 🇷🇺 &#91;RUS&#93; Quake Scourge of Armagon Dreamcast Russian / Игра на русском (неофициальный) (Часть 1)|website = [[YouTube]]| date=June 10, 2020 }}</ref>}}
| Expansion pack
|-
| 1998
| ''[[SiN]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Linux version ported by [[Hyperion Entertainment]]
|-
| 2000
| ''[[Heavy Metal: F.A.K.K. 2]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Linux version ported by [[Loki Software]], Mac OS Classic version ported by Contraband Entertainment, Mac OS X version ported by The Omni Group
|-
| 2000
| ''[[Blair Witch Volume III: The Elly Kedward Tale]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{N/A}}
|-
| 2003
| ''[[Star Trek: Elite Force II]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{n/a}}
|-
| 2003
| ''[[Legacy of Kain: Defiance]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| | External collaboration with [[Crystal Dynamics]]
|-
| 2004
| ''[[Counter-Strike: Condition Zero]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| Ritual Entertainment worked on the game in 2002 after development was transferred from [[Gearbox Software]] and before continued development was transferred to [[Turtle Rock Studios]] in mid-2003. Ritual's contribution included [[Counter-Strike: Condition Zero#Condition Zero: Deleted Scenes|Deleted Scenes]] and the port to Xbox.
|-
| 2004
| ''[[Delta Force: Black Hawk Down: Team Sabre]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Expansion pack
|-
| 2006
| ''[[SiN Episodes]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Only one episode, "Emergence", was released
|-
| 2006
| ''[[25 to Life]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| External collaboration with [[Avalanche Software]], cinematics
|}

===Unreleased===
* ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game)|The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers]]'' (PC) – canceled
* ''SiN II'' publisher demo (2003, PC) – Ritual Entertainment made a [[game demo]] to show potential publishers.
* ''[[Legacy of Kain#Development|Legacy of Kain: The Dark Prophecy]]'' (2004) – canceled
* ''SiN Episode 2'' – canceled
* ''Quake 4: Awakening'' – unreleased expansion pack for [[Quake 4]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20061022001546/http://www.ritual.com/ Official website] via [[Internet Archive]]
*[http://www.ritualistic.com/ Ritualistic - Ritual's Online Community Hub]

{{Ritual Entertainment}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Companies based in Dallas]]
[[Category:Video game companies established in 1996]]
[[Category:Video game companies disestablished in 2007]]
[[Category:Defunct video game companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Video game development companies]]
[[Category:Defunct companies based in Texas]]
[[Category:1996 establishments in Texas]]
[[Category:2007 disestablishments in Texas]]