slitherine posts

While the PC game industry is still a viable way for developers to release game titles, it looks like the industry is moving more and more to a digital download model versus selling boxed copies of CD and DVD-ROMs in retail stores. In that kind of environment, niche titles like strategy and war games are getting less and less of a presence in stores.

That's one of the reasons behind the announcement late last week that two smaller publishers, Slitherine and Matrix Games, would be merging their companies. Both publishers have long track records in releasing strategy, war game and historical titles on the PC. Big Download got a chance to ask some questions via email to Slitherine's director JD McNeil about the merger. McNeil is now chairman of the holding company that was formed as a result of the merger of Slitherine and Matrix Games.

Both publishers have mostly released games in the strategy and war game genres. The combined company (which apparently doesn't have a name yet) will have a total of 150 games in their portfolio and will release 25 new games in the next 12 months. Specific financial details of the merger have not yet been revealed. However, there are no plans for layoffs in the newly combined company. More details are expect to be released next week.

History: Great Battles Medieval is the the latest historical strategy game from UK-based Slitherine Software. The developer has a long history of creating such games but this release is a little different as Slitherine is releasing the PC version now ahead of a retail release next year.

The game is being offered as a digital download on Slitherine's own web site in advance of the game's retail release for both the PC and consoles in February 2010. A mix of RPG and turn-based-strategy, the game is set in the time period of the Hundred Years War with Slitherine claiming it has the most "realistic medieval combat model ever created."

UK based indie strategy game developer Slitherine has been busy lately with recent announcement that they plan to self-publish their future games and a deal to make games based on the Horrible Histories series of children's books. Today the company made yet another announcement, stating it has made a deal to make a history game with a license agreement with the BBC.

There are no details yet about the game except that it will be released for the PC and other platforms and will ship in the third quarter of 2009. The press release states the game will have "innovative game play and expertly researched history content." More details on the Slitherine/BBC game are expected to be announced in November.

Recently, UK based Slitherine Software announced plans to self-publish their own games beginning in 2009. Today the company announced yet another direction as they have entered into an agreement to make games based on Horrible Histories, the well known children's book series.

Published by Scholastic, the series has sold 20 million copies since 1993 with author Terry Deary and illustrator Martin Brown attempting to make history fun for kids "by focusing on the bits kids don't get taught at school." The games from Slitherine will be released for the PC and other platforms in spring 2009. There's no word yet on what form of game it will take.