MumboJumbo Acquires Ritual Entertainment

Casual games developer MumboJumbo announces they have acquired Ritual Entertainment, capping a period of change at the Dallas-based developer that has seen the departure of some long-time employees:
DALLAS, TX – January 24, 2007 – MumboJumbo(TM), a leading developer of premium casual games, today announced it has acquired Ritual Entertainment(TM), a veteran game development studio with expertise in game design and artistic quality. In addition to the strategic importance of the deal, which strengthens MumboJumbo’s(TM) ability to deliver the best games to the casual gaming audience, the acquisition further solidifies the company’s presence as one of the largest casual game studios in the industry.

“MumboJumbo(TM) established the casual games category at retail, and the purchase of Ritual Entertainment(TM) is consistent with our strategy to bring high-quality casual game content to the major platforms,” said Ron Dimant, who left his post as chief executive officer of Ritual Entertainment(TM) in 2001 to found MumboJumbo(TM). “The combination of Ritual’s(TM) high-end, multi-platform expertise and our own industry-leading publishing model will set the bar for quality and sophistication in casual games and create a major industry powerhouse. The casual games market is beginning to mature as evidenced by an increase in consumer expectations. Ultimately, the companies providing the best content will win, which is why we are investing so heavily in the development of technology and original IP.”

“The disciplined structure of high end game development requires an in depth understanding of sophisticated tools and design techniques,” said Robert Atkins of Ritual Entertainment(TM). “Ritual’s(TM) expertise in these areas complements MumboJumbo’s(TM) mass market approach to casual game development and gives us a true competitive advantage.”

With over 30 employees and more than 10 years in the games industry, Ritual Entertainment(TM) has contributed and developed several mainstream, hit titles on all platforms including "25 To Life," "Delta Force - Black Hawk Down," "Counter Strike," "Painkiller," "Quake 4," and the "SiN" franchise of games, among others. In recent months, MumboJumbo(TM) has brought the popular "LUXOR(TM)" franchise and other top-selling titles such as "Super Collapse" and "7 Wonders of the Ancient World" to numerous platforms including Xbox Live(R) Arcade, Nintendo DS(TM), and the Sony PSP(TM) (Playstation(R) Portable) handheld. The acquisition of Ritual(TM) marks the most significant instance in casual gaming history of a mainstream game development house migrating to a casual game publisher.
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16.
 
Re: No subject
Jan 24, 2007, 17:04
16.
Re: No subject Jan 24, 2007, 17:04
Jan 24, 2007, 17:04
 
Dagok,
Those that played the original SiN realized that some of the most fun with the game could be had in multiplayer. The levels were fun (Spry anyone?),and, the netcode kicked the SH*T out of Hype-Life's online lagfest.

Funny thing is, Ritual's level design work is probably one of the best things they had going for them (at least at one time). Then again, it's kinda hard to go wrong when ya got Levelord working on em. :} Ritual (or at least the level designers) have had a hand in a lot of other (non-Ritual) projects over the years (including stuff like CPL).

Anywho, about the sale, it's not "too" suprising with some of the top people leaving recently. That kind of bleeding often attracts sharks in hope of an easy meal. At the least, I would rather have read this than to have read that they shut down like Ion Storm (Austin), Digital Anvil, Acclaim Austin or Origin (yeah, they were Austin companies, but they all went under after releasing games that didn't hit in the "top" area of sales/etc.).

15.
 
No subject
Jan 24, 2007, 16:40
15.
No subject Jan 24, 2007, 16:40
Jan 24, 2007, 16:40
 
“The disciplined structure of high end game development requires an in depth understanding of sophisticated tools and design techniques,”

Why do these guys even bother opening their mouths?

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14.
 
Re: No subject
Jan 24, 2007, 16:38
14.
Re: No subject Jan 24, 2007, 16:38
Jan 24, 2007, 16:38
 
What did Ritual have to do with Quake 4 and Painkiller??

Good question. Raven software made Quake 4 and a quick look up shows Painkiller was developed by People Can Fly. Ritual did the Xbox port of Counterstrike, but their claim to fame is Sin.

Ah, they made maps for Q4 and PK. Yep Dagok, google is our friend.

This comment was edited on Jan 24, 16:41.
13.
 
Re: ...
Jan 24, 2007, 16:37
13.
Re: ... Jan 24, 2007, 16:37
Jan 24, 2007, 16:37
 
Expertise in game design, lol.

Ritual is an excellent shooter developer. Unfortunately the type of game they excel at making just isn't popular like it once was.

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12.
 
Re: No subject
Jan 24, 2007, 16:36
12.
Re: No subject Jan 24, 2007, 16:36
Jan 24, 2007, 16:36
 
What did Ritual have to do with Quake 4 and Painkiller??

I was going to ask the same question, but Google works wonders.

"At the request of the CPL, game developer Ritual Entertainment created three new one-versus-one multiplayer maps for Painkiller."

"The version 1.3 patch for Quake 4, which contains new game modes and multiplay maps created by Ritual Entertainment"


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11.
 
No subject
Jan 24, 2007, 16:34
11.
No subject Jan 24, 2007, 16:34
Jan 24, 2007, 16:34
 
'Cause it is hard to keep track -

Ritual:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ritual_Entertainment

MumboJumbo:
No entry.

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10.
 
Re: ...
Jan 24, 2007, 16:33
10.
Re: ... Jan 24, 2007, 16:33
Jan 24, 2007, 16:33
 
So I guess this means no more Sin episodes. Can't say I'm surprised.

Please show us with all your infinite wisdom where it says anything to do with this?

If they aquire a company with an established IP, that is just about ready to release MP and the next episode...why would they scrap it?

All chatter from devs on the Ritual forums indicate that things are ready to go patches, Wages of Sin (on Steam), SiN:E MP, and the 2nd episode are done or close to being done, but something was holding it up that they couldn't talk about...and now we know what that is.

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9.
 
Re: No subject
Jan 24, 2007, 16:31
Flo
 
9.
Re: No subject Jan 24, 2007, 16:31
Jan 24, 2007, 16:31
 Flo
 
What did Ritual have to do with Quake 4 and Painkiller??
Supporter of the "Chewbacca Defense"
8.
 
No subject
Jan 24, 2007, 16:30
8.
No subject Jan 24, 2007, 16:30
Jan 24, 2007, 16:30
 
great googly moogly.

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7.
 
Re: ...
Jan 24, 2007, 16:19
7.
Re: ... Jan 24, 2007, 16:19
Jan 24, 2007, 16:19
 
Expertise in game design, lol.

6.
 
And then there was .....
Jan 24, 2007, 16:17
6.
And then there was ..... Jan 24, 2007, 16:17
Jan 24, 2007, 16:17
 
All we need to do is wait for EA to buy up MumboJumbo and the circle is complete ...

.... one company to rule them all, and in the darkness BIND THEM.

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5.
 
Re: ...
Jan 24, 2007, 16:02
5.
Re: ... Jan 24, 2007, 16:02
Jan 24, 2007, 16:02
 
Wow, I can definitely say I never saw this coming. I've never even heard of MumboJumbo, but they're either doing very well or they bought Ritual for a song (which seems more likely.) It seems a very odd purchase for a company that's clearly not in Ritual's business to acquire such a company, but maybe they want to get into larger-scale development. I wonder what this does mean for SiN Episodes.

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4.
 
Re: ...
Jan 24, 2007, 15:46
4.
Re: ... Jan 24, 2007, 15:46
Jan 24, 2007, 15:46
 
So I guess this means no more Sin episodes. Can't say I'm surprised.

3.
 
Re: ...
Jan 24, 2007, 15:37
3.
Re: ... Jan 24, 2007, 15:37
Jan 24, 2007, 15:37
 
dear god what have they done
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2.
 
Re: ...
Jan 24, 2007, 15:34
nin
2.
Re: ... Jan 24, 2007, 15:34
Jan 24, 2007, 15:34
nin
 

Didn't Rit have the mass exodus recently?



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1.
 
...
Jan 24, 2007, 15:31
1.
... Jan 24, 2007, 15:31
Jan 24, 2007, 15:31
 
Whaaat ?

Ouch, what a way to go. Casual games.. is that what they're calling it now. Maybe Ritual will make the next version of Bejeweled.. oh that sounds soo wrong.
This comment was edited on Jan 24, 15:37.
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