| Desperados | |
| Genre: | Real-time tactics |
| Developer: | Spellbound Entertainment (2001–07) Mimimi Games (2020) |
| Publisher: | Infogrames/Atari SA (2001-2006) Viva Media (2007) THQ Nordic (2020-present) |
| Platforms: | Microsoft Windows, MacOS, Linux, PlayStation 4, Xbox One |
| First Release Version: | |
| First Release Date: | 20 April 2001 |
| Latest Release Version: | Desperados III |
| Latest Release Date: | 16 June 2020 |
Desperados is a real-time tactics video game series originally developed by Spellbound Entertainment, the series was then acquired by THQ Nordic on 24 June 2013.[1] The series is set in the 1880s Midwest, its main protagonist John Cooper deals with living the life of a cowboy, often coming to blows with other criminals and bandits as he struggles to make a living as an outlaw. The series gameplay revolves around stealth with players having the option to take out enemies one by one or going in guns blazing, either by controlling John or numerous other player characters that help John along the way.
See main article: Desperados: Wanted Dead or Alive. Released in 2001, Desperados: Wanted Dead or Alive was developed by Spellbound Entertainment and published by Infogrames for Microsoft Windows. In the game, the player controls up to six characters in an Old West setting, led by knife-fighter and gunslinger John Cooper. A modernized version of the game was released in July 2018 adding dubs in multiple languages, improving compatibility with newer versions of Windows, and porting the game to MacOS and Linux.
See main article: Desperados 2: Cooper's Revenge. The sequel Desperados 2: Cooper's Revenge was released in 2006, again developed by Spellbound Entertainment and published by Atari for Microsoft Windows. John Cooper returns as the protagonist, setting out to avenge the death of his brother, US Marshal Ross Cooper.
See main article: Helldorado (video game). Helldorado was first announced as an expansion to Desperados 2, using elements that had been scrapped during development. It was instead released as a stand-alone game continuing the story of Desperados 2. The game was released in 2007 in Europe and 2009 in North America with Viva Media as the publisher.
See main article: Desperados III. The series was revived in 2020 with Desperados III, developed by Mimimi Games and published by THQ Nordic for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Linux, and MacOS. The story is a prequel to the first Desperados game, exploring the origins of protagonist John Cooper in the 1870s.
Spellbound was developing a follow-up with more multiplayer and steampunk-oriented elements, Desperados Gangs. However, they canceled it because they were unable to find a publisher to fund the project.[2]