Red Orb Entertainment Explained

Red Orb Entertainment
Type:Subsidiary
Foundation:May 21, 1997[1]
Defunct:March 2001
Location:Novato, California, USA
Hartlepool, England, UK[2]
Industry:Video games
Key People:Ken F. Goldstein (VP & general manager), Ted Simon (group marketing manager)
Owner:Mattel Interactive
Parent:Broderbund (1997–1998)
The Learning Company (1998–2001)
Products:Prince of Persia 3D, Riven, Warlords III
Homepage:redorb.com (archived)

Red Orb Entertainment was a publishing division created by the Broderbund software company to market its video game titles, distinguishing them from its library of edutainment titles, which it marketed to schools. Launched on May 21, 1997, and based in Novato, California, the name comes from the first six letters of "Broderbund," which spell "Red Orb" when reversed.[3]

After its parent company Broderbund was acquired by The Learning Company in 1998, Red Orb's brand continued to be used and was supported by the latter's Mindscape division.[4] After TLC's parent company Mattel Interactive was sold off in 2000, Subsequent games of the Myst, Prince of Persia, and Warlords franchises were later published by Ubisoft, who acquired all of Mattel Interactive's entertainment library in March 2001.[5]

Titles

Red Orb Entertainment developed and/or published several games in the late 1990s, including:[6]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Helen. Lee. Broderbund Gets Serious. https://web.archive.org/web/19990210172427/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/97_05/22_broder/index.html. GameSpot. February 10, 1999. May 22, 1997. July 24, 2022.
  2. Web site: January 16, 2013. Red Orb Entertainment. MobyGames.
  3. News: Angwin. Julia. Julia Angwin. May 22, 1997. January 16, 2013. Broderbund in the Game / New titles will bear Red Orb brand name. San Francisco Chronicle.
  4. News: Dunkin. Alan. October 2, 1998. January 16, 2013. Red Orb Stays With Mindscape. GameSpot.
  5. Web site: Judson. Peter. March 7, 2001. January 16, 2013. UbiSoft Acquires Entertainment Division of the Learning Company. Neoseeker.
  6. Web site: November 26, 2011. Red Orb Entertainment. Metacritic.