Daedalic Entertainment

Daedalic Entertainment GmbH

Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Video games
Founded	1 March 2007; 17 years ago (2007-03-01)
Founders	Carsten Fichtelmann Jan Müller-Michaelis
Headquarters	Hamburg , Germany
Key people	Carsten Fichtelmann (CEO) Stephan Harms (COO) Jan Müller-Michaelis (creative director)
Number of employees	~70[1] (2023)
Parent	Bastei Lübbe (2014–2020)[2] Nacon (2022–present)
Website	daedalic.com

Daedalic Entertainment GmbH is a German video game publisher and former developer based in Hamburg. They developed various point-and-click adventure games.

History

Daedalic Entertainment was founded on 1 March 2007 in a small Hamburg office by chief executive officer (CEO) Carsten Fichtelmann and creative director Jan Müller-Michaelis. Prior to founding Daedalic, Fichtelmann was marketing director for German publisher DTP Entertainment.^[3]

Shortly afterwards, the adventure game 1½ Knights – In Search of the Ravishing Princess Herzelinde was developed, named after the same film. On 28 August 2009, the adventure game The Whispered World followed and the adventure title A New Beginning, which focuses on climate change, was published on 8 October 2010. In 2011, the sequel to Edna & Harvey: The Breakout was released with the title Harvey’s New Eyes. A year later, a new adventure named Deponia was released to the market, which received several awards as well.^{[citation needed]}

In May 2014, German publisher Bastei Lübbe acquired a majority share of 51% in Daedalic Entertainment.^[4][5][6] The following July, Daedalic opened a subsidiary studio, Daedalic Entertainment Studio West, in Düsseldorf.^[7][8][9]

In November 2016, Daedalic laid off twelve of its roughly 150 employees, primarily from the production and marketing departments, and opted not to renew several temporary contracts.^[10][11][12] In February 2018, Daedalic opened a third studio, this time in Munich under the name Daedalic Entertainment Bavaria.^[13] The new studio would consist of eight people, led by Oliver Machek, formerly of Klonk Games, as studio director and creative director, and by Stephan Harms, chief operating officer of Daedalic, as CEO.^[14] In August 2018, as Bastei Lübbe faced severe financial issues, the company started considering to sell their 51% stake in Daedalic.^[15] In early 2021, the Düsseldorf and Munich studios entered liquidation; the former had been inactive since after creative director Andreas Suika left in August 2019 for Epic Games, while the latter was emptied in late 2020 with all employees rehired by other Munich-based developers.^[16]

Nacon announced its intent to acquire Daedalic in February 2022 through purchase of all controlling shares of the company for an estimated $60 million.^[17] The acquisition was confirmed in April 2022.^[18]

In June 2023, Daedalic shuttered its development division, affecting 25 of its more than 90 employees. The closure came as a result of poor reception and performance of the studio's final internally developed game, The Lord of the Rings: Gollum.^{[19][20][21][22]}

Games developed

Year	Title	Platform(s)	Publisher(s)	Notes	Ref.
2008	Edna & Harvey: The Breakout (Edna bricht aus)[23][24]	Windows, macOS, Linux, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One,Amazon Luna	Lace Mamba Global, Application Systems Heidelberg, Daedalic Entertainment	An improved anniversary edition was released in 2019[24]
	1½ Knights: In Search of the Ravishing Princess Herzelinde	Windows	Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
2009	The Whispered World	Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS	Deep Silver, Viva Media, Lace Mamba Global, Daedalic Entertainment	A special edition was released in 2014
	The Tudors	macOS, Windows	Merscom
2010	Wolfgang Hohlbein's The Inquisitor	Windows	Prime Games
	Immortal Lovers	Windows
	The Chronicles of Shakespeare: Romeo & Juliet	macOS, Windows	Daedalic Entertainment
	A New Beginning	Windows	Daedalic Entertainment, Lace Mamba Global
2011	Edna & Harvey: Harvey's New Eyes	iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One	Daedalic Entertainment
	The Chronicles of Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night's Dream	macOS, Windows
	Borgia	macOS, Windows
2012	Deponia	iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One	Daedalic Entertainment, Lace Mamba Global
	The Dark Eye: Chains of Satinav	macOS, Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S	Daedalic Entertainment, Deep Silver
	Chaos on Deponia	Linux, macOS, Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One	Daedalic Entertainment
	A New Beginning: Final Cut	iOS, macOS, Windows
2013	The Night of the Rabbit	macOS, Windows
	The Dark Eye: Memoria	macOS, Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
	Goodbye Deponia	Linux, macOS, Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
2014	Blackguards	macOS, Windows	Daedalic Entertainment, Kalypso Media
	1954 Alcatraz	Windows	Daedalic Entertainment
	Deponia: The Puzzle	Android, iOS, Windows
	Edna & Harvey: The Puzzle	Android, iOS, Windows
	Deponia: The Complete Journey	Linux, macOS, Windows
2015	Blackguards 2	macOS, Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
	Fire: Ungh’s Quest	Windows, macOS, Linux, Wii U, Nintendo Switch, iOS			[25]
	Anna's Quest	Windows, macOS, Linux, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
2016	Deponia Doomsday
	Silence
2017	The Long Journey Home	macOS, Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One		Daedalic Entertainment Studio West
	Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth	iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One		Episodic game. Episode 3 released in 2018.
2018	State of Mind	Windows, macOS, Linux, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
2020	A Year of Rain	Windows
2023	The Lord of the Rings: Gollum	Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S	Daedalic Entertainment, Nacon	Final internally developed game	[26][27]

Cancelled

• The Devil's Men
• Untitled The Lord of the Rings game

Games published

Year	Title	Platform(s)	Developer(s)	Notes	Ref.
2013	Journey of a Roach	Windows, macOS, Linux	Koboldgames
	Gomo	Windows, macOS	Fishcow Studio
2014	Munin	Windows, macOS, Linux	Gojira
	Randal's Monday	Windows, macOS	Nexus Game Studios
2015	Decay: The Mare	Windows, macOS, Linux	Shining Gate Software
	Dead Synchronicity: Tomorrow Comes Today	Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux	Fictiorama Studios
	Holy Potatoes! A Weapon Shop?!	Windows, macOS, Linux	Daylight Studios
	Skyhill	Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One	Mandragora
	Valhalla Hills	iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux	Funatics Software
	ZanZarah: The Hidden Portal	Windows	Funatics Development (Funatics Software)	Re-release
2016	Shooting Stars!	Windows, macOS, Linux	Bloodirony
	The Virus: Cry for Help	Android, iOS, watchOS	Popclaire
	Caravan	Windows, macOS, Linux	It Matters Games
	Crazy Machines 3	Windows	Fakt Software
	Oh My Gore!		bumblebee.
	Candle	Windows, macOS, Linux, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One	Teku Studios
	Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun	Windows, macOS, Linux, PlayStation 4, Xbox One	Mimimi Productions
2017	Holy Potatoes! We're in Space?!	Windows, macOS, Linux	Daylight Studios
	Shift Happens'	Windows, Nintendo Switch	Klonk Games
	Relaxing VR Games: Mahjong	Windows	CrazyBunch
	Leaves: The Journey	Windows, macOS	ZAR 21
	Leaves: The Return
	The Franz Kafka Videogame	Windows, iOS, Android	Denis Galanin (mif2000)
	Bounty Train	Windows, macOS	Corbie Games
	Holy Potatoes! What the Hell?!	macOS, Linux, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One	Daylight Studios
	AER Memories of Old	macOS, Linux, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One	Forgotten Key
2018	Holy Potatoes! A Spy Story?!	Windows, macOS, Linux	Daylight Studios
2019	The Great Perhaps	macOS, Linux, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4,Windows, Xbox One	Caligari Games
	Intruders: Hide and Seek	Windows, PlayStation 4	Tessera Studios
	Felix the Reaper	macOS, iOS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One	Kong Orange
2020	The Suicide of Rachel Foster	Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One	One-O-One Games
	Iron Danger	Windows	Action Squad Studios
	Iratus: Lord of the Dead	Windows, macOS, Linux	Unfrozen
	Unrailed!	Windows, macOS, Linux, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One	Indoor Astronaut	Together with bilibili
	Partisans 1941	Windows	Alter Games
	Witch It		Barrel Roll Games
2021	Insurmountable	Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S	ByteRockers' Games
	CryoFall	Windows	AtomicTorch Studio
	Glitchpunk		Dark Lord
	Fling to the Finish	Windows, macOS	SplitSide Games
	Jars	Windows, macOS, Linux	Mousetrap Games
	Shadow Tactics: Aiko's Choice	Windows, Linux	Mimimi Games
2022	Hidden Deep	Windows	Cogwheel Software
	Zombie Rollerz: Pinball Heroes		Zing Games Inc.
	VELONE	Windows, macOS	ZAR 21
	Godlike Burger	Windows, macOS, Linux	Liquid Pug
	Warpips	Windows	Skirmish Mode Games
	Wildcat Gun Machine	Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One	Chunkybox Games
	Destroyer: The U-Boat Hunter	Windows	Iron Wolf Studio S.A.
	The Heart of the Teddy Bear		Abenteuerpakete
2023	Children of Silentown		Elf Games, Luna2 Studio
	Inkulinati	Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S	Yaza Games
	Potion Tycoon	Windows	Snowhound Games
	Life of Delta	Windows, macOS	Airo Games
	Barotrauma	Windows, macOS, Linux	FakeFish, Undertow Games
	Rough Justice: '84	Windows	Gamma Minus UG
	Wanderful		Tiny Roar
	Wild Woods		Octofox Games
	REVEIL		Pixelsplit
	Magin: The Rat Project Stories		The Rat Project
	Capes		Spitfire Interactive

References

1. Fröhlich, Petra (16 January 2023). "Die größten Games-Studios in Deutschland 2023". GamesWirtschaft. Archived from the original on 21 January 2023. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
2. "Nach Daedalic-Verkauf: Bastei Lübbe AG gibt Games-Geschäft auf". 14 July 2020. Archived from the original on 16 July 2020. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
3. "Daedalic – Neuer deutscher Spiele-Publisher – Golem.de". www.golem.de. Archived from the original on 26 March 2007. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
4. "Spielebranche: Bastei Lübbe kauft Mehrheit an Daedalic Entertainment – Golem.de". www.golem.de. Archived from the original on 16 May 2014. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
5. "Daedalic Entertainment : Bastei Lübbe erwirbt Mehrheitsanteil – 4Players.de". 4Players. 16 May 2014. Archived from the original on 17 May 2014. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
6. "Daedalic – Verlagsgruppe Bastei Lübbe übernimmt mehrheitlich Deponia-Entwickler – GameStar". www.gamestar.de. 19 May 2014. Archived from the original on 15 May 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
7. "Daedalic Entertainment : Studio in Düsseldorf gegründet – 4Players.de". 4Players. 14 July 2014. Archived from the original on 15 July 2014. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
8. "Spielentwickler: Daedalic gründet neues Studio – Golem.de". www.golem.de. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
9. "Daedalic Entertainment – Deponia-Entwickler eröffnet Studio in Düsseldorf – GameStar". www.gamestar.de. 15 July 2014. Archived from the original on 10 June 2017. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
10. "Spielebranche: Daedalic entlässt Mitarbeiter – Golem.de". www.golem.de. Archived from the original on 23 November 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
11. GamesWirtschaft (22 November 2016). "Enttäuschende Verkaufszahlen: Daedalic baut Stellen ab". GamesWirtschaft. Archived from the original on 24 November 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
12. "Schwierigkeiten bei Daedalic – Hamburger Publisher baut Stellen ab – GameStar". www.gamestar.de. 22 November 2016. Archived from the original on 5 January 2019. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
13. GamesWirtschaft (14 February 2018). "Daedalic Entertainment Bavaria: München wird dritter Daedalic-Standort". GamesWirtschaft. Archived from the original on 17 February 2018. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
14. "Daedalic – Neues Studio in München eröffnet – GameStar". www.gamestar.de. 14 February 2018. Archived from the original on 16 February 2018. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
15. GamesWirtschaft (14 August 2018). "Bastei Lübbe AG: Daedalic Entertainment auf dem Prüfstand (Update)". GamesWirtschaft. Archived from the original on 5 January 2019. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
16. Fröhlich, Petra (3 February 2021). "Daedalic Entertainment Bavaria aufgelöst". GamesWirtschaft. Archived from the original on 5 February 2021. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
17. Prescott, Shaun (16 February 2022). "Nacon acquires Daedalic Entertainment for $60 million". PC Gamer. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
18. "Definitive acquisition of Daedalic Entertainment". Nacon Corporate. Archived from the original on 7 April 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
19. "Daedalic Entertainment schließt Entwicklungs-Abteilung (Update)". 30 June 2023.
20. "Daedalic Entertainment shuts down internal game development to focus on publishing". 30 June 2023.
21. "The Lord of the Rings: Gollum developer to close after disastrous launch". Polygon. 30 June 2023.
22. "Lord of the Rings: Gollum developer closing down after nightmare launch". Digital Spy. July 2023.
23. "Edna & Harvey: The Breakout on Steam". store.steampowered.com. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
24. "Edna & Harvey: The Breakout - Anniversary Edition on Steam". store.steampowered.com. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
25. "Análisis de FIRE (PC, Switch, Wii U)". Vandal (in Spanish). 6 April 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
26. Oloman, Jordan; Mercante, Alyssa; Wald, Heather (6 August 2021). "The Lord of the Rings: Gollum game - Everything we know so far". GamesRadar+. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
27. "The Lord of the Rings: Gollum launches May 25 for PS5, Xbox Series, PS4, Xbox One, and PC, later for Switch". Gematsu. 23 March 2023. Retrieved 11 May 2023.

External links

• Official website