7th Level was a video game development company based in Dallas, Texas and founded in 1993.[3] Notable game titles by the company include: the three Monty Python games (with the aid of Python member Eric Idle); G-Nome (1997), a MechWarrior-style game; Helicops (1997), an anime-inspired game that featured arcade-style aerial combat; and Tracer, a game where the player hacked computer systems distributed for cash by using a virtual avatar in the design of Neuromancer, Shadowrun, or Snowcrash-styled virtual worlds.
History
On February 24, 1995, 7th Level announced that they have acquired Distant Thunder Entertainment, Inc., a Dallas-based game developer specializing in 3-D games.[4] The same year the company acquired Lanpro Corp. and Lanpro Localization Center Inc., based in San Francisco, Calif., who localize interactive entertainment and educational multimedia software.[5]
On March 1, 1996, 7th Level announced that they have acquired PyroTechnix, a privately held company based in Cincinnati, Ohio.[6] The company grew to nearly 300 employees in Texas, California, Ohio, and Europe by June 1996.[7]
On November 17, 1997, 7th Level announced their intention to merge with Pulse Entertainment, in order to create P7 Solutions.[8][9] The following day, the distribution rights for the three Monty Python games were acquired by Panasonic Interactive Media,[10] which ended 7th Level's involvement with the game's development and publishing. The merger announced between 7th Level and Pulse Entertainment was cancelled in April 1998.[11]
In February 1999, 7th Level merged with Street Technologies Inc. and formed a website named 7th Street.com,[12] which later became learn.com, tutorials.com, and Taleo, which was acquired by Oracle Corporation in 2012. George Grayson, the co-founder of 7th Level, later founded The Imagination Station.
Before ceasing all game development, 7th Level had begun working on another title, named Dominion: Storm Over Gift 3. The partially-completed game was sold to Ion Storm to finish development.
