Overview
The company was founded as SMSG, Inc. (San Mateo Software Games) in 1991 by
Trip Hawkins and it was headquartered in Redwood City, California. Initially, the SMSG focused on video games consoles and launched the 3DO in October 1993. The console itself was created by different partners and licensees, while 3DO received royalties on each console sold and on each game manufactured. They also offered a lower royalty rate than direct competitors
Nintendo and
SEGA. The console did not succeed, with a high introduction price and dubious game quality. The final nail in the coffin was when
Sony entered the market with the PlayStation in 1995. The 3DO Company sold the design for its next-generation console to Matsushita in 1996 and changed business to a games development and publishing.
Development was mainly achieved through 3 acquisitions:
Cyclone Studios (1995),
Archetype Interactive (1996) and
New World Computing leading to a strong presence with different game genres: the
Might and Magic and
Heroes of Might and Magic series (New World), the long-running
Army Men series, the
High Heat Baseball franchise, and
Meridian 59 (one of the first 3D MUDs preceding the MMORPGs), along with a lot of other games through in-house development.
Studio 3DO was the company's branch in the United Kingdom, also called 3DO UK.
On 28th May 2003, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Also Known As
- SMSG, Inc. (from 1991 to 1992)
Games
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Trivia
Their official web site used to be at http://www.3do.com.
Related Web Sites
- 3DO Today (A 3DO resource website.)
- IMDb (The 3DO company filmography.)
