Game Groups > Jane's Combat Simulations

Jane's Combat Simulations was a brand in use by Electronic Arts from 1996 to 2000 for their line of military simulations. EA licensed the name from Jane's Information Group, the publishing company famous for its military reference works. Not only did the deal allow the use of the Jane's brand name, but also the inclusion of Jane's reference material within the games itself.

The games in the Jane's line were developed by several specialized development teams:

• One team was located at Electronic Arts headquarters: led by veterans Brent Iverson (designer/programmer) and Paul Grace (producer), previously responsible for games like Chuck Yeager's Air Combat, LHX: Attack Chopper and U.S. Navy Fighters, they continued the Fighters line with Advanced Tactical Fighters and U.S. Navy Fighters '97.
• Another team was led by MicroProse veteran Andy Hollis (Gunship, F-15 Strike Eagle II and III) at Origin Systems. They developed the Longbow series.
• Former MicroProse employees continued their old company's tradition in jet simulation at EA Baltimore with F-15 and F/A-18.
• Sonalysts, Inc. were the naval warfare specialists, developing 688(I) Hunter/Killer and Fleet Command.
• Finally, Israeli developer Pixel Multimedia developed Israeli Air Force and United States Air Force.

The deal with Jane's was not renewed by EA beyond its original five-year length. The Jane's brand however reappeared in 2002, on Mad Doc Software's Attack Squadron, and in 2011 on JASF: Jane's Advanced Strike Fighters, published by Evolved Games.

The only games which would become available for purchase after the initial license expired were the two titles by Sonalysts, 688(I) Hunter/Killer and Fleet Command, but in slightly modified versions which omit all references to the Jane's Information Group.