Aspyr

Aspyr Media, Inc. is an American video game developer and publisher founded by Michael Rogers and Ted Staloch in Austin, Texas. Originally founded to bring top gaming titles to Mac OS,[1] the company, since 2005, has become a publisher and developer of entertainment for multiple gaming platforms.[2]

Aspyr Media, Inc.
Private
IndustryVideo games
FoundedSeptember 27, 1996 (1996-09-27)
Headquarters
Austin, Texas
,
U.S.
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Michael Rogers (President)

Ted Staloch (Executive Vice President Publishing)

Elizabeth Howard (Vice President Publishing)
ProductsList of games ported by Aspyr
Websiteaspyr.com

Aspyr works with partners including LucasArts, 2K Games, Activision, Gearbox Software; their catalog includes franchises Call of Duty, Sid Meier's Civilization, SimCity, Borderlands and Star Wars.[3]

History
Aspyr's logo from 1996 to 2005
Aspyr's logo from 2005 to 2019

In 1996, Aspyr Media, Inc., was established by Michael Rogers and Ted Staloch in Austin, Texas. Staloch, who had a background in sales and marketing and Rogers, who worked with TechWorks, noticed that there was a lack of gaming titles available to Mac owners and set out to change it.[1] According to Rogers, when naming the company, they “wanted something meaning ‘to aspire and be great’” and also “memorable and unique.” Aspyr made its name specializing in porting video games from Microsoft Windows to macOS,[4] including popular franchises Call of Duty, Sid Meier's Civilization, Star Wars, Borderlands, and SimCity.[3]

By 2003, they owned 60 percent of the Mac entertainment market.[5] In 2005, Aspyr partnered with Alex Seropian of Wideload Games and released their first originally-published AAA game, Stubbs The Zombie, to Mac OS, Windows and Xbox.[6] In 2015, Aspyr Media expanded their platform catalog again by releasing an iOS port of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic[7] and later, Bioware's classic-action RPG, Jade Empire - a title they extended to Android as well.[8] In 2015, Aspyr developed and published Fahrenheit: Indigo Prophecy Remastered, a remaster of a game developed by Quantic Dream, to a worldwide audience with enhanced game features, updated visuals and controls, as well as content that was censored in the original North American release.[9]

Currently, Aspyr's catalog includes popular games such as Sid Meier's Civilization VI, developed in 2018 on Mac, Linux, iOS and Nintendo Switch,[10] Layers of Fear,[3] >observer_,[3] Torn,[11] and the re-releases of LucasArts titles: Star Wars: Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast and Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy.[12]

According to Elizabeth Howard, vice president of publishing at Aspyr Media, the company's current focus is less on internal IP and more on company growth, establishing bigger undertakings with big brands.[12] Aspyr has published over 190 games, and have added 90 plus members to their team since 1996.[2]

Games
This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
Year Title Platform Developer Publisher Reference
1998 Tomb Raider II Mac Aspyr Aspyr [13]
2000 Star Trek: Voyager - Elite Force Mac Aspyr Activision
2002 Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds Mac LucasArts Aspyr [13]
2002 Star Wars: Jedi Knight II - Jedi Outcast Mac Raven Software Aspyr [13]
2003 Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy Mac Raven Software Aspyr [13]
2003 Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 Mac Aspyr Aspyr [14]
2003 Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness Mac Aspyr Aspyr [15]
2004 Command and Conquer: Generals Mac Aspyr Aspyr [16]
2005 Star Wars: Battlefront Mac Pandemic Studios Aspyr [13]
2005 Sims 2 Mac Aspyr Aspyr [17]
2005 Doom 3 Mac Aspyr Aspyr [18]
2005 Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse Xbox, PC, Mac Wideload Games Aspyr [6]
2006 Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 Mac Aspyr Aspyr [19]
2006 Sid Meier's Civilization IV Mac Aspyr Aspyr [3]
2006 Dreamfall: The Longest Journey Xbox, PC Funcom Aspyr [3]
2007 Guitar Hero III PC, Mac Aspyr Aspyr [20]
2007 The Sims: Life Stories Mac Aspyr Aspyr [21]
2010 Star Wars: The Force Unleashed PC, Mac Aspyr Aspyr [22][23]
2010 Sid Meier's Civilization V Mac, Linux Aspyr Aspyr [3]
2010 Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II PC Aspyr LucasArts [24]
2012 Borderlands 2 Mac Aspyr Aspyr [25]
2012 Call of Duty: Black Ops Mac Aspyr Aspyr [26]
2013 Bioshock Infinite Mac Aspyr Aspyr [27]
2014 Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic iOS, Android Aspyr Aspyr [7]
2014 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Mac Aspyr Aspyr [28]
2014 Sim City 4 Mac Aspyr Aspyr [29]
2014 Sid Meier's Civilization Beyond Earth Mac, Linux Aspyr Aspyr [30]
2015 Fahrenheit: Indigo Prophecy Remastered PC, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android Aspyr Aspyr [9]
2016 Layers of Fear PC, Mac, Linux, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 Bloober Team Aspyr [3]
2016 Jade Empire iOS, Android Aspyr Aspyr [8]
2017 Mafia 3 Mac Aspyr Aspyr [31]
2017 >observer_ PC, Mac, Linux, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 Bloober Team Aspyr [3]
2018 InnerSpace PC, Mac, Linux, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch PolyKnight Games Aspyr [32]
2018 Torn Oculus, Vive, PSVR Aspyr Aspyr [11]
2018 Sid Meier's Civilization VI (iOS) iOS Aspyr Aspyr [33]
2018 Sid Meier's Civilization VI Mac, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 Aspyr 2K Games [10]
2019 Call of Duty: Black Ops III Mac Aspyr Aspyr [26]
2019 Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 Aspyr Aspyr [12]
2020 Lightmatter Windows Tunnel Vision Games Aspyr
2020 Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 Aspyr Aspyr
2020 Star Wars Episode I: Racer Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 Aspyr Aspyr

References
  1. Savlov, Marc; Fri.; Nov. 19; 2004. "Controlling Their Own Destiny". www.austinchronicle.com. Retrieved October 12, 2019.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. "Aspyr Media". Aspyr Media. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  3. "Ted Staloch Video Game Credits and Biography". MobyGames. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  4. August 29, Jon Carr-; 2013. "MacGameStore Feature: Aspyr Media Interview with Michael Rogers". www.macgamestore.com. Retrieved October 12, 2019.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. Bungie Founder Finds Publisher - IGN, retrieved October 12, 2019
  6. "Aspyr ships Stubbs the Zombie for Mac". Macworld. November 23, 2005. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  7. "Use The Force - And A Controller - With KOTOR For iOS, Now On Sale". Cult of Mac. March 6, 2014. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  8. "BioWare Action RPG Jade Empire Now Available On iOS". Kotaku. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  9. "Aspyr Announces Fahrenheit: Indigo Prophecy Remastered Available Now". www.businesswire.com. January 29, 2015. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  10. "Sid Meier's Civilization® VI Coming to Xbox One and PlayStation 4 on November 22, 2019". www.businesswire.com. September 24, 2019. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  11. Hayden, Scott (August 31, 2018). "'Torn' Review: Masterful 'Black Mirror' Style Storytelling Tarnished by Repetitive Puzzles". Road to VR. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  12. "Aspyr spreads beyond Mac with classic Star Wars game for the Switch and PS4". VentureBeat. September 24, 2019. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  13. "Aspyr Media (video game company, United States) - Glitchwave video games database". glitchwave.com. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  14. "Aspyr announces Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3". Macworld. October 24, 2002. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  15. "Aspyr Media Inc. Releases Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness for Macintosh". www.businesswire.com. December 18, 2003. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  16. "Aspyr to publish Command & Conquer Generals for Mac". Macworld. September 26, 2003. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  17. "The Sims 2 coming to Mac". Macworld. October 19, 2004. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  18. "Aspyr releases Doom 3 for Macintosh". Macworld. March 14, 2005. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  19. "Review: RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 Platinum for Mac". Macworld. March 21, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  20. Alexander, Leigh. "Aspyr, Activision Partner For PC/Mac Guitar Hero III". www.gamasutra.com. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  21. "The Sims Life Stories". Macworld. April 20, 2007. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  22. "Aspyr Ships Star Wars: The Force Unleashed for Mac – The Mac Observer". www.macobserver.com. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  23. https://www.mobygames.com/game/windows/star-wars-the-force-unleashed-ultimate-sith-edition/credits
  24. "Star Wars: Force Unleashed II confirmed for DS, PC, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360". www.businesswire.com. November 8, 2012. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  25. "Aspyr Media Announces Borderlands™ 2 Coming to the Mac November 20th". www.businesswire.com. November 8, 2012. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  26. Chrisp, Ethan (April 2, 2019). "Call of Duty: Black Ops III rated for macOS release". Charlie INTEL. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  27. Byford, Sam (August 1, 2013). "'Bioshock Infinite' coming to Mac on August 29th". The Verge. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  28. Pitcher, Jenna (May 21, 2014). "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and 3 hit Mac". Polygon. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  29. "FunBITS: SimCity 4 Returns to the Mac". TidBITS. June 20, 2014. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  30. Truta, Filip. "Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth Available for Download in the Mac App Store". softpedia. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  31. Hardwick, Tim. "Open World Action-Adventure 'Mafia 3' Coming to Mac on May 11 [Update: Now Available]". www.macrumors.com. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  32. "Top 10 Indie Games On The Nintendo Switch, Ranked". TheGamer. August 19, 2019. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  33. "Aspyr Brings Civilization VI to iPhone". The Mac Observer. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
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