<p><span data-contrast="none">Despite the ever-rising popularity of video games, every now and then a studio goes bankrupt (visit here if you are <a href="https://maritimetrustee.ca/">looking for bankruptcy help</a>), either due to lack of sales owing to poor designing or some other inherent issue, or unfavourable market conditions. While the news of any business shutting down </span><span data-contrast="none">comes as a shocker, video gaming studios are all the more strange, especially since the industry has been on an upward climb.</span><span data-ccp-props="{";201341983";:0,";335551550";:6,";335551620";:6,";335559740";:360}"> </span></p>
<h4 style="text-align: center;" aria-level="2"><b><span data-contrast="none">8 Gaming Brands that Have Shut Shop Over the Years</span></b><span data-ccp-props="{";201341983";:0,";335551550";:6,";335551620";:6,";335559738";:360,";335559739";:120,";335559740";:360}"> </span></h4>
<ol>
<li><b></b> <b><span data-contrast="none">THQ –</span></b><span data-contrast="none"> Popular for games like </span><i><span data-contrast="none">MX vs ATV</span></i><span data-contrast="none">, </span><i><span data-contrast="none">Dawn of War</span></i><span data-contrast="none">, and </span><i><span data-contrast="none">Saints Row</span></i><span data-contrast="none"> among </span><span data-contrast="none">others, THQ remained a household name for many years. The company began experiencing financial difficulties since February 2010 following numerous failed titles and huge investments on products that didn’t offer much in return. THQ officially shut down in </span><span data-contrast="none">2013.<br />
</span><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/96/THQ_logo_2011.svg/1200px-THQ_logo_2011.svg.png"><img class="aligncenter size-large" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/96/THQ_logo_2011.svg/1200px-THQ_logo_2011.svg.png" width="1200" height="540" /></a></li>
<li><b></b> <b><span data-contrast="none">Lionhead Studios –</span></b><span data-contrast="none"> Popular for creating </span><i><span data-contrast="none">Fable</span></i><span data-contrast="none"> and the </span><i><span data-contrast="none">Black and White</span></i><span data-contrast="none"> series, Lionhead Studios was established back in 1996. The firm was acquired by Microsoft in 2012, following which the firm unveiled titles like </span><i><span data-contrast="none">The Movies</span></i><span data-contrast="none">, </span><i><span data-contrast="none">Black and White 2</span></i><span data-contrast="none">,</span><span data-contrast="none"> and </span><i><span data-contrast="none">Fable: The Lost Chapters</span></i><span data-contrast="none"><span data-contrast="none">. Despite some heavy-punching titles in its portfolio, Lionhead Studios failed to meet Microsoft’s projected revenue figures and was consequently decommissioned in 2016.</span></span></li>
<li><b></b> <b><span data-contrast="none">Artoon – </span></b><span data-contrast="none">A popular Japanese</span> <span data-contrast="none">gaming</span> <span data-contrast="none">studio founded in</span><span data-contrast="none"> 1999, Artoon is popular for titles like </span><i><span data-contrast="none">Blinx the Time Sweeper</span></i><span data-contrast="none">, </span><i><span data-contrast="none">Yoshi’s Island DS</span></i><span data-contrast="none">, and </span><i><span data-contrast="none">Blue Dragon</span></i><span data-contrast="none"><span data-contrast="none">, to name a few. Despite these heavyweights, the studio failed to achieve much success, eventually filing for bankruptcy in 2010.</span></span></li>
<li><b></b> <b><span data-contrast="none">Clover Studio – </span></b><span data-contrast="none">Clover</span><span data-contrast="none"> Studio attained much fanfare for the </span><i><span data-contrast="none">Viewtiful Joe</span></i><span data-contrast="none"> series, but it wasn’t until the release of </span><i><span data-contrast="none">Okami</span></i><span data-contrast="none"> that the creators gained recognition. Unfortunately, sales did not pick up, forcing parents, Capcom, to close its pet project. Several key members resignin</span><span data-contrast="none">g to form Platinum Games also did not work to their favour.<br />
<a href="https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/capcomdatabase/images/5/52/Clover_Studio_logo.svg/revision/latest?cb=20180725040619"><img class="aligncenter size-large" src="https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/capcomdatabase/images/5/52/Clover_Studio_logo.svg/revision/latest?cb=20180725040619" width="2547" height="733" /></a><br />
</span></li>
<li><b></b> <b><span data-contrast="none">Pandemic Studios –</span></b><span data-contrast="none"> Best known for releasing games like </span><i><span data-contrast="none">Destroy All Humans</span></i><span data-contrast="none"> and </span><i><span data-contrast="none">Star Wars Battlefront</span></i><span data-contrast="none">, Pandemic Studios was established independently back in 1998 and continued operating in the</span><span data-contrast="none"><span data-contrast="none"> same way till 2007 when EA acquired the studio until it shut down in 2009.</span></span></li>
<li><b></b> <b><span data-contrast="none">Red Octane –</span></b><span data-contrast="none"> Best known for </span><i><span data-contrast="none">Guitar Hero</span></i><span data-contrast="none"><span data-contrast="none">, Red Octane was acquired by Activision in 2006. Following a dumb move to flood the market with Guitar Hero spinoffs and successors which failed miserably, Activision decided to shut down Red Octane in 2010.</span></span></li>
<li><b></b> <b><span data-contrast="none">Atari, Inc. – </span></b><span data-contrast="none">Perhaps one of the most famou</span><span data-contrast="none">s studios on our list, Atari was founded in 1972 and became an instant hit with arcade gamers during the 80s. However, the company soon ran out of luck, with the 1983 American video gaming crash which diminished sales by a shocking margin. As a result, Ata</span><span data-contrast="none">ri closed down the business in 1984.<br />
<a href="https://download.logo.wine/logo/Atari%2C_Inc./Atari%2C_Inc.-Logo.wine.png"><img class="aligncenter size-large" src="https://download.logo.wine/logo/Atari%2C_Inc./Atari%2C_Inc.-Logo.wine.png" width="3000" height="2000" /></a><br />
</span></li>
<li><b></b> <b><span data-contrast="none">Zipper Interactive –</span></b><span data-contrast="none"> Founded in1995, Zipper is best known for its PlayStation-exclusive title </span><i><span data-contrast="none">SOCOM: Navy Seas.</span></i><span data-contrast="none"> The company had a few other titles under its belt, like the Xbox-exclusive </span><i><span data-contrast="none">Crimson Skies</span></i><span data-contrast="none">, which failed</span><span data-contrast="none"> to perform. With games like </span><i><span data-contrast="none">COD</span></i><span data-contrast="none"> and </span><i><span data-contrast="none">Battlefield</span></i><span data-contrast="none"> entering the frame, Zipper’s business dwindled, forcing them to shut shop in 2012.</span></li>
</ol>
<p><span data-contrast="none">If you enjoyed this list but would like to read stories a little less depressing, check out our list of </span><a href="https://casinobee.com/new-casinos/"><b><span data-contrast="none">new casinos in 2020</span></b></a><span data-contrast="none">.</span><span data-ccp-props="{";201341983";:0,";335551550";:6,";335551620";:6,";335559740";:360}"> </span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>This article contains sponsored links.</em></p>

Game Brands That Have Been and Gone
-
By Chris Newton

- Categories: Opinion
- Tags: ArtoonAtariBrandsClover StudioLionhead StudiosPandemic StudiosRed OctaneSDTHQZipper Interactive
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