Microids

Microids
Formerly	Microïds (1985–2003; 2007–2019); MC2-Microïds (2003–2005); MC2 (2005–2007);
Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Video games
Founded	1985; 39 years ago in Vélizy-Villacoublay, France
Founder	Elliot Grassiano
Headquarters	Paris, France
Key people	Stéphane Longeard (CEO); Elliot Grassiano (VP);
Parent	Anuman Interactive (2010–2019); Média-Participations (2019–present);
Divisions	Microids Distribution France
Website	microids.com

Microids (formerly Microïds) is a French video game developer and publisher based in Paris. Founded in 1985 by Elliot Grassiano, it attained early success with games published through Loriciel in France and other partners (including Activision and Broderbund) in international markets. Through expanding its staff and development teams, Microïds generated funds to expand from just development to publishing and distribution and opening international offices. The company merged with MC2 in 2003 to create MC2-Microïds, whereafter it acquired publishers Wanadoo Edition and Cryo Interactive. Grassiano left MC2-Microïds in 2005; under new management, MC2-Microïds was briefly renamed MC2 before returning to the old Microïds name. It was then acquired by Anuman Interactive in 2010, which itself was renamed Microïds (then simplified to Microids) in 2019.

History

Background and early years (1985–2003)

Microïds was founded by Elliot Grassiano, a French programmer. He was educated at the Lycée Louis-le-Grand school from 1972 to 1974 and later studied engineering, electronics, and computers at the École nationale supérieure d'arts et métiers. He started working as an engineer for the defence system company SAGEM in 1979. By the 1980s, Grassiano had become interested in telecommunications, consumer electronics, and video games. He acquired a Thomson MO5-model home computer, which he used to create his first game, Space Shuttle Simulator. The game was published by Loriciel and released to both critical and commercial success. Subsequently, Grassiano quit his job to establish his own company. He formally founded Microïds in 1985, setting it up in Vélizy-Villacoublay, a suburb of Paris. He was aided in these efforts by Loriciel's founders, Laurent Weill and Marc Bayle, as well as Patrick Le Nestour, another engineer. The name "Microïds" was a portmanteau of "microinformatique" ("micro-informatics") and "androids". Within its first year of operation, the company grew to five people, with Grassiano in the managerial role.^[1]

Initially, Microïds set out to create consumer robotics projects before shifting its focus solely to video games. The first Microïds-developed game was Air Attack, released by Loriciel for the Thomson MO5 to moderate commercial success. Early adventure games developed by Microïds include Oceania (developed by Le Nestour and released in 1985 for the Thomson MO5 and TO7) and Les Pyramides D'Atlantys (developed by Luc Thibaud and released for the Amstrad CPC in 1986). Air Attack provided the groundwork for subsequent Microïds games, such as 500 cc Grand Prix for the Amstrad CPC, which debuted in 1986. This game was the company's first breakthrough title, partially driven by the CPC's success in France. By way of a deal between Loriciel and Activision, the game was also released in the UK, it was also released in the US, and it was later ported to other systems, such as the Atari ST. The American market appeared especially viable for Microïds, who believed that game sales would vastly outnumber the domestic ones. For this reason, it partnered with the American publisher Broderbund in 1987, which released several Microïds games in the country, partially under altered names. In return, Microïds managed sales of Broderbund's games, notably Prince of Persia and Karateka in France.^[1]

Throughout the 1990s, Microïds underwent expansion, increasing both staff count and development team sizes. Development operations were accelerated to output more games, leading to increased profits. Through the new-earned funds, the company commenced operations in both video game publishing and distribution in 1995, and between then and 1997 opened three international subsidiaries: Microïds Italia in Milan, Microïds UK in Milton Keynes, and Microïds Canada in Montreal. By 1997, Microïds had 20 employees and a turnover of 20 million French francs. Both increased tenfold by 2002 and the Canadian studio alone housed 105 of Microïds' 200 employees by 2003.^[1]

Later years (2003–present)

In 2003, Microïds merged with MC2, a French software company, with the amalgam assuming the name MC2-Microïds.^[1] In September that year, it acquired Wanadoo Edition, the games division of Wanadoo, which itself had been created through a September 2000 merger between Index+ and France Telecom Multimedia in exchange, Wanadoo received a 12% stake in MC2-Microïds.^[1]^[2] In 2004, MC2-Microïds proceeded to close Microïds UK, while Microïds Italia spun off as Blue Label Entertainment.^[1] Microïds Canada was sold off to Ubisoft in March 2005, with the studio's 50 employees integrated into Ubisoft's own Ubisoft Montreal studio.^[1]^[3] Later that year, Grassiano left MC2-Microïds due to internal disagreements. He was succeeded by Index+ founder Emmanuel Olivier, who was named chief executive officer (CEO).^[1] With this management change, MC2-Microïds shortened its name to just "MC2". This decision was reversed in November 2007, when it returned to the original "Microïds" name.^[1]^[4] In 2008, Microïds further acquired the assets and intellectual property of bankrupt publisher Cryo Interactive.^[1]

In 2009, the publisher Anuman Interactive, while in the process of being acquired by Média-Participations, began looking for possible acquisitions of its own.^[1] That November, the company announced its intent to acquire Microïds.^[5] The acquisition was completed on 1 January 2010, after which Microïds continued operating as a division of Anuman. Alongside the acquisition, Olivier left the company. A sub-label for non-adventure games, Microïds Games for All, was launched the same year.^[1] In 2013, Grassiano joined Anuman and became the vice-president for Microïds.^[1] Additionally, an indie game label, Microïds Indie, was opened in September 2016.^[6] In July 2019, the Microïds label name was simplified to "Microids".^[7] That October, Microids announced that Anuman would be renamed "Microids", with Anuman CEO Stéphane Longeard becoming the CEO of Microids, co-managing it with Grassiano. Microids also opened a Japanese office run by Martial Meyssignac and Yves Bléhaut, and strengthened the Microids Indie label with a dedicated team managed by Vincent Dondaine.^[8] A distribution arm, Microids Distribution France, was established in December 2020.^[9]

Investments

Microids has had a minority stake in OSome Studio since April 2022.^[10]

Games

List of games developed and/or published by Microids
Date	Title	Ref.
1986	Grand Prix 500 cc
	Rodeo
	Demonia
1987	Superbike Challenge
1987	Downhill Challenge / Super Ski
1989	Highway Patrol
1989	Chicago 90
1990	Highway Patrol 2
	Super Ski 2
	Eagle's Rider
1991	Sliders
	Killerball
	Grand Prix 500 2
1992	Nicky Boom
1993	Action Sport
	Super Sport Challenge
	Genesia/Ultimate Domain
	Nicky 2
1994	Super Ski 3
	Ultimate Domain
	Carlos
1995	Fort Boyard - The Challenge
1996	Evidence: The Last Report
1996	Secret Mission
1997	Saban's Iznogoud
	Des chiffres et des lettres
	Rising Lands
1998	Shogo: Mobile Armor Division
1999	Amerzone: The Explorer's Legacy
	Corsairs: Conquest at Sea
	Dracula: Resurrection
	Speed Demons
2000	Empire of the Ants
	Far Gate
	Warm Up!
2001	Fort Boyard
	Monster Racer
	Road to India: Between Hell and Nirvana
	Open Kart
	Tennis Masters Series
	Times of Conflict
	Druuna: Morbus Gravis
	Snow cross, developed by Vicarious Visions
	X'treme Roller
2002	Kohan: Battles of Ahriman
	Syberia
	Post Mortem
	War and Peace: 1796–1815
	Master Rallye
	Warrior Kings
	Casper
2004	Jack the Ripper
2004	Syberia II
2005	Still Life
2005	Jules Verne's Journey to the Center of the Moon
2006	Dangerous Heaven: The Legend of the Ark	^[11]
2007	Sinking Island
2007	Nostradamus: The Last Prophecy
2008	Dracula 3 - The Path of the Dragon
2009	Still Life 2
2009	Return to Mysterious Island II
2011	Red Johnson's Chronicles
2012	Red Johnson's Chronicles - One Against All	^[12]
2012	Crazy Cars: Hit the Road
2013	Louisiana Adventure
	Nicolas Eymerich, The Inquisitor: Book 1 - The Plague
	Dracula 4: The Shadow of the Dragon
	Dream Chamber
	Dracula 5: The Blood Legacy
2014	9 Elefants
2015	Nicolas Eymerich, The Inquisitor: Book 2 - The Village	^[13]
2015	Subject 13	^[14]
2016	Agatha Christie: The ABC Murders
	The Descendant
	Moto Racer 4
	Yesterday Origins
2017	Syberia III
2017	Gear.Club Unlimited
2018	Asterix & Obelix XXL 2
2018	Toki
2019	Asterix & Obelix XXL 3: The Cristal Menhir
2019	Blacksad: Under the Skin
2020	Asterix & Obelix XXL Romastered
	The Bluecoats: North & South
	Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?
	XIII
2021	Beyond a Steel Sky
	The Smurfs: Mission Vileaf
	Marsupilami: Hoobadventure
	Asterix & Obelix: Slap Them All!
	Alfred Hitchcock – Vertigo
	F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch
2022	Syberia: The World Before
	Asterix & Obelix XXXL: The Ram From Hibernia
	Arkanoid: Eternal Battle
	Garfield: Lasagna Party
	Smurfs Kart
	New Joe & Mac: Caveman Ninja
2023	Scrap Riders
	Operation Wolf Returns: First Mission
	Tintin Reporter: Cigars of the Pharaoh
	Asterix & Obelix: Slap Them All! 2
	Flashback 2
	Inspector Gadget: Mad Time Party
	Dolphin Spirit: Ocean Mission
	UFO Robot Grendizer: The Feast of the Wolves
	Agatha Christie - Murder on the Orient Express
2024	The Smurfs: Village Party	^[15]
	Amerzone: The Explorer's Legacy remake	^[16]
	Totally Spies!: Cyber Mission	^[17]
	Empire of the Ants	^[18]
	Flint: Treasure of Oblivion	^[19]
	The Smurfs: Dreams	^[20]
	Arsene Lupin: Once a Thief	^[21]
	Corsairs: Battle of the Caribbean	^[22]
	Little Big Adventure: Twinsen’s Quest	^[23]