The German game developer Daedalic Entertainment has developed a lot of point & click adventures. He now also works as a publisher.
The development studio Daedalic Entertainment
Carsten Fichtelmann founded the Daedalic Entertainment studio in Hamburg in 2007, making it one of the most successful German development studios for computer games. Among the most successful games are Edna & Harvey: The Breakout, The whispered world and Deponia.
He worked at dtp Entertainment before founding his development studio. There he assumed the responsibilities of Marketing Director and Head of Product Management. The studio's name derives from Greek mythology. The inventor and artist Daedalus forms the model for the name. From the beginning, the studio committed to publishing narrative games.
On June 5, 2008, the development team released the adventure game Edna & Harvey: The Breakout. The creative director Jan Müller-Michaelis provided the basis with his diploma thesis. The game was successful and received several awards.
This was followed by the game implementation of “1½ Knights: In Search of the Ravishing Princess Herzelinde. The studio followed up the not so successful game with “The Whispered World,” a heartwarming fairy tale. “A New Beginning” was released on October 8, 2010. It addresses climate change and its consequences. In 2011, the studio released the sequel to Edna Breaks Out with Harvey's New Eyes. “Deponia” followed three years later and received several awards.
In May 2014, the German publishing group Bastei Lübbe acquired the majority stake of 51% in the company. This turned out to be a new growth strategy for the publishing house. The studio thus focused on new marketing opportunities in the areas of books, comics, audio and film. The company doubled its sales from 2013 to 2015. Carsten Fichtelmann was the sole managing director of the company.
A branch was founded in 2014 under the name Studio West GmbH. The studio's focus should be positioned outside of the adventure genre for the branch. In September 2015, Bastei Lübbe sold some shares in the developer, reducing them to 48%. The company sold 3% of the shares to Blue Sky Tech Limited. The management of Bastei Lübbe was criticized in 2016 for having polished the balance sheet. It was alleged that the new buyer, a London shell company, was under the control of Bastei Lübbe.
In 2016, the developer drastically reduced the number of 150 employees through layoffs and non-renewal of contracts. This was linked to the fact that, despite new titles, costs rose compared to revenues. The managing director of Bastei Lübbe Thomas Schierack resigned his post in September 2017 due to accounting errors and losses. Bastei Lübbe's digital strategy was declared a failure.
Carel Halff acted as successor and announced a review of all of the company's digital strategies. They demanded proof of the advantages for Bastei Lübbe Verlag from the developer. The studio then released The Pillars of the Earth. Since the expectations for the Bastei Lübbe Verlag were not met, the company reduced its shares.
The studio released further titles with “Shadow Tactics: Blades of Shogun” and “The Long Journey Home” and increased its sales to 9 million, an increase of 40%. Despite this, the expected profits were not achieved and further production staff were laid off between 2017 and 2018. Overall, the number of employees was halved to almost 80. In January 2018, the headquarters of Studio West were moved from Düsseldorf to Wuppertal.
The developer studio realigned itself to games outside of the adventure genre. This was evidenced by the dismissal of authors such as Kevin Mentz and Matthias Kempke. More layoffs from the creative department. Production of the game The Devil's Men was discontinued. The game was paused in 2014 for The Pillars of the Earth.
In February 2018, another branch was opened, Bavaria GmbH. Stephan Harms took over the management and took on the role of Chief Operating Officer. Oliver Machek was given the studio management and the work of the creative director. He was originally the founder of Klonk Games UG. His staff moved over to the studio with him. The new game “Superlatent” was planned with a state subsidy of €150.000.
In March 2019, the studio announced the implementation of an action-adventure based on the book from The Lord of the Rings and puts Gollum at the center of the events. The game will be released under the title "Gollum" and is planned for 2021. The parent company Bastei Lübbe therefore suspended the search for a buyer or joint venture partner for the company. In May 2020, Bastei Lübbe sold 41% of the shares to Carsten Fichtelmann and Stephen Harms in a management buyout. The company retained a minority stake of 10% in the developer. The book value was reported as €4,9 million, although the purchase price was €410.000.
“Daedalic Entertainment 2023: New games and big changes”
Studio Daedalic, known for its creative and often innovative games, has seen a number of significant developments and projects in 2023. A highlight was the release of “Children of Silentown” on January 11, 2023 for PC and consoles. This dark adventure game tells the captivating story of Lucy, a young girl growing up in a remote village. The game has attracted attention for its atmospheric setting and gripping storyline.
Daedalic also presented an exciting range of new games for the year at Daedalic Days 2023, including an impressive circus horror title and a deck-building adventure. This event clearly showed how diverse and creative Daedalic's offering was for the year.
Another notable game released this year is Barotrauma. Released on March 13th, it offers a unique gaming experience as a 2D co-op submarine simulator in space, combined with elements of survival horror and role-playing. In this game, players have to control their submarine, complete missions, fight monsters, repair leaks, operate machines, manage weapons and craft items.
Despite these successes, the studio also experienced challenges. A significant change was the closure of its development department in June 2023, affecting 25 of its 90+ employees. This decision followed the poor reception and performance of the game The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, ultimately developed by Daedalic. This change marks a turning point for Daedalic, which will now focus on publishing rather than internal development.
These developments demonstrate how Studio Daedalic is adapting to the changing conditions and challenges of the market while continuing to play an important role in the gaming industry.
The games by Daedalic Entertainment
Adventure
1 1/2 Knight - In search of the adorable Herzelinde
A New Beginning - Experience a stunning eco-thriller journey
Anna's Quest - Discover incredible powers and solve enigmatic mysteries
The black eye
The Black Eye - Chains of Satinav
The Dark Eye - Memoria - Uncover Untold Secrets: Dive deep into the magical adventure
Deponia range
Deponia Doomsday - A breathtaking journey through time and space!
Surviving Deponia: A new beginning on the garbage planet
The Pillars of the Earth - A Monumental Masterpiece by Studio Daedalic
Edna series
Harvey's New Eyes - A Game That Captivates and Enchants
Fire - Unleash Your Creativity: Discover an immersive game from Daedalic Entertainment
Whispered World series
The Whispered World - Discover the Unlimited Magic - An adventure that will conquer your heart!
Silence - Plunge into the breathtaking world of 'Silence'
Puzzles
Ravensburger Puzzle Digital 1: Your new favorite puzzle
Role play or strategy
The Black Eye - Blackguards 1 - Immerse yourself in an unpredictable world
The Dark Eye: Blackguards 2 - Dive into a dark world
Strategy games
The Long Journey Home - Experience the epic odyssey of Daedalic Entertainment
Hidden object
20000 Leagues Under the Sea: An addicting Hidden Object game from Daedalic Entertainment
Borgia: Immerse yourself in a world full of intrigue and mysteries
Dragon Warden - The Prophecy - A simple Hidden Object game for fans of the genre
Derrick - Murder in the Flowerbed: A thrilling crime adventure
The Tudors: A historical Hidden Object game for you
Dark love affair - Immortal Lovers - caught in the spell of eternity
Robin Hood - King of the Outlaws: A thrilling adventure in Sherwood Forest
The Skillz: An award-winning educational game from Daedalic Entertainment
Winterfest - An educational game by Daedalic Entertainment
The Inquisitor: A dark hidden object game penned by Wolfgang Hohlbein
Games as a publisher:
You can also find everything about the games on Amazon Daedalic as publisher published.
Action
Fling to the Finish: A fast-paced and fun co-op racing game
Hidden Deep: An adventure into the depths of the unknown
Inculinati: An extraordinary strategy game inspired by the Middle Ages
Wildcat Gun Machine: Immerse yourself in an action-packed adventure
Adventure
1954 Alcatraz - A breathtaking escape from the world's most infamous prison!
AER: Memories of Old - Discover the mysteries of the Old World
Ankh: The curse of the Scarab King / Battle of the gods
Bone: Escape from Boneville – your ticket to a magical world full of adventure
Candle: An Artistic Masterpiece from Teku Studios
Children of Silentown – Immerse yourself in a magical world
CryoFall – Explore the icy wilderness and survive
Decay: The Mare – Immerse yourself in the nightmare
Dead Synchronicity – Tomorrow comes Today
eXperience 112 – Uncover the mystery behind the lost research ship
Face Noir – A journey into the dark world of 1930s New York
Felix the Reaper - death by order
Full Pipe: An Adventure in the Puzzle Underground
Gemini Rue: A Glimpse into the Dark Future – A Narrative Masterpiece
Glitchpunk - Enthusiasm for the 3 factions in the steampunk adventure?
Holy potatoes! A weapon shop ?!
Holy Potatoes! We're in Space ?!
Sam & Max: In the Devil's Theater
Sherlock Holmes - The Hound of Baskerville
Sherlock Holmes - The Mystery of the Mummy
Sherlock Holmes - The Mystery of the Persian Carpet
Sherlock Holmes - The Mystery of the Silver Earring
Sherlock Holmes - The Wake of the Awakened
Sherlock Holmes - Nemesis
Sherlock Holmes is chasing Jack the Ripper
Sherlock Holmes: Ultimate Collection
Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People
Wallace & gromit's grand adventures
Wallace & Gromit – Bumblebee Curse
Wallace & Gromit – holidays underground
Wallace & Gromit - The Dog Plot
Wallace & Gromit – license to putt
RPG
Magin - The Rat Project Stories
Simulation
Caravan
Strategy
Shadow Tactics - Blades of the Shogun
Zombie Rollerz – Pinball Heroes
Holy potatoes! What the hell ?!
Daedalic Entertainment vs. Pendulo Studios: An Adventure Comparison
Daedalic Entertainment and Pendulo Studios are both renowned developers in the adventure genre, but their approaches differ significantly. Daedalic, known for titles like “Deponia” or “The Whispered World,” is characterized by its detailed, hand-drawn graphics and often humorous, profound stories. Their games offer a unique mix of humor, emotion and complex puzzles. Pendulo Studios, on the other hand, famous for their game “Runaway: A Road Adventure", focuses on a more cinematic narrative with more realistic characters and environments. Their games are characterized by exciting plots and classic point-and-click puzzles, coupled with a strong narrative component. While Daedalic stands out for its distinctive artistic style and storytelling techniques, Pendulo impresses with its film-like adventures and carefully constructed stories.
Continue to Developer and publisher's website
Originally posted on 2019-08-31 16:19:35.