Kuju (company)
Ian Baverstock and Jonathan Newth opened Simis in 1989. The company produced flight simulator programs like MiG-29 Fulcrum. In 1995, Eidos Interactive purchased the studio. Two years later, Baverstock and Newth led a management buyout of the studio from Eidos. They formed Kuju Ltd in Shalford, Surrey, England. The name Kuju comes from the initials of the founders' first names. Jonathan leafed through a Japanese dictionary to find the numbers nine and ten. These corresponded to ku and ju, matching I and J in the English alphabet. Their first game was Tank Racer, a 3D action racer for PC, PlayStation and mobile.
By 2001, Kuju employed a team of 80 developers across three offices. Locations included London, Surrey and Brighton. In 2002, the company floated on the Alternative Investments Market of the London Stock Exchange. Shortly after, they signed their first game with THQ based on Warhammer 40,000: Fire Warrior. Between 2002 and 2007, Kuju developed titles including SingStar games and the Battalion Wars franchise. In 2007, Kuju Ltd was acquired by Catalis SE, a German media investment firm. Soon after, Kuju Brighton rebranded to Zoë Mode. In 2008, Kuju London became Headstrong Games. Dominic Wheatley joined as CEO in June 2012. Gary Bracey took the role of commercial director that same month.
Headstrong Games formed in 2000 as Kuju London before its 2008 rebranding. The studio developed versions of The House of the Dead: Overkill and Top Gun: Hard Lock. Original intellectual properties include Art Academy for Nintendo DS. Doublesix emerged from the team behind Geometry Wars: Galaxies. They created Burn Zombie Burn! and received Best New UK Studio 2008 awards. Vatra Games started in 2009 when Kuju sought developers in Czech Republic. Several developers from 2K Czech retired to form this new studio. Silent Hill: Downpour released in March 2012. Four months later, Kuju terminated its contract with Vatra Games. Vatra declared bankruptcy in September 2012. Zoë Mode signed deals to develop Zumba Fitness 2 and Rock Revolution by 2013.
Microsoft Train Simulator appeared in 2001 as a notable project. Kuju also worked on Lotus Challenge and Reign of Fire during 2001 and 2002. Warhammer 40,000: Fire Warrior arrived in 2003 alongside EyeToy: Play. The company developed Crash Twinsanity 3D and Call of Duty: Finest Hour for PS2 and Xbox that year. Battalion Wars launched in 2005 followed by Conspiracy: Weapons of Mass Destruction. Rail Simulator came out in 2007 along with Dungeons & Dragons Tactics. Art Academy reached Nintendo DS users between 2009 and 2010. Silent Hill: Downpour emerged in 2012 after Vatra Games' collapse. Powerstar Golf became an Xbox One title in 2013. Guitar Hero Live arrived in 2015 while Disney Art Academy released in 2016.
Doublesix received nominations for best hand-held game at the 2009 BAFTAs. Geometry Wars: Galaxies earned recognition during its run. Kuju merged with Curve Games in 2016 to conclude its independent history. The studio developed games across different devices including Wii and Nintendo DS. Titles like The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest appeared on Wii systems. Zoë Mode worked on the EyeToy series and Zumba dance franchise. They also created games for Xbox Kinect. Previous branches included Kuju Sheffield, Nik Nak Games, and Kuju America. Kuju Manila operated as another regional branch before closure. The company's legacy remains tied to its diverse portfolio spanning simulation, action, and fitness genres.
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Common questions
When did Ian Baverstock and Jonathan Newth open Simis?
Ian Baverstock and Jonathan Newth opened Simis in 1989. The company produced flight simulator programs like MiG-29 Fulcrum.
How did Kuju Ltd get its name from the founders' initials?
Jonathan leafed through a Japanese dictionary to find the numbers nine and ten which corresponded to ku and ju matching I and J in the English alphabet. Their first game was Tank Racer for PC PlayStation and mobile.
Where were Kuju offices located by 2001?
By 2001 Kuju employed a team of 80 developers across three offices including London Surrey and Brighton. In 2002 the company floated on the Alternative Investments Market of the London Stock Exchange.
What happened to Vatra Games after Silent Hill Downpour released?
Silent Hill: Downpour released in March 2012. Four months later Kuju terminated its contract with Vatra Games before Vatra declared bankruptcy in September 2012.
Which games did Kuju develop between 2002 and 2007?
Between 2002 and 2007 Kuju developed titles including SingStar games and the Battalion Wars franchise. Warhammer 40,000: Fire Warrior arrived in 2003 alongside EyeToy: Play.