Heavy Iron Studios

History

Early during his career, Steve Gray worked for the visual effects companies Robert Abel and Associates, Rhythm & Hues, and Digital Domain. As Digital Domain was trying to get into the video game industry, Gray and the company's chief financial officer, Chris McKibbin, pitched their services to various larger video game companies. Although they were turned down due to Digital Domain's lack of experience in the field, Gray and McKibbin were offered positions at the game developer, EA Canada, which both accepted. Gray quickly discovered his dislike the studio's sports games and soon switched to Square USA, where he managed the development team for Parasite Eve. As the game was completed, Gray and several of the game's developers believed they could easily obtain publishing contracts from outside companies if they set up their own studio. In 1997, Gray established Chemistry Entertainment. The studio worked on several unreleased games, including a Godzilla game for Electronic Arts. Chemistry Entertainment was briefly part of Rainmaker Entertainment Group, which also housed Rainmaker Digital Effects, as Rainmaker Interactive. Eventually, the studio landed a deal with THQ for a game based on the Evil Dead franchise. Gray sold his studio to THQ, which then established Heavy Iron Studios as an internal developer on August 31, 1999. The finished game, Evil Dead: Hail to the King, was released in late 2000.

Following significant financial losses at THQ, the company announced that it would spin off several of its developers, including Heavy Iron Studios. The studio's independence was effective on June 1, 2009. Through a series of layoffs, its headcount was reduced from 120 to 60 by December. In September 2020, Keywords Studios announced that it had agreed to acquire Heavy Iron Studios with its 43 employees for . The acquisition was complete on January 13, 2021.

Games developed

Games co-developed

Cancelled games

References

References

1. Laraque, J.A.. (October 14, 2010). "The Interview: Steve Gray".
2. (July 25, 2013). "SFCC Panel Lunch: The State of Play: China's Games Industry".
3. (January 27, 1999). "GIA Interviews Steve Gray, Part Two".
4. (January 26, 1999). "GIA interviews Steve Gray, Part One".
5. (May 31, 2019). "Heavy Iron Studios, Inc. Celebrates its 10th Anniversary!". Heavy Iron Studios.
6. (May 12, 2000). "Evil Dead: Hail to the King".
7. Radd, David. (March 17, 2009). "THQ Spinning Off Two Developers, Potentially Closing Another".
8. Plunkett, Luke. (December 21, 2009). "Rumor: Big Layoffs At Heavy Iron Studios [Update]".
9. Batchelor, James. (September 17, 2020). "Keywords splashes $13.3m on Heavy Iron Studios acquisition".
10. (January 13, 2021). "Acquisition of Heavy Iron Studios, Inc.". [[Keywords Studios]].
11. (October 26, 2017). "Amazon Odyssey". Heavy Iron Studios; Vive Studios.
12. "H1Z1".
13. "Proto:Scooby-Doo! Night of 100 Frights". [[The Cutting Room Floor (website).
14. (September 17, 2009). "Toy Story [PS3/X360/Wii – Tech Demo]".
15. (March 27, 2018). "Toy Story 3 (Xbox 360) demo".
16. (April 6, 2017). "Toy Story 3 Prototype (Xbox 360)".
17. (January 27, 2010). "Sponge Bob early video game demo".
18. Robertson, Liam. (September 29, 2014). "Saints Row: The Cooler [Cancelled – Xbox 360, PS3]".
19. (March 17, 2018). "SAINTS ROW: THE COOLER demo (unreleased)".
20. Robertson, Liam. (September 29, 2014). "Disney's E-Ticket [Xbox 360 – Prototype]".
21. (January 15, 2018). "Prototype Xbox 360 Disneyland E-Ticket Kinect".
22. (July 31, 2018). "Prototype Xbox 360 Disneyland E-Ticket Kinect – Jungle Cuise".
23. (March 27, 2018). "Family Guy: Road to Death (Xbox 360)".
24. (August 22, 2017). "Family Guy: Road to Death Prototype".
25. (August 22, 2017). "Family Guy: Road to Death trailer".
26. Robertson, Liam. (October 11, 2014). "Family Guy: Back To The Multiverse [Cancelled – 3DS / Wii]".