Newsflash Signup

Buy now at Zavvi.com
Activision

Tradewest Games brand resurrected by Spiess

Bookmark with Social network
Tradewest Games brand resurrected by Spiess

GAMESCOM'09 EXCLUSIVE: Midway Europe reborn as new publisher following MBO, we can reveal

MCV can reveal that the company formerly known at Midway Games Europe has been reborn following its management buyout – and is now trading under the resurrected Tradewest Games label.

As we confirmed this morning, the MBO by former Midway Europe boss Martin Spiess is complete.

And as part of the deal he has acquired not just the UK and French offices for the new organisation, but also the Tradewest brand.

Tradewest was once the video game publishing label for previous Midway owner Williams, and brought classic games like Ikari Warriors and Double Dragon to market in various territories.

It was the foundations laid by the brand's efforts which allowed Midway to grow as a games publisher globally.

Advertisement

Now the team behind the now Europe HQ'd Tradewest Games hopes to repeat history by building a new publishing and distribution operation around the brand, and looking for new projects to fund, promote and bring to market.

"This is a brand representative of tradition, a name under which a well-known North American game publisher operated between 1986 and 1994," the company told MCV in a statement.

“We are very glad to have acquired the rights to such an internationally well-known brand of such tradition in the gaming industry," added Spiess.

“Under the name Tradewest Games we will as of now be acting as a European full service provider in the fields of game distribution and publishing. We have access to a wide-reaching global network of game developers and international partners from all relevant areas of the games industry.

"First and foremost, however, there's a well-experienced European team behind Tradewest Games that has proven its expertise and knowhow in the past years by bringing to market some of the biggest games projects in the world."

:D

posted by Larry Bundy Jr Aug 20, 2009 at 4:54 pm
1
Larry Bundy Jr

Hells Yeah! Does this finally mean we can finally get a new Battletoads game in the future???

  • + 0 
  • - 0 
  • 0

BOO YAH!

posted by B.G Aug 20, 2009 at 10:09 pm
2
B.G

Two words - DOUBLE DRAGON!!!! BRING IT BACK! Glad to see this coming to life

  • + 0 
  • - 0 
  • 0

Welcome Neighbour

posted by Adam Aug 21, 2009 at 7:49 am
3
Adam

So will they be operating out of Midway's old Central London offices? If so, welcome neighbour from a few doors down @ XOMY :-)

  • + 0 
  • - 0 
  • 0

Or will they cock up an old brand name?

posted by Arthur Negus Aug 22, 2009 at 12:31 pm
4
Arthur Negus

I always cringe when companies start trading under old brand names... It's people that make a brand, not a logo and some glossy printed paper.

I was miffed when the ATARI brand was commandeered by infogrames, but maybe you have to be old enough to remember the original ATARI company to be bothered?

Having said all that, I wish them all the very best... especially if they manage to resuce some of top development staff who were unceremoniously kicked out a few weeks back.

  • + 0 
  • - 0 
  • 0

Leave a Comment

Activision
MCV

ABOUT US

MCV is the leading trade news and community site for all professionals working within the UK and international video games market. It reaches everyone from store manager to CEO, covering the entire industry. MCV is published by Intent Media, which specialises in entertainment, leisure and technology markets

Intent media, Company number 03641099