Barcelona Multimedia

Barcelona Multimedia was a Catalan publishing and production company specialising in the design and commercialisation of multimedia content, particularly children's and youth video games. Founded in 1994 by Toni Matas i Dalmau, Manuel Palencia-Lefler Ors, Domenech Huguet Gimeno and Andrés Usón Vegas, the company initially worked for third-party publishers before pivoting in 1996 to create and market its own consumer multimedia products under the slogan "l'alternativa intel·ligent" (the intelligent alternative). During the late 1990s and early 2000s, Barcelona Multimedia released several successful collections, including Otijocs and Clàssics, illustrated by Picanyol, and educational titles such as Les aventures d'Ulisses, which won the Möbius Award for best educational CD-ROM in 1996. The company also imported international multimedia products like the French series Oncle Albert and produced divulgative games on figures such as Gaudí and Dalí, as well as science-themed adventures (Físicus, Bioscòpia). By 2000, it had sold over 100,000 copies and generated 100 million pesetas in revenue, mostly in Spain. With the rise of the internet in the late 2000s, Barcelona Multimedia shifted to mobile applications for iOS and Android, focusing on religious content. Its Bible for Children app, published in multiple languages, reached over 750,000 downloads by 2011. The company ceased operations in 2018.

Barcelona Multimedia was founded in 1994 by Toni Matas i Dalmau, Manuel Palencia-Lefler Ors, Domenech Huguet Gimeno and Andrés Usón Vegas. The company initially worked for other publishers for two years before reorienting its business model in 1996 towards the creation and commercialisation of consumer multimedia products. Its slogan was "l'alternativa intel·ligent" (the intelligent alternative). In 1996, Barcelona Multimedia launched the Otijocs and Clàssics collections, illustrated by Picanyol, which achieved commercial success. That same year, the video game Les aventures d'Ulisses, an interactive adaptation of Homer's Odyssey for children, won the Möbius Award for best educational CD-ROM. In 1999, due to distributor demand, the company began importing international multimedia products such as Oncle Albert, a French multimedia game series. In the early 2000s, Barcelona Multimedia released several educational games, including Gaudí o el joc de l'arquitecte, Dalí o el somni de la mosca, Físicus... i la física esdevé aventura, and Bioscòpia… i la biologia esdevé aventura. It continued producing content for its Otijocs and Clàssics collections. By 2000, the company had invoiced 100 million pesetas and sold over 100,000 copies of its products, mostly in Spain. In the late 2000s, with the rise of the internet, Barcelona Multimedia shifted to producing applications for the Apple Store and Android Market, focusing on religious content. One of its main products, the Bíblia per a nens (Bible for Children), was published in several languages and by 2011 had achieved over 750,000 downloads internationally. The company ceased operations in 2018.

• 2018

  Company ceased operations.

• 2011

  Bíblia per a nens app reached over 750,000 downloads internationally.

• 2000

  Invoiced 100 million pesetas and sold over 100,000 copies since founding.

• 1999

  Began importing international multimedia products such as Oncle Albert.

• 1996

  Reoriented business model to consumer multimedia; launched Otijocs and Clàssics collections; Les aventures d'Ulisses won Möbius Award.

• 1994

  Company founded by Toni Matas i Dalmau, Manuel Palencia-Lefler Ors, Domenech Huguet Gimeno and Andrés Usón Vegas.

Educational and family-friendly multimedia content, later focusing on religious apps.

• Les aventures d'Ulisses

  Interactive adaptation of Homer's Odyssey for children; won Möbius Award for best educational CD-ROM in 1996.

• Otijocs collection

  Children's multimedia collection illustrated by Picanyol.

• Clàssics collection

  Multimedia collection of classics illustrated by Picanyol.

• Gaudí o el joc de l'arquitecte

  Educational game about architect Antoni Gaudí.

• Dalí o el somni de la mosca

  Educational game about artist Salvador Dalí.

• Físicus... i la física esdevé aventura

  Educational game about physics.

• Bioscòpia… i la biologia esdevé aventura

  Educational game about biology.

• Bíblia per a nens

  Mobile app with religious content; published in multiple languages; over 750,000 downloads by 2011.

1. 1Barcelona Multimedia - Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2Barcelona Multimedia - Viquipèdiaca.wikipedia.org