Crave Entertainment

Crave Entertainment was an American video game publisher established in 1997 by Nima Taghavi. The company began as a subsidiary of SVG Distributions and developed a business centered on publishing, licensing, and distributing games rather than building a large portfolio of wholly owned intellectual properties. It became particularly associated with budget-priced software and with bringing selected Japanese and licensed titles to Western markets. During its operating period, Crave worked across a broad range of platforms, including the Dreamcast, Nintendo 64, GameCube, Wii, Nintendo DS, Game Boy Advance, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PSP, Xbox, and Xbox 360. Its catalog included licensed properties, sports and fighting games, family-oriented products, and imported Japanese series such as Tokyo Xtreme Racer. This broad platform coverage reflected the company’s role as a mid-sized publisher serving retail demand across both major and secondary console categories. Crave expanded its development and publishing capabilities in the late 1990s. In 1998 it acquired Lobotomy Software, the studio associated with Death Tank and PowerSlave, acquired Big Rain, a team formed by former Square employees, and established an internal development unit known as Craveyard Studios. In 1999 it secured an exclusive five-year agreement covering video game rights for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The company also pursued international distribution relationships, including an arrangement with Square Europe and a later European co-publishing and distribution agreement involving Ubi Soft. Corporate ownership changed substantially in the 2000s. Handleman Company acquired Crave and its parent in 2005 in a transaction reported as being worth up to $95 million. Handleman subsequently encountered financial distress and entered a liquidation process, leading to the sale of Crave to Fillpoint LLC in 2009 for a reported $8.1 million. Under Fillpoint, Crave continued operating and introduced Red Wagon Games as a label for family-friendly games. It also worked with Oxygen Interactive through Liquid Games to support European marketing and distribution. Crave ceased operations after Fillpoint filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on August 15, 2012. The company therefore represents a now-defunct publisher from the transitional era between cartridge-based console markets and the digitally distributed, platform-managed video game industry. Its historical significance lies less in a single enduring franchise than in its role as a flexible publisher and distributor of budget, licensed, imported, and multi-platform games.

Crave Entertainment was founded in 1997 by Nima Taghavi as a subsidiary of SVG Distributions. The business was created during a period when console manufacturers, retailers, and distributors supported a large market for third-party publishers. Crave’s model emphasized obtaining publishing and distribution rights, developing or commissioning selected software, and bringing a varied catalog to multiple hardware platforms. The company expanded quickly in 1998. It acquired Lobotomy Software, known for Death Tank and PowerSlave, and also acquired Big Rain, a studio established by former Squaresoft personnel. Crave additionally created Craveyard Studios as an internal development operation. These moves gave the publisher access to development talent while it continued to function primarily as a publishing and distribution business. In 1999, Crave obtained an exclusive five-year agreement for video game rights connected to the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The deal illustrated the company’s interest in recognizable licensed properties and helped broaden its catalog beyond original or imported software. Crave also pursued international partnerships. It briefly held a European distribution arrangement with Square Europe in 2000 and later announced a European co-publishing and distribution agreement with Ubi Soft. Crave published games for a wide range of platforms, including Sega’s Dreamcast, Nintendo 64, GameCube, Wii, Nintendo DS, and Game Boy Advance, as well as Sony’s PlayStation family and Microsoft’s Xbox family. The publisher became associated with budget-oriented products and with imported Japanese releases, including entries in the Tokyo Xtreme Racer series. Its catalog encompassed licensed games, sports and fighting products, family titles, and games aimed at filling specialized retail niches. A major corporate transition occurred in 2005 when Handleman Company acquired Crave and its parent company. The transaction was reported as having a potential value of up to $95 million. Handleman later experienced bankruptcy and pursued liquidation, weakening the corporate structure around the publisher. In early 2009, Fillpoint LLC acquired Crave for a reported $8.1 million. Under Fillpoint, Crave maintained its publishing activities and created Red Wagon Games as a family-friendly label. The company also formed a relationship with Oxygen Interactive through Liquid Games, under which Crave titles were marketed in Europe. On August 15, 2012, Fillpoint filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Crave subsequently ceased operations, ending its period as an active publisher. The company’s website was later associated with a coming-soon page revived by Fillpoint and Throwback Entertainment in 2023, but this did not restore Crave’s publishing operations. Crave’s legacy is that of a flexible, multi-platform American publisher that operated across the retail console era, combining budget software, licensing, imported games, and international distribution partnerships.

• 2012

  Operations end after Fillpoint bankruptcy filing

  [1]Crave Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  Fillpoint filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and Crave Entertainment ceased operations.

• 2009

  Acquired by Fillpoint

  [1]Crave Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  Fillpoint purchased Crave for a reported $8.1 million after Handleman's bankruptcy and pending liquidation.

• 2005

  Acquired by Handleman Company

  [1]Crave Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  Handleman acquired Crave and its parent company in a deal reported at up to $95 million.

• 2000

  European distribution and publishing partnerships

  [1]Crave Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  Crave briefly worked with Square Europe and later announced a European co-publishing and distribution relationship with Ubi Soft.

• 1999

  Ultimate Fighting Championship licensing agreement

  [1]Crave Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  The company signed an exclusive five-year agreement covering video game rights for the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

• 1998

  Development acquisitions and internal studio expansion

  [1]Crave Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  Crave acquired Lobotomy Software and Big Rain, and established Craveyard Studios as an internal development unit.

• 1997

  Crave Entertainment founded

  [1]Crave Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  Nima Taghavi founded Crave Entertainment as a subsidiary of SVG Distributions.

A mid-sized, value-oriented video game publisher and distributor focused on broad platform coverage, licensed properties, imported titles, and accessible retail pricing.

• Racing video game series

  Tokyo Xtreme Racer

  Crave published or distributed releases from the Tokyo Xtreme Racer family, an imported Japanese racing series centered on high-speed highway competition. The series represented Crave’s role in bringing selected Japanese games to Western audiences and fit the publisher’s broader emphasis on multi-platform and value-oriented catalog products.

• Licensed sports and fighting games · 1999

  Ultimate Fighting Championship games

  Following its 1999 exclusive licensing agreement, Crave published games based on the Ultimate Fighting Championship property. The arrangement gave the company access to a recognizable combat-sports brand and formed part of its strategy of combining licensed properties with budget and genre-focused releases.

• Family-friendly video game label

  Red Wagon Games

  Red Wagon Games was a label launched during Fillpoint ownership for family-friendly software. It allowed Crave to distinguish accessible, household-oriented products from the broader publisher catalog and reflected an effort to organize releases around a specific audience segment.

• Video game publishing portfolio

  Multi-platform budget games

  Crave released a broad range of budget-oriented games across Sega, Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft platforms. The portfolio covered console and handheld systems, including the Dreamcast, Wii, Nintendo DS, Game Boy Advance, PlayStation systems, PSP, Xbox, and Xbox 360, with products spanning licensed, family, sports, fighting, and imported titles.

• 2012

  Cease operations following parent-company bankruptcyOther

  Background

  Fillpoint entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings amid financial distress.

  Action taken

  Crave Entertainment stopped operating after Fillpoint's bankruptcy filing.

  Aftermath

  Crave became a defunct publisher, ending its active release and distribution activities.

  Source

• 2006

  Develop European marketing partnershipStrategy

  Background

  Crave needed additional European marketing and distribution support after its ownership transition.

  Action taken

  It partnered with Oxygen Interactive through Liquid Games to market Crave titles in Europe.

  Aftermath

  The partnership supported the international distribution of Crave's catalog.

  Source

• 1999

  Secure Ultimate Fighting Championship rightsStrategy

  Background

  Crave pursued recognizable licensed properties to strengthen its publishing portfolio.

  Action taken

  The company signed an exclusive five-year agreement for Ultimate Fighting Championship video game rights.

  Aftermath

  The agreement added a prominent combat-sports license to Crave's multi-platform catalog.

  Source

• 1998

  Expand through studio acquisitions and internal developmentStrategy

  Background

  Crave sought greater control over development resources while expanding its publishing catalog.

  Action taken

  It acquired Lobotomy Software and Big Rain and established Craveyard Studios.

  Aftermath

  The moves broadened Crave's development base during its early expansion, although the acquired and internal operations did not become enduring independent brands.

  Source

1. 1Crave Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org