Loki Entertainment

Loki Entertainment, originally known as Loki Software, was an American video-game developer and publishing company based in Tustin, California. Founded on November 9, 1998, by Scott Draeker, the company specialized in adapting commercially released Microsoft Windows games for Linux and, through cooperation with BSDi, sought to make some of those releases usable on FreeBSD as well. Its name referred to Loki, the Norse deity. The company emerged at a time when Linux had a growing technical and enthusiast user base but a very limited commercial-games catalog. Draeker had worked as a software-licensing lawyer and became interested in Linux through that work. Loki attempted to address the platform gap by negotiating publishing and porting agreements with established game companies. Its first major product was a Linux version of Activision's strategy title Civilization: Call to Power, released in May 1999. The company subsequently worked on Linux editions of titles including Myth II: Soulblighter, Railroad Tycoon II, and Eric's Ultimate Solitaire, among others. An unfinished Linux port of Deus Ex was also associated with the company. Loki's business model was ambitious: it aimed to make Linux a viable platform for premium, boxed computer games rather than relying solely on open-source or independently developed software. Although the company succeeded technically and helped demonstrate that sophisticated commercial games could be brought to Linux, the market was too small and the economics of licensing, porting, distribution, support, and retail promotion proved difficult. Loki filed for bankruptcy in August 2001. Most of its remaining staff were laid off in January 2002, and the company formally ceased operations on January 31, 2002. Its commercial failure did not erase its broader influence. Loki created or advanced tools that became important to Linux game development, including Loki Setup, a cross-platform installation system, and contributions connected with the Simple DirectMedia Layer and OpenAL audio technology. In collaboration with id Software, it also worked on GtkRadiant, a level-design tool. The company's engineering work helped establish practical techniques for cross-platform game deployment and contributed to the infrastructure later used by Linux game developers and porting specialists. Loki also became an important training ground for people who continued shaping the Linux and wider cross-platform games industries. Former employees and associates included Ryan C. Gordon, later widely known for commercial game ports; Mike Phillips, associated with the creation of Linux Game Publishing; Nicholas Vining; and Sam Lantinga, who later worked with Blizzard Entertainment and Valve-related Linux efforts. After Loki's closure, parts of its catalog and technical legacy were maintained or revisited by other developers and publishers, while its tools and ideas continued to influence Linux gaming. Loki is therefore best understood as a defunct specialist game developer whose lasting importance came less from financial performance than from helping establish commercial Linux gaming as a technically credible field.

Loki Software, later commonly referred to as Loki Entertainment, was established on November 9, 1998, in Tustin, California, by Scott Draeker. Draeker's background as a lawyer specializing in software licensing exposed him to Linux and encouraged him to explore whether commercially successful computer games could be adapted for the operating system. At the time, Linux users had access to a substantial collection of open-source software but comparatively few mainstream commercial games. Loki was created to address that gap through licensing, engineering, publishing, and retail distribution. By December 1998, Loki had reached an agreement with Activision to create a Linux edition of Civilization: Call to Power. The game was released in May 1999 and served as the company's first commercial product. Loki then assembled a portfolio of additional ports, including Myth II: Soulblighter, Railroad Tycoon II, and Eric's Ultimate Solitaire. Its work was not limited to Linux alone: BSDi cooperated with Loki so that selected Linux releases could run on FreeBSD through a compatibility layer. This reflected Loki's broader ambition to make Unix-like operating systems credible destinations for commercial games. The company also undertook technology work that extended beyond individual game releases. It developed Loki Setup, an installer intended to simplify the distribution of Linux games, and contributed to the development and adoption of the Simple DirectMedia Layer. Loki helped initiate work on OpenAL, an audio library that later came under the stewardship of Creative Technology and Apple, and collaborated with id Software on GtkRadiant. It also worked with established development tools and technologies, including GCC and GDB. These activities made Loki a platform infrastructure contributor as well as a game porter. Despite its technical accomplishments and a visible catalog of ports, Loki struggled financially. The Linux desktop games market was small, while commercial ports required substantial engineering, quality assurance, licensing, customer support, and distribution costs. The company filed for bankruptcy in August 2001. Most of its staff were dismissed in January 2002, and Loki formally closed on January 31 of that year. An unfinished Linux port of Deus Ex remained among the company's incomplete projects; technology from that work was later associated with an OpenGL driver used in a Windows update of the Unreal Engine game. Loki's closure led other organizations and individuals to continue portions of its work. Linux Game Publishing later supported and updated the Linux version of MindRover after obtaining relevant rights. id Software took responsibility for maintaining its Linux release of Quake III Arena and employed Timothee Besset for that work. Other Loki-related projects, source releases, and later community efforts kept elements of the catalog or technology available. The Linux version of Myth II: Soulblighter, for example, received a later community release through Project Magma in 2011. The company's strongest legacy was institutional. Former Loki personnel went on to port games, build publishing businesses, maintain multimedia libraries, and contribute to Linux initiatives at larger game companies. Ryan C. Gordon became a prominent commercial game porter; Mike Phillips helped establish Linux Game Publishing; Nicholas Vining continued in game technology; and Sam Lantinga later worked with Blizzard Entertainment, founded Galaxy Gameworks to support SDL commercially, and joined Valve's Linux team. Loki therefore occupies a significant place in the history of Linux gaming: it was commercially unsuccessful and short-lived, but it helped prove the feasibility of professional Linux game development and trained people who carried that work forward.

• 2011

  Community release of Myth II Linux update

  [1]Loki Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  Project Magma released a new Linux version of Myth II: Soulblighter, extending the life of one of Loki's notable ports.

• 2002

  Formal closure

  [1]Loki Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  Most staff were laid off in January and Loki formally closed on January 31.

• 2001

  Bankruptcy filing

  [1]Loki Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  Loki filed for bankruptcy in August after financial difficulties.

• 1999

  First commercial release

  [1]Loki Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  Civilization: Call to Power for Linux reached stores in May, becoming Loki's first released product.

• 1998

  Loki Software is founded

  [1]Loki Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  Scott Draeker founded Loki Software on November 9 in Tustin, California, with a focus on porting commercial games to Linux.

• 1998

  Activision licensing agreement

  [1]Loki Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  Loki obtained rights to produce a Linux version of Activision's Civilization: Call to Power.

A specialist technology and publishing company focused on bringing premium Windows games to Linux and supporting the software infrastructure required for cross-platform game distribution.

• Linux game port · 1999

  Civilization: Call to Power

  Loki's first released commercial product was a Linux adaptation of Activision's turn-based strategy game Civilization: Call to Power. Released in May 1999, it demonstrated the company's core proposition: bringing a mainstream Windows title to Linux through a licensed, professionally produced port.

• Linux game port

  Myth II: Soulblighter

  Loki produced a Linux version of Bungie's tactical real-time strategy game Myth II: Soulblighter. The port became one of the company's best-known releases and was later revisited by the community, including a Project Magma Linux release in 2011.

• Linux game port

  Railroad Tycoon II

  Loki ported the business and transport simulation Railroad Tycoon II to Linux as part of its effort to build a diverse catalog of recognizable commercial games for the platform.

• Linux game port

  Eric's Ultimate Solitaire

  Eric's Ultimate Solitaire was among the additional commercial titles Loki adapted for Linux, broadening its catalog beyond large strategy and action-oriented releases.

• Game installation software

  Loki Setup

  Loki Setup was a software installation system designed to make Linux game deployment easier. It became one of the company's most enduring technical contributions and was used as a model for later Linux game installers.

• Unfinished Linux game port

  Deus Ex Linux port

  Loki worked on a Linux port of Deus Ex, but the project was not completed before the company closed. Technology from the effort, including an OpenGL driver for the Unreal Engine, later appeared in a Windows update and improved compatibility with Wine.

• 2001

  File for bankruptcyOther

  Background

  Loki faced financial difficulties after several years of developing and distributing Linux game ports.

  Action taken

  The company filed for bankruptcy in August 2001.

  Aftermath

  Most employees were laid off in January 2002, followed by the company's formal closure on January 31.

  Source

• 1998

  Focus the business on commercial Linux portsStrategy

  Background

  Loki was founded in a market where Linux had a substantial technical community but few mainstream commercial games.

  Action taken

  The company pursued licensing agreements with established publishers and adapted Windows titles for Linux and, in some cases, FreeBSD.

  Aftermath

  The strategy produced a notable catalog and influenced Linux gaming, but the company could not sustain the economics of the business and later filed for bankruptcy.

  Source

• 2002

  Loki Entertainment closes[1]Loki Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  Bankruptcy · Other

  Most employees were laid off in January, and the company formally shut down on January 31.

• 2001

  Loki Software files for bankruptcy[1]Loki Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  Bankruptcy

  Loki filed for bankruptcy after encountering financial difficulties in its effort to commercialize Linux game ports.

• 1999

  Civilization: Call to Power Linux edition reaches stores[1]Loki Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  The Linux port of Civilization: Call to Power became Loki's first released product and an early example of a major retail game being brought to Linux.

• 1998

  Loki Software obtains rights to port Civilization: Call to Power to Linux[1]Loki Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  Product launch · Other

  Loki secured rights to produce a Linux version of Activision's then-upcoming strategy game, providing the company's first major commercial porting project.

1. 1Loki Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org