Neversoft

Neversoft Entertainment was an American video-game development studio founded in July 1994 in Southern California by Joel Jewett, programmer Mick West, and artist Chris Ward. The company emerged from Malibu Interactive, at a time when relatively small teams could create console games for systems such as the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Its early work was shaped by contract development: Neversoft first worked with Playmates Interactive on Skeleton Warriors, a game connected to Playmates' toy line and animated television series. The project moved between platforms and was ultimately released for the Sega Saturn and later the PlayStation. During the middle of the 1990s, Neversoft expanded rapidly and pursued several projects with outside publishers. It worked on a Ghost Rider-related title for Crystal Dynamics, converted the PC game MDK for consoles, and developed an original project initially called Big Guns. The latter was sold to Sony Computer Entertainment and renamed Exodus, but was cancelled in 1997 after repeated design changes. The cancellations and delays temporarily reduced the studio to a much smaller team and placed it under financial pressure. Neversoft's pivotal turning point came in early 1998, when Activision hired the studio to redevelop Apocalypse. Neversoft reused technology developed for the cancelled Big Guns project, demonstrating that its engine and team could be adapted to demanding action games. During Apocalypse's development, Activision also asked Neversoft to prototype a skateboarding game. The prototype evolved from an arcade-style concept into Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, released for the original PlayStation in 1999. Its critical and commercial success established Neversoft as a leading console developer and created a long-running skateboarding franchise. Activision acquired Neversoft in 1999 through a stock transaction. Under Activision ownership, the studio produced a sustained sequence of Tony Hawk titles, including Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4, Tony Hawk's Underground, Tony Hawk's Underground 2, Tony Hawk's American Wasteland, Tony Hawk's Project 8, and Tony Hawk's Proving Ground. The series moved from compact arcade-style skating toward larger environments, character customization, story-driven progression, online features, and new-generation console technology. Neversoft also developed Activision's 2000 Spider-Man game and, in 2005, the western action-adventure game Gun. After Activision acquired RedOctane and the Guitar Hero property in 2006, Neversoft became the principal developer of several subsequent rhythm games. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, Guitar Hero: World Tour, Guitar Hero: Metallica, Guitar Hero 5, Band Hero, and Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock expanded the series from guitar performance into band-based play with drums and vocals. Guitar Hero III was especially successful, while Warriors of Rock received a weaker market response. Activision subsequently reduced Neversoft's role and transferred new Tony Hawk development to Robomodo; later Guitar Hero work also moved to other Activision studios. From 2011 onward, Neversoft became a support studio for the Call of Duty business. It contributed to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, including its Chaos Mode downloadable-content work, and to Call of Duty: Ghosts, particularly the Extinction mode. Neversoft was merged with Infinity Ward on May 3, 2014. The studio was formally made defunct on July 10, 2014, after two decades of operation. Its last credited work was collaborative development on Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, released later in 2014. Neversoft's legacy rests primarily on popularizing console skateboarding games and helping broaden the Guitar Hero series into a mass-market music-game platform.

Neversoft was established in July 1994 by Joel Jewett, Mick West, and Chris Ward, former employees of Malibu Interactive in California. Its first substantial assignment came from Playmates Interactive, which wanted a game based on the Skeleton Warriors toy and animated properties. The project was redesigned for different console platforms and helped the young studio build its initial production team. The studio's early years included contract work, technology development, and several cancellations. Neversoft worked on a Ghost Rider project for Crystal Dynamics, converted MDK, and developed Big Guns, an original action-game concept later sold to Sony and renamed Exodus. Exodus was cancelled in 1997 after extensive changes, leaving Neversoft with a reduced staff and severe financial uncertainty. In 1998 Activision hired Neversoft to rework Apocalypse. The studio's technology from Big Guns proved useful, and the relationship led Activision to request a prototype for a skateboarding game. That prototype became Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, released in 1999. Its success transformed Neversoft from a small contractor into a major franchise studio, and Activision acquired the company later that year. Neversoft developed a succession of Tony Hawk games from 1999 through 2007, progressively expanding the series from arcade-style skating into story-driven, open-area, customizable, and online-oriented experiences. It also created Spider-Man for Activision and developed Gun, a western action-adventure title, while growing to more than 150 employees. Tony Hawk's Project 8 and Tony Hawk's Proving Ground represented the studio's transition to Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 development; after the latter, Activision assigned subsequent Tony Hawk development to Robomodo. Following Activision's acquisition of RedOctane and Guitar Hero in 2006, Neversoft became responsible for several major Guitar Hero releases. It developed Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, Guitar Hero World Tour, Guitar Hero: Metallica, Guitar Hero 5, Band Hero, and Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock. The series broadened from guitar-focused play to full-band performance, but later releases faced weaker sales and reviews. Neversoft suffered staff reductions in 2010 and shifted toward support work. The studio contributed to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Call of Duty: Ghosts, including the latter's Extinction mode. Activision merged Neversoft with Infinity Ward on May 3, 2014. Neversoft was formally closed on July 10, 2014; its final credited contribution was collaborative work on Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare. The studio is remembered for establishing Tony Hawk's Pro Skater as a defining console sports franchise and for its role in the expansion of Guitar Hero.

• 2014

  Merger and closure

  [1]Neversoften.wikipedia.org

  Neversoft merges with Infinity Ward in May and is formally made defunct in July.

• 2011

  Call of Duty support work begins

  [1]Neversoften.wikipedia.org

  Neversoft collaborates with Activision studios on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

• 2007

  Neversoft takes over Guitar Hero development

  [1]Neversoften.wikipedia.org

  Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock becomes Neversoft's first major Guitar Hero release.

• 2005

  Gun is released

  [1]Neversoften.wikipedia.org

  Neversoft develops the western action-adventure game Gun with support from Beenox and Rebellion Developments.

• 1999

  Tony Hawk's Pro Skater launches

  [1]Neversoften.wikipedia.org

  The first Tony Hawk's Pro Skater is released for PlayStation and receives strong critical acclaim.

• 1999

  Activision acquisition

  [1]Neversoften.wikipedia.org

  Activision acquires Neversoft through a stock-swap transaction.

• 1998

  Activision partnership begins

  [1]Neversoften.wikipedia.org

  Activision hires Neversoft to redevelop Apocalypse and commissions a prototype for a skateboarding game.

• 1996

  Skeleton Warriors reaches consoles

  [1]Neversoften.wikipedia.org

  Neversoft's early licensed project based on the Skeleton Warriors property is completed for the Sega Saturn and ported to PlayStation.

• 1994

  Neversoft is founded

  [1]Neversoften.wikipedia.org

  Joel Jewett, Mick West, and Chris Ward establish Neversoft in Southern California.

A high-output Activision-owned console studio specializing in accessible, licensed, franchise-led action, sports, and music games.

• Skateboarding video games · 1999

  Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series

  Neversoft's signature franchise began with Tony Hawk's Pro Skater in 1999. The games combined arcade-style skating, licensed music, trick-based scoring, character progression, and increasingly expansive environments. Later entries introduced stronger narrative structures, customization, online play, and technology for sixth- and seventh-generation consoles. Neversoft developed the principal series through Tony Hawk's Proving Ground in 2007.

• Music and rhythm video games · 2007

  Guitar Hero series

  After Activision acquired RedOctane and Guitar Hero, Neversoft developed multiple entries beginning with Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. Its work expanded the formula beyond guitar simulation, particularly through Guitar Hero World Tour's drums and vocals, and included genre-focused releases such as Guitar Hero: Metallica. Later development moved to other Activision studios.

• Western action-adventure video game · 2005

  Gun

  Gun was an original western action-adventure title developed by Neversoft with Beenox and Rebellion Developments. The project represented a major shift away from the studio's skateboarding work and was developed by a separate Neversoft team while the studio continued the Tony Hawk line.

• Licensed action video game · 2000

  Spider-Man

  Released in 2000 for Activision, Spider-Man was developed by Neversoft using technology derived from the studio's earlier Apocalypse and Big Guns work. It was one of the company's principal non-skateboarding projects during its expansion under Activision.

• 2014

  Merger with Infinity WardM&A

  Background

  Activision increasingly used Neversoft as a support studio for Call of Duty after changes in the Tony Hawk and Guitar Hero businesses.

  Action taken

  Neversoft was merged with Infinity Ward on May 3, 2014.

  Aftermath

  Neversoft ceased to exist as a separate studio and was formally made defunct on July 10, 2014.

  Source

• 2006

  Shift into Guitar Hero developmentStrategy

  Background

  Activision acquired RedOctane and the Guitar Hero property, creating a need for an internal developer to lead subsequent console releases.

  Action taken

  Activision assigned Neversoft to develop Guitar Hero III and later entries, while new Tony Hawk development moved elsewhere after Neversoft's final series entry.

  Aftermath

  Neversoft became a central Activision music-game studio, but weaker later Guitar Hero performance contributed to staff reductions and a later shift toward support work.

  Source

• 2014

  Neversoft merges with Infinity Ward[1]Neversoften.wikipedia.org

  M&A · Leadership change

  Neversoft was merged with Infinity Ward as Activision consolidated development resources around Call of Duty.

• 2014

  Neversoft is formally closed[1]Neversoften.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Neversoft became defunct on July 10, 2014, after contributing to Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare.

• 2010

  Neversoft reduces staff after Guitar Hero market decline[1]Neversoften.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Activision laid off 50 Neversoft employees after the commercial underperformance of Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock and the franchise's broader slowdown.

• 2007

  Neversoft develops Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock[1]Neversoften.wikipedia.org

  Product launch · Other

  Neversoft took over development of Guitar Hero for major console platforms and released Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock.

• 1999

  Activision acquires Neversoft[1]Neversoften.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Activision acquired Neversoft in a stock transaction after the success of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater.

1. 1Neversoften.wikipedia.org