Smith & Tinker

Smith & Tinker was an American electronic entertainment company established in February 2007 by Jordan Weisman, Jeremy Bornstein, Lenny Raymond, and Kev Ray. Weisman was a prominent figure in the company's creative direction and later brought Tim Lebel and Joe Lawandus into the organization. The company was formed around the development and commercialization of interactive entertainment, with an emphasis on original digital experiences and the revival or continuation of properties associated with Weisman and FASA. A major early development came in October 2007, when Smith & Tinker announced that it had licensed rights from Microsoft to several properties created by Weisman during his FASA tenure. The portfolio included MechWarrior, Shadowrun, Crimson Skies, and other FASA-related intellectual property. The announcement generated interest because these franchises had established audiences in tabletop and electronic games, but the company did not ultimately produce the anticipated MechWarrior 5 project. Smith & Tinker later worked with Piranha Games in an effort to secure funding for that title. After funding efforts failed, Piranha Games acquired Smith & Tinker's license to the MechWarrior property, which itself was licensed from Microsoft. Smith & Tinker was not involved in the later development of MechWarrior Online, despite rumors suggesting otherwise. The company's first released game was Nanovor, an online battle game designed for children approximately seven to twelve years old. Nanovor entered public beta in May 2009 and represented Smith & Tinker's attempt to build a youth-oriented online entertainment platform around collectible creatures and competitive play. The company subsequently expanded into mobile games, releasing Whirleo for iOS and KAPOW!, an iOS title using Marvel Comics characters. Smith & Tinker took its name from two fictional figures briefly mentioned in L. Frank Baum's Oz stories. In that literary setting, Smith and Tinker are associated with the creation of Tik-Tok, the mechanical man. The company's branding referenced this origin through imagery connected with the Emerald City and the use of Tik-Tok in its logo. The company ultimately ceased operations on November 8, 2012. Its short operating history was marked by an ambitious attempt to combine established entertainment intellectual property with online and mobile game development. The company is therefore primarily remembered for Nanovor, its brief stewardship of selected FASA-related licenses, and its later mobile releases rather than for a long-running commercial product portfolio.

Smith & Tinker was founded in February 2007 by Jordan Weisman, Jeremy Bornstein, Lenny Raymond, and Kev Ray. The company was created as an electronic entertainment venture associated with Weisman, whose earlier work included the creation of major FASA properties. Tim Lebel and Joe Lawandus were subsequently brought into the company. In October 2007, Smith & Tinker announced a licensing agreement with Microsoft covering MechWarrior, Shadowrun, Crimson Skies, and other FASA-related properties. The announcement suggested that the company intended to develop new projects using this catalog, but the plans were not immediately specified. One of the most prominent ambitions was connected with a possible MechWarrior 5 project. Smith & Tinker worked with Piranha Games while attempting to obtain funding, but those efforts did not succeed. Piranha Games later purchased Smith & Tinker's MechWarrior license, which was itself held under license from Microsoft. This arrangement distinguished Smith & Tinker from MechWarrior Online: despite rumors, Smith & Tinker was not involved in that game. The company's own first game was Nanovor, an online battle game aimed at children between roughly seven and twelve years old. Nanovor entered public beta in May 2009. The project reflected the company's interest in accessible, online-focused entertainment rather than only traditional premium console or computer releases. Smith & Tinker later broadened its product activity to Apple's iOS platform. Its mobile releases included Whirleo and KAPOW!, a game featuring Marvel Comics characters. The company name came from Smith and Tinker, fictional artist and inventor characters briefly referenced in the Oz books and associated with the creation of Tik-Tok, the mechanical man. Smith & Tinker used this literary association in its corporate identity, including Emerald City references on its website and Tik-Tok imagery in its logo. Smith & Tinker closed on November 8, 2012. No continuing parent company, public listing, or successor operating brand is identified in the supplied reference material. Its documented legacy consists of the Nanovor online game, several mobile releases, and an unsuccessful effort to develop or revive projects based on licensed FASA properties.

• 2012

  Operations ended

  [1]Smith & Tinkeren.wikipedia.org

  Smith & Tinker closed on November 8.

• 2009

  Nanovor public beta

  [1]Smith & Tinkeren.wikipedia.org

  Nanovor, an online battle game designed for children, entered public beta in May.

• 2007

  Company founded

  [1]Smith & Tinkeren.wikipedia.org

  Smith & Tinker was established in February by Jordan Weisman, Jeremy Bornstein, Lenny Raymond, and Kev Ray.

• 2007

  Microsoft licensing announcement

  [1]Smith & Tinkeren.wikipedia.org

  The company announced on October 15 that it had licensed MechWarrior, Shadowrun, Crimson Skies, and other FASA-related properties from Microsoft.

A small independent electronic entertainment developer focused on original online games, mobile titles, and the potential revival of established game properties.

• Online battle game · 2009

  Nanovor

  Nanovor was Smith & Tinker's first game and was designed as an online battle experience for children approximately seven to twelve years old. It entered public beta in May 2009 and represented the company's principal original online-game project.

• iOS game

  Whirleo

  Whirleo was one of Smith & Tinker's later mobile releases for Apple's iOS platform. The available reference material identifies the title and platform but does not provide further details about its mechanics or commercial performance.

• Licensed iOS game

  KAPOW!

  KAPOW! was an iOS game featuring characters from Marvel Comics. It formed part of Smith & Tinker's shift toward mobile electronic entertainment after Nanovor.

• 2009

  Launch Nanovor public betaProduct launch

  Background

  The company needed an original product alongside its licensed-property ambitions.

  Action taken

  Smith & Tinker opened Nanovor, an online battle game for children, to public beta.

  Aftermath

  The game became the company's first documented release. Smith & Tinker later added iOS titles, but ultimately closed in 2012.

  Source

• 2007

  Secure licenses for established FASA propertiesStrategy

  Background

  Smith & Tinker sought to build a portfolio combining original electronic entertainment with properties connected to Jordan Weisman and FASA.

  Action taken

  The company licensed MechWarrior, Shadowrun, Crimson Skies, and other FASA-related rights from Microsoft.

  Aftermath

  The company announced that plans for the properties would follow, but the available material does not document a completed Smith & Tinker release based on them. The MechWarrior license was later acquired by Piranha Games after funding efforts for MechWarrior 5 failed.

  Source

• Expand into mobile gamesStrategy

  Background

  Following its online-game work, Smith & Tinker broadened its electronic entertainment activity to mobile devices.

  Action taken

  The company released Whirleo and KAPOW! for iOS, with KAPOW! using Marvel Comics characters.

  Aftermath

  The mobile releases are among the company's final documented products before its closure.

  Source

1. 1Smith & Tinkeren.wikipedia.org