Titus Interactive


Titus Interactive SA, known as Titus France SA until March 1999, was a French software publisher that produced and published video games for various platforms. Its head office was located in Parc de l'Esplanade in Lagny sur Marne in Greater Paris. At one time, it was in Montfermeil, elsewhere in Greater Paris.
The company's mascot was Titus, the title character of Titus the Fox.

History

Founding and early years

The company was founded by brothers Eric Caen and Hervé Caen in France in 1985. In 1991, Titus purchased Palace Software, the gaming division of the Palace Group. In 1998, the company purchased the developers BlueSky Software and Digital Integration Ltd.

Interplay Entertainment partnership and distribution agreements (1999–2002)

In late 1999, the company acquired shares in struggling publisher Interplay Entertainment, including a stake in publisher/distributor Virgin Interactive.
Throughout the next few years, Titus signed North American distribution deals with smaller publishers. They signed a deal with Cryo Interactive in March 2000, with Rage Software in September 2000, and Microids in May 2001. In 2002, Titus Japan K.K. signed a similar distribution deal with Konami for Japan.
In August 2000, they signed a deal with Viacom Consumer Products to publish games based on the Top Gun franchise.
In August 2001, Titus took the control of Interplay. However prior to this, Titus took over distributing their own titles in the North American market as well as Virgin's from them.

Closure

In June 2004, Titus filed for bankruptcy, declaring an unseeable future for Interplay. On January 9, 2005, a French district commercial court declared Titus bankrupt with a €33 million debt. Titus' French subsidiaries were later closed down, while their assets were soon purchased by Interplay.

Games

Titus began releasing titles for home computers such as the Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, and IBM PC compatibles before moving on to consoles like the Master System, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy, and Game Boy Color, PlayStation, Dreamcast and Nintendo 64, followed by games for the GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox.
Titus designed games such as Virtual Kasparov, Automobili Lamborghini, Virtual Chess 64, Roadsters, Incredible Crisis, Prehistorik Man and Lamborghini American Challenge, that were given positive reviews. Titus however was also involved in the creation of games that were notable due to their negative reception. Superman for the Nintendo 64 was notorious for its negative status among gamers. GameTrailers called it the worst game of all time. As of 2018, it holds a score of 23% at GameRankings. Similarly, the 2003 game RoboCop also received negative reviews. GameSpot gave it 2.2/10 saying "RoboCop has a bevy of horrible problems that render the game practically unplayable".
YearTitlePlatformDeveloper
1988Crazy Cars
1988Fire and Forget
1988Galactic Conqueror
1988Off Shore Warrior
1989Crazy Cars 2
1989Titan
1989Knight Force
1990Crime Does not Pay
1990Dark Century
1990Dick Tracy
1990Fire & Forget II
1990Un Indien dans la ville TF1 Video
1990Wild Streets
1991The Blues Brothers
1991Prehistorik
1992Battlestorm
1992Crazy Cars 3
1992Titus the Fox
1993Ardy LightfootASCII
1993The Blues Brothers: Jukebox Adventure
1993Prehistorik 2
1993Super Cauldron
1994Monster Max
1994Lamborghini American Challenge
1994Quik the Thunder Rabbit
1995Virtua Chess
1996Metal Rage
1996The Brainies
1996Incantation
1996Oscar
1996Power Piggs of the Dark Age
1996Prehistorik Man
1996Prince of Persia 2: The Shadow and the Flame
1996Realm
1997Virtual Chess 2
1997Superman
1997Automobili Lamborghini
1998Virtual Chess 64
1998Quest for Camelot
1999Rival RealmsMicrosoft WindowsActiv Pub
1999RoadstersNintendo 64Titus Interactive
1999Superman: The New Superman AdventuresNintendo 64Titus Interactive
1999Evil ZonePlayStationYUKE's Future Media Creators
1999Xena: Warrior Princess: The Talisman of FateNintendo 64Saffire
2000Incredible CrisisPlayStationPolygon Magic
2000Hercules: The Legendary JourneysNintendo 64Player 1
2000Carmageddon 64Nintendo 64, Game Boy ColorAqua Pacific
Software Creations
2000Blues Brothers 2000Nintendo 64Player 1
2000Kao the KangarooMicrosoft Windows, DreamcastX-Ray Interactive
Titus Interactive Studio
2000F/A-18E Super HornetMicrosoft WindowsDigital Integration
2000RoxGame Boy Advance
Worms World PartyMicrosoft Windows, DreamcastTeam17
Virtual KasparovPlayStationTitus Interactive Studio
Exhibition of SpeedDreamcastPlayer 1
Hands of TimeGame Boy ColorMirage
Top Gun: FirestormGame Boy ColorFluid Studios
Xena: Warrior PrincessGame Boy ColorTitus Interactive Studio
Hercules: The Legendary JourneysGame Boy ColorTitus Interactive Studio
RoboCopGame Boy ColorTitus Interactive Studio
Prehistorik ManGame Boy AdvanceTitus Interactive Studio
Top Gun: Combat ZonesPlayStation 2Digital Integration
Stunt GPPlayStation 2Team17
Planet MonstersGame Boy AdvancePlanet Interactive
Kao the KangarooGame Boy AdvanceTitus Interactive Studio
Original WarMicrosoft WindowsAltar Interactive
Codename: OutbreakMicrosoft WindowsGSC Game World
Screamer 4x4Microsoft WindowsClever's Games
NightstoneMicrosoft WindowsNew Horizon Studios
Virtual KasparovGame Boy AdvanceTitus Interactive Studio
Tir et But: Edition Champions du MondeGame Boy AdvanceTitus Interactive Studio
BarbarianPlayStation 2Saffire
DownforcePlayStation 2Smart Dog
Top Gun: Combat ZonesGameCubeDigital Integration
Top Gun: Firestorm AdvanceGame Boy AdvanceFluid Studios
DownforceGame Boy AdvanceKarma Studios
BarbarianGameCube, XboxSaffire
Top Gun: Combat ZonesMicrosoft WindowsDigital Integration
RoboCopMicrosoft Windows, Xbox, PlayStation 2Titus Interactive Studio
RoboCopGameCubeTitus Interactive Studio
Top Gun: Combat ZonesGame Boy AdvanceTitus Interactive Studio