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Frogwares

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Frogwares
Company typePrivate
IndustryVideo games
Founded2000
HeadquartersKyiv, Ukraine
Dublin, Ireland
Key people
Waël Amr (CEO, president)
ProductsSherlock Holmes series
Number of employees
80+[1]
Websitefrogwares.com

Frogwares is a Ukrainian video game development studio headquartered in Kyiv with subsidiary offices in Dublin, Ireland.[1] The studio and its subsidiaries develop adventure games for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch as well as PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, Wii, and mobile.

Frogwares created the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes series, which sold around seven million copies worldwide.[2]

The studio released its first open world investigation video game, The Sinking City, inspired by the works of H. P. Lovecraft, in 2019.[3]

History

[edit]

Frogwares was founded in 2000 in Ukraine and Ireland by French expatriates. Waël Amr is the CEO. The name "Frogwares" comes from the derogatory term "froggies" to designate people of French origin.[4]

When it was created, the studio was made up of a team of six people which then expanded to reach eighty employees in 2018.[5] The studio specialized in the Sherlock Holmes adventure games series.

With Sherlock Holmes: The Mystery of the Persian Carpet (2008), Frogwares began to develop casual games. In 2011, the studio created a dedicated subsidiary, Waterlily Games.[6] During this time, the company's publisher shut down and Frogwares began self publishing.[7] The casual games produced by the studio are often distributed exclusively for download, with the exception of the Sherlock Holmes casual games, which are also published on physical media.

In 2012, Frogwares released World of Battles: Morningstar, its first multiplayer MMORTS, following a beta release.[8][9] World of Battles was a strategy game set in a fantastic medieval universe where the player trains and controls an army and must succeed in defeating other armies controlled by other players to recover gems. It shut down the following year.[10]

In 2012, Frogwares opened a second subsidiary, 3AM Studios, to release Magrunner: Dark Pulse, a strategic sci-fi shooter based on the magnetization of cubes and platforms to move through each level. The studio use Kickstarter alternative Gamesplanet Labs to help fund the project.[11] Upon the game's release in 2013, Magrunner was compared to Portal.[12]

In 2014, Focus Home Interactive announced a Call of Cthulhu game developed with Frogwares. However, by 2017, it had a new developer.[13] Instead, Frogwares developed The Sinking City, an open world game based on the writing of H.P. Lovecraft. It was released in 2019.[14][15]

In May 2020, Frogwares officially announced Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One, a prequel exploring the early years of the character.[16] Unlike previous entries in the series, this one would take place in an open world environment, allowing players to freely explore the island of Cordona.[17] After the game officially released, the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions were delayed into 2022.[18] New DLC was released in March.[19] The PS4 version was released in April, but the Xbox One version was ultimately cancelled.[20]

Russian invasion of Ukraine

[edit]

On 24 February 2022, Frogwares posted on social media about the Russian invasion of Ukraine and how it has affected the development team.[21] They published a series of similar messages and documented the experience of living through the war.[22][23][24] Many on staff either joined humanitarian aid efforts or the volunteer army. Those who remained with the studio adopted a hybrid model.[25][26] Frogwares removed its games for sale in Russia and called on other companies to do the same.[7][27] In May, the company received an Epic MegaGrant and used the funds to relocate its staff.[28]

In July 2022, the company announced it was developing a remake of its 2007 Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened. The game would be developed from scratch in Unreal Engine 4 and rewritten to serve as a sequel to Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One.[29] Initially envisioned as a side project, it became the studio's sole focus due to the limiting factors of the war.[7] In August, Frogwares released a trailer and launched a Kickstarter to help create a safety net for development. The game's funding goal was surpassed within hours.[30][31] Due to the ongoing conflict in the area, the release date was pushed back to April 2023.[32][33] The game did not offer Russian language support.[7]

The Sinking City 2

[edit]

In March 2024, Frogwares announced The Sinking City 2, a sequel set in 1920s New England. The game will feature a new protagonist and focus more on combat than the original.[34]

Games developed

[edit]
Year Title Publisher/

Distributor

Genre PC 7th Gen 8th Gen 9th Gen Other
2002 Sherlock Holmes: The Mystery of the Mummy Frogwares, Wanadoo, The Adventure Company Adventure Windows — — — DS
2003 Journey to the Center of the Earth Frogwares, Micro Application Adventure, point and click Windows — — — —
2004 Sherlock Holmes: The Case of the Silver Earring Frogwares, Ubisoft, Digital Jesters Adventure Windows Wii — — —
2005 80 Days Focus Entertainment, Tri Synergy Windows — — — —
2007 Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened Frogwares, Focus Entertainment Windows — — — —
Sherlock Holmes vs. Arsène Lupin Windows — — — —
2008 Dracula: Origin Focus Entertainment, The Adventure Company, 93GAMES, QVS International Adventure, point and click Windows — — — —
2009 Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper Frogwares, Focus Entertainment Adventure Windows X360 — — —
2011 World of Battles: Morningstar Frogwares MMORTS Windows — — — —
2012 The Testament of Sherlock Holmes Frogwares, Focus Entertainment Action adventure Windows PS3, X360 PS4, XOne — Switch
2013 Magrunner: Dark Pulse Frogwares Action adventure, puzzle Windows PS3, X360 — — —
2014 Sherlock Holmes: Crimes & Punishments Focus Entertainment Action adventure Windows PS3, X360 PS4, XOne — Switch
2016 Sherlock Holmes: The Devil's Daughter Frogwares, Bigben Interactive Windows — PS4, XOne — Switch
2019 The Sinking City Action adventure, open-world Windows — PS4, XOne PS5, Xbox Series X/S Switch
2021 Sherlock Holmes Chapter One Frogwares Windows — PS4 PS5, Xbox Series X/S —
2023 Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened Frogwares Action adventure Windows — PS4, XOne PS5, Xbox Series X/S Switch
2025 The Sinking City 2 Frogwares Survival horror Windows — — PS5, Xbox Series X/S —

Casual adventure games

[edit]

Casual games are developed under the name Waterlily Games. This sub-studio is focused on casual, hidden object, and light adventure games for PC and iOS.

  • The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Mystery of the Persian Carpet (2008)
  • Mata Hari and the Kaiser's Submarines (2008)
  • Department 42: The Mystery of the Nine (2009)
  • Sherlock Holmes and the Mystery of Osborne House (2011)
  • Secret Mission: The Forgotten Island (2011)
  • Sherlock Holmes and the Hound of the Baskervilles (2011)
  • Dracula: Love Kills (2011)
  • Journey: The Heart of Gaia (2012)
  • Sherlock Holmes and the Mystery of the Frozen City (2013) for Nintendo 3DS

Litigations

[edit]

The studio has encountered several disputes with its business partners. The company released its first game, Sherlock Holmes: The Mystery of the Mummy, in 2002. Frogwares filed several lawsuits against it's distribution intermediaries, claiming the companies did not pay them fairly.[35]

The studio then chose Focus Home Interactive as a licensee from 2004–2005 to 2014–2015. In 2019, Frogwares claimed Focus Home Interactive was not the publisher of the games, but a distribution intermediary that did not participate in the financing of games.[36]

The relationship between the two companies ended in a dispute in the fall of 2019 when Focus Home Interactive's license ended. The situation resulted in the temporary withdrawal of most Frogwares games from sale. Frogware, who remains the sole owner of the rights, had to initiate new certifications and online publishing processes for each individual game to make them available for purchase again. The titles reappeared gradually in 2020.[36]

In August 2020, Frogwares publicly accused Bigben Interactive (now Nacon) of trying to claim the copyright for The Sinking City, missing milestone payments, and withholding royalty payments. As a result, Frogwares terminated its contract with Bigben Interactive and removed the game from most online platforms.[37] A DRM-free version of the game remained available on the developer's website. It also could still be found on EA Origin, Nintendo Switch, and Gamesplanet, since Frogwares handled publishing for those platforms on its own.[38]

In January 2021, the game was restored to stores by court order as the contract was terminated in a 'manifestly unlawful' manner.[39] Frogwares urged users not to purchase certain versions of The Sinking City, such as the one on Steam, accusing Nacon of hacking the game and publishing an altered version.[40][41] Frogwares was able to get this version of the game taken off the platform after issuing a DMCA takedown notice.[42] During this period, the developer released an enhanced version of the game for PlayStation 5, but were unable to give owners of the PS4 version of the game a free upgrade.[43]

On January 2, 2024, Frogwares announced that they became the sole publisher of the game for all platforms, resolving its legal dispute with Nacon.[44]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Information about Frogwares company
  2. ^ Christopher Dring, "The secret success of the Sherlock Holmes video games", GamesIndustry.biz, 5 April 2017
  3. ^ "The Sinking City official page". Archived from the original on 7 April 2012. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  4. ^ "Interview de Wael Amr - Planète Aventure". www.planete-aventure.net. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
  5. ^ "Information about Frogwares company". Frogwares.com. 16 December 2018. Archived from the original on 16 December 2018. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
  6. ^ Kaharl, Jonathan (3 October 2023). "Frogwares' Sherlock Holmes Casual Games". Hardcore Gaming 101. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
  7. ^ a b c d Ghorbanpour, Kamiab (2 June 2023). "How Russia's invasion of Ukraine is affecting developers like Frogwares". www.gamedeveloper.com. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  8. ^ "World of Battles: Morningstar Open Beta Launches Today". IGN. 26 May 2011. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
  9. ^ Todd, Brett (13 June 2012). "World of Battles: Morningstar Review". GameSpot. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
  10. ^ "World of Battles Retirement". store.steampowered.com. 29 October 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
  11. ^ Conditt, Jessica (19 July 2012). "Gamesplanet Lab: Kickstarter's 'crowd-creating' competitor". Engadget. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
  12. ^ Cobbett, Richard (25 June 2013). "Magrunner: Dark Pulse Review". IGN. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
  13. ^ O'Connor, Alice (26 February 2016). "The Call Of Cthulhu Sounding in 2017". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
  14. ^ O'Connor, Alice (8 March 2016). "The Sinking City: Frogwares' Lovecraftian Investigation". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  15. ^ Boudreau, Ian (8 March 2019). "The Sinking City delayed until June to give players "breathing space"". PC Gamer. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
  16. ^ Wald, Heather (26 May 2020). "Sherlock Holmes Chapter One officially announced and it's coming to next-gen consoles". gamesradar. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
  17. ^ Shelgren, Noah (18 September 2021). "Sherlock Holmes Chapter One Gets Release Date In Gameplay Video". ScreenRant. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
  18. ^ Long, Lacy (11 December 2021). "'Sherlock Holmes Chapter One' Release Date Delayed Until Next Year". Collider. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
  19. ^ Nightingale, Ed (24 March 2022). "Ukraine developer Frogwares announces DLC for Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One". Eurogamer.net. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
  20. ^ Nightingale, Ed (21 April 2022). "Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One coming to PS4 but cancelled on Xbox One due to war in Ukraine". Eurogamer.net. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
  21. ^ @Frogwares (24 February 2022). "We can't just stand by. Russia attacks our homeland and denies the sovereignty of Ukraine. We are trying to stay sa…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  22. ^ "Inwazja Rosji na Ukrainę - cios w gamingowe serce Europy?". Logo24 (in Polish). Archived from the original on 31 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  23. ^ Carter, Justin (17 February 2023). "Frogwares delays Sherlock Holmes game after Russian attacks on Ukraine". www.gamedeveloper.com. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  24. ^ Plunkett, Luke (23 December 2022). "Ukrainian Devs Remind Us Life Is Still Hell As Russian Missiles Strike Cities". Kotaku. Retrieved 20 February 2025.
  25. ^ Valentine, Robin (17 February 2023). "Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened delay announcement doubles as a short war documentary". PC Gamer. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
  26. ^ Reymann-Schneider, Kristina (11 April 2023). "Playing the Ukraine-made video game impacted by war". dw.com. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  27. ^ Palumbo, Alessio (3 March 2022). "Frogwares CEO Talks About the War's Tragic Impact on the Ukrainian Game Studio". Wccftech. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  28. ^ Kerr, Chris (17 May 2022). "Ukrainian studio Frogwares will use Epic MegaGrant to relocate and support staff". www.gamedeveloper.com. Retrieved 20 February 2025.
  29. ^ Wheeler, CJ (28 July 2022). "Sherlock Holmes is taking on Cthulhu again in a remake of 2007's The Awakened". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
  30. ^ "Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened - Reveal Trailer". IGN. 4 August 2022. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
  31. ^ Harding, Chris (5 August 2022). "Sherlock Holmes The Awakened Smashes Kickstarter Goal in Just 6 Hours, First Trailer Released". DualShockers. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
  32. ^ Bellingham, Hope (16 February 2023). "Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened dev reveals delay due to ongoing conflict in Ukraine". gamesradar. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
  33. ^ Romano, Sal (6 March 2023). "Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened remake launches April 11". Gematsu. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
  34. ^ Bell, Alice (6 March 2024). "Frogwares reveal wet survival horror sequel The Sinking City 2, taking the dev "in a newer direction" in 2025". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
  35. ^ "Interview de Wael Amr - Planète Aventure". www.planete-aventure.net. 30 September 2008. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
  36. ^ a b Xavier Bargue (22 February 2020). "Waël Amr: "Focus's relationship to Frogwares has never been that of a publisher to a developer"". Planète Aventure.
  37. ^ Yin-Poole, Wesley (27 February 2021). "The Sinking City dev tells people not to buy its own game from Steam". Eurogamer.net. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
  38. ^ Kobek, Patricio (25 August 2020). "The Sinking City Removed From Steam Due To Legal Battle With Distributor". TheGamer. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
  39. ^ Batchelor, James (5 January 2021). "The Sinking City returns to stores as Nacon wins first decision in legal dispute". GamesIndustry.biz.
  40. ^ Van Allen, Eric (26 February 2021). "The Sinking City developer asks users not to buy its game on Steam". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  41. ^ Klepek, Patrick (1 March 2021). "'The Sinking City' Dev Alleges Publisher Hacked and Illegally Uploaded Game to Steam". VICE. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
  42. ^ Chalk, Andy (3 March 2021). "The Sinking City publisher defends its decision to put an 'adapted' copy of the game on Steam". PC Gamer. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
  43. ^ Murray, Sean (18 February 2021). "The Sinking City Gets PS5 Enhancements, But PS4 Owners Won't Get A Free Upgrade". TheGamer. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
  44. ^ Rousseau, Jeffrey. "Frogwares is now publisher of The Sinking City". Gamesindustry.biz. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
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