High Voltage Software

High Voltage Software, Inc. (HVS) is an American video game

developer based in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. Founded in April
High Voltage Software, Inc.
1993 by Kerry J. Ganofsky, the company is best known for
developing Lego Racers (1999), Hunter: The Reckoning (2002)
and The Conduit (2009).

History
High Voltage Software was founded by Kerry J. Ganofsky in April
1993,[1] following his graduation from college.[2] Out of Hoffman
Company type Subsidiary
Estates, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, the company started out with
four employees and used old doors set on top of sawhorses as Industry Video games
desks.[2] In June 2006, the company had 160 employees.[3] Founded April 1993

In 2008 interviews, High Voltage leadership expressed interest in Founder Kerry J. Ganofsky
improving the quality of contemporary third-party Wii games. The Headquarters Hoffman Estates,
company developed Quantum3, a game engine that specifically Illinois, US
targets Wii deployment. The engine itself had been used in several
Key people Kerry J. Ganofsky
previous titles made by the developer, but was heavily upgraded (CEO)
for higher performance on Wii.[4][5]
Eric Nofsinger
In December 2014, Ganofsky announced that High Voltage would (CCO)
be opening a satellite studio for the company in Place St. Charles in Jake Fitch (CFO)
New Orleans.[2] The opening, scheduled for early 2015, would Anthony Glueck
provide 80 new job opportunities in the area, with initial staff (CTO)
transferred from the company's Hoffman Estates headquarters.[2][6] Products Lego Racers
Through the opening, High Voltage was able to take advantage of
local financial incentives, including a US$150,000 performance- The Conduit
based grant to cover relocation costs, workforce training programs Saints Row: Gat
and a digital media incentive.[2][7] Prior to the announcement, out of Hell
Ganofsky also considered opening the studio in Georgia or Florida, Number of 160 (2006)
but found New Orleans to be a better cultural fit for High employees
Voltage.[2] As a result, talks between economic development Parent Keywords Studios
leaders in the area and Ganofsky began in October 2013.[2] (2020–present)
Website high-voltage.com
(https://www.high-
voltage.com/)
In December 2020, High Voltage Software was acquired by Keywords Studios for an initial consideration
of US$23.75 million in cash and $9.75 million in shares, as well as additional US$16.5 million for
performance targets to be met by December 31, 2021.[8]

Unreleased projects

The Grinder

In the late 2000s, High Voltage began developing a horror-themed shooter called The Grinder. The game
initially began production exclusively for the Wii, the developers, as well as potential publishers for The
Grinder, became less confident that the game would be a success on that system, as there were multiple
instances of similar hardcore and/or graphically violent games designed for the Wii, such as MadWorld,
House of the Dead: Overkill and Red Steel 2 that failed to sell many copies. Development for the Wii
version eventually began to wind down quietly by 2010, although High Voltage Software refused to state
whether that version was officially cancelled.[9] The developers also designed PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and
PC versions of the game,[10] which were initially going to play as first-person shooters like the Wii version,
but plans for this ultimately fell through when it failed to appeal to candidate publishers and the developers
realized that there was an ongoing oversatuation of the first-person shooter video game market.[9] After
careful consideration, they decided to not only redesign the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC versions as a top-down
shooter,[11] but also change the game's setting, plot and character designs to a substantial degree.[9] Even
so, candidate publishers were still uninterested in the top-down version as well, and the developers then
covertly abandoned development and began shifting their efforts towards developing a sequel to The
Conduit.

In 2013, High Voltage Software, in an interview, implied that one significant reason why it was difficult to
release The Grinder was because it was being developed during a time when the video game industry was
more interested in well-established intellectual properties, rather than newly introduced ones like that of The
Grinder. The company then expressed hope that they can be in better position to launch new intellectual
properties like The Grinder when a new generation of video games began.[12] However, having lost
substantial money and jobs from the troubled development of The Grinder, as well as poor sales of Conduit
2, the company decided not to revisit The Grinder.[9]

Games developed
Year Title Platform(s) Publisher(s)
White Men Can't Jump Atari Jaguar
Atari Corporation
Ruiner Pinball Atari Jaguar
1995 Star Trek: Starfleet Academy –
Sega 32X Interplay Entertainment
Starship Bridge Simulator
Vid Grid Atari Jaguar CD Atari Corporation

NHL Open Ice Microsoft Windows

Midway Games
NBA Jam: Tournament Edition Atari Jaguar
Fight For Life Atari Jaguar Atari Corporation
1996
NBA Hangtime Microsoft Windows Midway Games

Tempest 2000 Classic Mac OS, Sega Saturn

Interplay Entertainment
Tempest X3 PlayStation

World League Basketball Microsoft Windows, PlayStation

1997 Mindscape
NCAA Final Four '97 Microsoft Windows, PlayStation
Paperboy Nintendo 64 Midway Games

Microsoft Windows, Nintendo 64,

1999 Lego Racers Lego Media
PlayStation

NBA Inside Drive 2000 Microsoft Windows Microsoft

Ground Control: Dark Conspiracy Microsoft Windows Sierra Studios

2000 All-Star Baseball 2001 Nintendo 64

Acclaim Entertainment
NFL Quarterback Club 2001 Dreamcast, Nintendo 64
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance GameCube Interplay Entertainment

Monster Jam: Maximum Destruction Microsoft Windows Ubi Soft

NBA Inside Drive 2002 Xbox Microsoft

2002
Disney's Stitch: Experiment 626 PlayStation 2 Disney Interactive

NBA Inside Drive 2003 Xbox Microsoft Game Studios

Hunter: The Reckoning GameCube, Xbox Interplay Entertainment

Hunter: The Reckoning – Wayward PlayStation 2
Vivendi Universal Games
Hunter: The Reckoning – Redeemer Xbox
2003
NBA Inside Drive 2004 Xbox Microsoft Game Studios
Disney's The Haunted Mansion GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox TDK Mediactive

Duel Masters PlayStation 2 Atari

2004 Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2,
Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude Sierra Entertainment
Xbox
 Zathura PlayStation 2, Xbox 2K Games
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox Global Star Software

50 Cent: Bulletproof G Unit Edition PlayStation Portable Vivendi Games

2005
Call of Duty 2: Big Red One GameCube Activision
Codename: Kids Next Door –
GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox Global Star Software
Operation: V.I.D.E.O.G.A.M.E.

The Grim Adventures of Billy &

PlayStation 2, Gamecube, Wii
Mandy Midway Games
2006 Blitz: Overtime PlayStation Portable
PlayStation 2, PlayStation
Family Guy Video Game! 2K Games, Fox Interactive
Portable, Xbox

PlayStation 2, PlayStation
Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law Capcom
Portable, Wii

PlayStation 2, PlayStation
Ben 10: Protector of Earth D3 Publisher
2007 Portable, Wii
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced
PlayStation Portable
Warfighter 2 Ubisoft
America's Army: True Soldiers Xbox 360

Go, Diego, Go!: Safari Rescue PlayStation 2, Wii 2K Play

V.I.P. Casino: Blackjack Wii
High Voltage Software
Gyrostarr Wii
2008
Dora the Explorer: Dora Saves the
PlayStation 2, Wii
Snow Princess
2K Play
Go, Diego, Go!: Great Dinosaur
PlayStation 2, Wii
Rescue

The Secret Saturdays: Beasts of the PlayStation 2, PlayStation

D3 Publisher
5th Sun Portable, Wii

High Voltage Hot Rod Show Wii High Voltage Software

PlayStation 2, PlayStation
Astro Boy: The Video Game D3 Publisher
Portable, Wii
2009
Ni Hao, Kai-Lan: Super Game Day PlayStation 2, Wii

Dora the Explorer: Dora Saves the 2K Play

PlayStation 2, Wii
Crystal Kingdom
Evasive Space Wii Akinai Games

The Conduit Wii

Iron Man 2 Wii, PlayStation Portable Sega

Tournament of Legends Wii

2010 Dora's Big Birthday Adventure PlayStation 2, Wii 2K Play

Pheasants Forever Wingshooter Wii GameMill Entertainment

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Wii, Nintendo DS Red Wagon Games

2011 Conduit 2 Wii

Sega
Captain America: Super Soldier Wii, Nintendo 3DS
 Nicktoons MLB Wii, Xbox 360
Nickelodeon Fit Wii 2K Play

Nickelodeon Dance Wii, Xbox 360

Victorious: Time to Shine Xbox 360 D3 Publisher

Country Dance Wii

Country Dance 2 Wii GameMill Entertainment

Country Dance All-Stars Xbox 360

LucasArts, Microsoft
Kinect Star Wars Xbox 360
Studios

Zone of the Enders HD Collection PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 Konami

Toy Story Mania! PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 Disney Interactive Studios

2012
Nickelodeon Dance 2 Wii, Xbox 360 2K Play

Avengers Initiative Android, iOS Disney Interactive

Warner Bros. Interactive

Batman: Arkham City Lockdown Android, iOS
Entertainment
Victorious: Taking the Lead Wii D3 Publisher

Le Vamp iOS

Zoombies: Animales de la Muerte iOS High Voltage Software

The Conduit HD Android

Warner Bros. Interactive

Mortal Kombat Microsoft Windows
Entertainment
2013
Enter the Dominatrix PlayStation 4, Xbox One Deep Silver
Warner Bros. Interactive
Injustice: Gods Among Us PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows
Entertainment

PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, Wii

Ben 10: Omniverse 2 D3 Publisher
U

2014 The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Nintendo 3DS Activision

Saints Row IV: Re-Elected PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Deep Silver
Saints Row: Gat out of Hell PlayStation 4, Xbox One
2015
Warner Bros. Interactive
Mortal Kombat X Microsoft Windows
Entertainment
Damaged Core Microsoft Windows
2016
Dragon Front Microsoft Windows Oculus Studios

2017 They Live to Destroy Microsoft Windows

Microsoft Windows, Nintendo
Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden Funcom
Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
2018
Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4,
Fortnite: Save the World Epic Games
Xbox One

Microsoft Windows, Nintendo GameMill Entertainment,

Zombieland: Double Tap – Road Trip
2019 Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One Maximum Games
Ballista Oculus Quest, Oculus Rift Oculus Studios
Canceled
Thea Realm Fighters (Jaguar)
Kid Vid Grid (Jaguar)
Country Vid Grid (Jaguar)
The Grinder (Wii, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows)
Paperboy (PlayStation)

References
1. Androvich, Mark (April 23, 2008). "High Voltage Software turns 15" (https://www.gamesindust
ry.biz/articles/high-voltage-software-turns-15). GamesIndustry.biz. Archived (https://web.archi
ve.org/web/20180813010443/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/high-voltage-software-t
urns-15) from the original on August 13, 2018. Retrieved August 12, 2018.
2. Larino, Jennifer (December 18, 2014). "Illinois video game developer to open New Orleans
studio, hailed as economic development win" (https://www.nola.com/news/business/article_f
b89822a-9c7c-5723-b651-260f3a53a80c.html). NOLA.com. Archived (https://web.archive.or
g/web/20201215190348/https://www.nola.com/news/business/article_fb89822a-9c7c-5723-
b651-260f3a53a80c.html) from the original on December 15, 2020. Retrieved December 15,
2020.
3. Van Zelfden, N. Evan (June 16, 2006). "Tour of Chicago – Pt. 1: High Voltage Software" (http
s://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/131135/tour_of_chicago__pt_1_high_.php).
Gamasutra. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20180813175119/http://www.gamasutra.c
om/view/feature/131135/tour_of_chicago__pt_1_high_.php) from the original on August 13,
2018. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
4. Casamassina, Matt (April 18, 2008). "Exclusive First Look: The Conduit" (https://www.ign.co
m/articles/2008/04/17/exclusive-first-look-the-conduit). IGN. Archived (https://web.archive.or
g/web/20201020003225/https://www.ign.com/articles/2008/04/17/exclusive-first-look-the-con
duit) from the original on October 20, 2020. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
5. "Q&A: Eric Nofsinger channels The Conduit" (https://www.gamespot.com/articles/qanda-eric
-nofsinger-channels-the-conduit/1100-6193374/). GameSpot. July 7, 2008. Archived (https://
web.archive.org/web/20191215165351/http://www.gamespot.com/news/6193374.html?tag=l
atestnews;title;2) from the original on December 15, 2019. Retrieved August 12, 2018.
6. Weber, Rachel (December 18, 2014). "High Voltage to open New Orleans studio" (https://ww
w.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2014-12-18-high-voltage-to-open-new-orleans-studio).
GamesIndustry.biz. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20180813004412/https://www.gam
esindustry.biz/articles/2014-12-18-high-voltage-to-open-new-orleans-studio) from the
original on August 13, 2018. Retrieved August 12, 2018.
7. Wawro, Alex (December 19, 2014). "Chicago's High Voltage plans New Orleans expansion"
(https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/232926/Chicagos_High_Voltage_plans_New_Orlea
ns_expansion.php). Gamasutra. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20180813004642/htt
ps://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/232926/Chicagos_High_Voltage_plans_New_Orleans
_expansion.php) from the original on August 13, 2018. Retrieved August 12, 2018.
8. Dealessandri, Marie (December 15, 2020). "Keywords acquires High Voltage Software for
$50m" (https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-12-15-keywords-acquires-high-voltage-
software-for-usd50m). GamesIndustry.biz. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/202012151
85326/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-12-15-keywords-acquires-high-voltage-s
oftware-for-usd50m) from the original on December 15, 2020. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
 9. Reseigh-Lincoln, Dom (April 16, 2018). "Video: Here's What Happened To The Grinder, A
Wii Horror Shooter Lost To Development Hell" (http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2018/04/vi
deo_heres_what_happened_to_the_grinder_a_wii_horror_shooter_lost_to_development_h
ell). Nintendo Life. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20210223045421/https://www.ninte
ndolife.com/news/2018/04/video_heres_what_happened_to_the_grinder_a_wii_horror_sho
oter_lost_to_development_hell) from the original on February 23, 2021. Retrieved May 22,
2018.
10. "The Grinder no longer Wii-exclusive, new trailer, due out Halloween 2011, HVS talks The
Conduit sales, Go Nintendo" (https://web.archive.org/web/20100207124139/http://gonintend
o.com/viewstory.php?id=113273). Archived from the original (https://gonintendo.com/viewsto
ry.php?id=113273) on February 7, 2010.
11. Michele (February 15, 2010). "Screenshot of HD version of The Grinder" (https://archive.toda
y/20130218090340/http://www.gamesblog.it/galleria/the-grinder-04/4l). Gamesblog.it.
Archived from the original (http://www.gamesblog.it/galleria/the-grinder-04/4l) on February
18, 2013. Retrieved February 15, 2010.
12. Bargas, G. (April 10, 2013). "Interview: High Voltage Software Says 'The Grinder' Still
Possible" (http://www.gamingtruth.com/2013/04/10/interview-high-voltage-software-says-the-
grinder-still-possible/). GamingTruth. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/2021012722483
8/https://www.gamingtruth.com/2013/04/10/interview-high-voltage-software-says-the-grinder-
still-possible/) from the original on January 27, 2021. Retrieved May 22, 2018.

External links
Official website (https://www.high-voltage.com/)

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=High_Voltage_Software&oldid=1184472886"