4J Studios Limited
TypePrivate
IndustryVideo games
PredecessorVIS Entertainment
Founded19 April 2005 (2005-04-19)
Founders
  • Chris van der Kuyl
  • Paddy Burns
  • Frank Arnot
Headquarters
Dundee
,
Scotland
Key people
Website4jstudios.com

4J Studios Limited is a British independent video game developer based in Dundee. It has a second office located in East Linton. Founded in April 2005 by VIS Entertainment alumni Chris van der Kuyl, Paddy Burns and Frank Arnot, the company is best known for porting Minecraft to consoles and handheld platforms.[1]

History

4J Studios was founded by Chris van der Kuyl, Paddy Burns and Frank Arnot on 19 April 2005, twelve days after van der Kuyl's previous video game venture, VIS Entertainment, entered into administration.[2][3] All three were previously employed by that company, of which van der Kuyl as president and chief executive officer.[3][4]

In November 2012, co-founder and studio director Arnot announced that he had left 4J Studios to establish Stormcloud Games with co-workers Andy West and Pat McGovern.[5][6] In March 2018, 4J Studios invested a "six-figure sum" in Puny Astronaut, a Dundee-based developer founded by Abertay University alumni.[7] 4J Studios' van der Kuyl and Burns subsequently joined that company's board of directors, of which van der Kuyl also became their chairman.[8] 4J Studios then opened an investment fund, Chroma Ventures, in March 2021, which absorbed the Puny Astronaut stake and invested in several other studios. In October 2022, 4J Studios announced its intent to start publishing games, starting with Puny Astronaut's Skye Tales in 2023.[9]

Games developed

Year Title Platform(s) Publisher(s)
2005 Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships PlayStation 2, Xbox Bethesda Softworks
2006 Star Trek: Encounters PlayStation 2
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (port) PlayStation 3
2007 Star Trek: Conquest PlayStation 2, Wii
2008 AMF Bowling Pinbusters! Nintendo DS Vir2L Studios
Overlord: Raising Hell (port) PlayStation 3 Codemasters
Ducati Moto Nintendo DS Vir2L Studios
Banjo-Kazooie (port) Xbox 360 Microsoft Game Studios
2009 Banjo-Tooie (port)
Wuggle iOS 4J Studios
Texas Wuggle
2010 Perfect Dark Xbox 360 Microsoft Game Studios
2012 Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition Microsoft Studios
2013 Minecraft: PlayStation 3 Edition PlayStation 3 Sony Computer Entertainment
2014 Minecraft: Xbox One Edition Xbox One Microsoft Studios
2014 Minecraft: PlayStation 4 Edition PlayStation 4 Sony Computer Entertainment
Minecraft: PlayStation Vita Edition PlayStation Vita
2015 Minecraft: Wii U Edition Wii U Mojang
2017 Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition Nintendo Switch
2023 Manic Mechanics Nintendo Switch 4J Studios

References

  1. ↑ Sarkar, Samit (6 November 2014). "Microsoft officially owns Minecraft and developer Mojang now". Polygon. Archived from the original on 13 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  2. ↑ "New State of Emergency declared as Glasgow firm takes on game". The Scotsman. 1 May 2005. Archived from the original on 1 February 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  3. 1 2 "Games company 4J enjoys year of profit". Herald Scotland. 2 August 2011. Archived from the original on 16 June 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  4. ↑ Elliott, Phil (12 August 2008). "4J's Chris van der Kuyl". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  5. ↑ Gera, Emily (13 November 2012). "Minecraft XBLA and Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion developers form Stormcloud Games studio". Polygon. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  6. ↑ Weber, Rachel (13 November 2012). "New studio Storm Cloud launches in Scotland". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  7. ↑ Kerr, Chris (15 March 2018). "Minecraft console edition dev invests in Scottish studio Puny Astronaut". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  8. ↑ Dring, Christopher (15 March 2018). "4J Studios invests 'six-figure sum' in Scottish indie dev Puny Astronaut". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  9. ↑ Partis, Danielle (25 October 2022). "4J Studios announces move into publishing". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on 25 October 2022. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
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