Aspyr

Template:Use mdy dates

Ted Staloch (Executive Vice President Publishing)

**Aspyr Media, Inc.** is an American video game developer and publisher founded by Michael Rogers and Ted Staloch in Austin, Texas. Originally founded to bring top gaming titles to Mac OS, the company, since 2005, has become a publisher and developer of entertainment for multiple gaming platforms.

Aspyr works with partners including LucasArts, 2K Games, Activision, Gearbox Software; their catalog includes franchises Call of Duty, Sid Meier's Civilization, SimCity, Borderlands and Star Wars.

## History

 File:Aspyr-logo-old.png
 File:Aspyr Media Logo.svg
In 1996, Aspyr Media, Inc., was established by Michael Rogers and Ted Staloch in Austin, Texas. Staloch, who had a background in sales and marketing and Rogers, who worked with TechWorks, noticed that there was a lack of gaming titles available to Mac owners and set out to change it. According to Rogers, when naming the company, they “wanted something meaning ‘to aspire and be great’” and also “memorable and unique.” Aspyr made its name specializing in porting video games from Microsoft Windows to macOS, including popular franchises Call of Duty, Sid Meier's Civilization, Star Wars, Borderlands, and SimCity.

By 2003, they owned 60 percent of the Mac entertainment market. In 2005, Aspyr partnered with Alex Seropian of Wideload Games and released their first originally-published AAA game, Stubbs The Zombie, to Mac OS, Windows and Xbox. In 2015, Aspyr Media expanded their platform catalog again by releasing an iOS port of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and later, Bioware's classic-action RPG, Jade Empire - a title they extended to Android as well. In 2015, Aspyr developed and published Fahrenheit: Indigo Prophecy Remastered, a remaster of a game developed by Quantic Dream, to a worldwide audience with enhanced game features, updated visuals and controls, as well as content that was censored in the original North American release.

Currently, Aspyr's catalog includes popular games such as Sid Meier's Civilization VI, developed in 2018 on Mac, Linux, iOS and Nintendo Switch, Layers of Fear, >observer\_, Torn, and the re-releases of LucasArts titles: Star Wars: Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast and Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy.

According to Elizabeth Howard, vice president of publishing at Aspyr Media, the company's current focus is less on internal IP and more on company growth, establishing bigger undertakings with big brands. Aspyr has published over 190 games, and have added 90 plus members to their team since 1996.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Savlov, Marc; Fri.; Nov. 19; 2004. "Controlling Their Own Destiny" (in en-US). https://www.austinchronicle.com/screens/2004-11-19/238573/.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Aspyr Media" (in en). https://www.aspyr.com/.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 "Ted Staloch Video Game Credits and Biography". https://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,164205/.
4. ↑ August 29, Jon Carr-; 2013. "MacGameStore Feature: Aspyr Media Interview with Michael Rogers" (in en-us). https://www.macgamestore.com/features/article-3/Aspyr-Media-Interview-with-Michael-Rogers/.
5. ↑ Template:Citation
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Aspyr ships Stubbs the Zombie for Mac" (in en). 2005-11-23. https://www.macworld.com/article/1048108/aspyr.html.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Use The Force - And A Controller - With KOTOR For iOS, Now On Sale" (in en-US). 2014-03-06. https://www.cultofmac.com/268967/use-force-controller-kotor-ios-now-sale/.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "BioWare Action RPG Jade Empire Now Available On iOS". https://kotaku.com/bioware-action-rpg-jade-empire-now-available-on-ios-1787481767.
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Aspyr Announces Fahrenheit: Indigo Prophecy Remastered Available Now" (in en). 2015-01-29. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150129005150/en/Aspyr-Announces-Fahrenheit-Indigo-Prophecy-Remastered.
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Sid Meier’s Civilization® VI Coming to Xbox One and PlayStation 4 on November 22, 2019" (in en). 2019-09-24. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190924005085/en/Sid-Meier%E2%80%99s-Civilization%C2%AE-VI-Coming-Xbox-PlayStation.
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Hayden, Scott (2018-08-31). "'Torn' Review: Masterful 'Black Mirror' Style Storytelling Tarnished by Repetitive Puzzles" (in en-US). https://www.roadtovr.com/torn-review-masterful-black-mirror-style-storytelling-tarnished-repetitive-puzzles/.
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 "Aspyr spreads beyond Mac with classic Star Wars game for the Switch and PS4" (in en-US). 2019-09-24. https://venturebeat.com/2019/09/24/aspyr-spreads-out-with-classic-star-wars-game-for-the-switch-and-ps4/.
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 "Aspyr Media (video game company, United States) - Glitchwave video games database". https://glitchwave.com/game-company/aspyr-media/.
14. ↑ "Aspyr announces Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3" (in en). 2002-10-24. https://www.macworld.com/article/1007591/tonyhawk.html.
15. ↑ "Aspyr Media Inc. Releases Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness for Macintosh" (in en). 2003-12-18. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20031218005390/en/Aspyr-Media-Releases-Lara-Croft-Tomb-Raider.
16. ↑ "Aspyr to publish Command & Conquer Generals for Mac" (in en). 2003-09-26. https://www.macworld.com/article/1026884/generals.html.
17. ↑ "The Sims 2 coming to Mac" (in en). 2004-10-19. https://www.macworld.com/article/1040132/sims.html.
18. ↑ "Aspyr releases Doom 3 for Macintosh" (in en). 2005-03-14. https://www.macworld.com/article/1043579/doom3.html.
19. ↑ "Review: RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 Platinum for Mac" (in en). 2013-03-21. https://www.macworld.com/article/2031150/review-rollercoaster-tycoon-3-platinum-for-mac.html.
20. ↑ Alexander, Leigh. "Aspyr, Activision Partner For PC/Mac Guitar Hero III" (in en). https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/106409/Aspyr\_Activision\_Partner\_For\_PCMac\_Guitar\_Hero\_III.php.
21. ↑ "The Sims Life Stories" (in en). 2007-04-20. https://www.macworld.com/article/1057467/simsls.html.
22. ↑ "Aspyr Ships Star Wars: The Force Unleashed for Mac – The Mac Observer". https://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/aspyr\_ships\_star\_wars\_the\_force\_unleashed\_for\_mac.
23. ↑ https://www.mobygames.com/game/windows/star-wars-the-force-unleashed-ultimate-sith-edition/credits
24. ↑ "Star Wars: Force Unleashed II confirmed for DS, PC, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360" (in en). 2012-11-08. http://www.gamingtarget.com/article.php?artid=11467.
25. ↑ "Aspyr Media Announces Borderlands™ 2 Coming to the Mac November 20th" (in en). 2012-11-08. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20121108006638/en/Aspyr-Media-Announces-Borderlands%E2%84%A2-2-Coming-Mac.
26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 Chrisp, Ethan (2019-04-02). "Call of Duty: Black Ops III rated for macOS release" (in en-US). https://charlieintel.com/call-of-duty-black-ops-iii-rated-for-macos-release/53379/.
27. ↑ Byford, Sam (2013-08-01). "'Bioshock Infinite' coming to Mac on August 29th" (in en). https://www.theverge.com/2013/8/1/4580832/bioshock-infinite-mac-version-coming-in-august.
28. ↑ Pitcher, Jenna (2014-05-21). "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and 3 hit Mac" (in en). https://www.polygon.com/2014/5/21/5737116/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-2-and-3-hit-mac.
29. ↑ "FunBITS: SimCity 4 Returns to the Mac" (in en). 2014-06-20. https://tidbits.com/2014/06/20/funbits-simcity-4-returns-to-the-mac/.
30. ↑ Truta, Filip. "Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth Available for Download in the Mac App Store" (in english). https://news.softpedia.com/news/Sid-Meier-s-Civilization-Beyond-Earth-Available-for-Download-in-the-Mac-App-Store-466206.shtml.
31. ↑ Hardwick, Tim. "Open World Action-Adventure 'Mafia 3' Coming to Mac on May 11 [Update: Now Available"] (in en). https://www.macrumors.com/2017/05/10/mafia-3-for-mac-may-11/.
32. ↑ "Top 10 Indie Games On The Nintendo Switch, Ranked" (in en-US). 2019-08-19. https://www.thegamer.com/nintendo-switch-indie-games-ranked/.
33. ↑ "Aspyr Brings Civilization VI to iPhone" (in en-US). https://www.macobserver.com/cool-stuff-found/aspyr-civilization-vi-iphone/.

## External links

* Template:Official website
* Aspyr Media, Inc. at MobyGames