BBC Multimedia

Former division of the BBC

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages)

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "BBC Multimedia" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (March 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

The topic of this article may not meet Wikipedia's notability guidelines for companies and organizations. Please help to demonstrate the notability of the topic by citing reliable secondary sources that are independent of the topic and provide significant coverage of it beyond a mere trivial mention. If notability cannot be shown, the article is likely to be merged, redirected, or deleted.
Find sources: "BBC Multimedia" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (March 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

This article relies excessively on references to primary sources. Please improve this article by adding secondary or tertiary sources.
Find sources: "BBC Multimedia" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (March 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

(Learn how and when to remove this message)

BBC Multimedia

Founded| 1995; 30 years ago (1995)
Defunct| 2006 (2006)
Headquarters|

Broadcasting House, Portland Place, London

United Kingdom

Products| Doctor Who
Robot Wars
Teletubbies
Tweenies
Bob the Builder
Noddy
Pingu
Wallace and Gromit
Owner| BBC
Parent| BBC Worldwide
Subsidiaries| Gamezlab

BBC Multimedia was a division of the BBC which dealt with the publishing of computer-game versions of well-known BBC television programmes.

## History

[edit]

The Multimedia division was founded in 1995[1] and mostly focused on CD-ROM software for Microsoft Windows and Macintosh.

The company attended E3 2002 by announcing its first game for the Xbox, Robot Wars: Extreme Destruction, set for a November 2002 release,[2] as well as a game adaptation of the CBBC series Ace Lightning for the PlayStation 2, with both games also on Microsoft Windows and Game Boy Advance.[3] Other CD-ROM games announced this time were Bob the Builder: Bob Builds a Park, set for a July 2002 release[4] and Tweenies: Messy Time, set for an October 2002 release.[5]

In July 2002, the company launched a budget range called Favourites, consisting of pre-school games.[6] On 5 November 2002, the company announced a Fimbles CD-ROM for a June 2003 release.[7]

On February 6, 2003, the company announced the Ace Lightning video game for March.[8]

At E3 2003, the company announced a video game based on FightBox for PlayStation 2, Microsoft Windows and Game Boy Advance for a pre-Christmas release window to tie-in with the show's airing.[9] The game adaptation was one of the many side-projects done for the FightBox IP, which was mostly worked on by Runecraft. After the company went out of business, the BBC acquired the developer's offices and some of their staff, and re-structured it under the "Gamezlab" name.[10] The company also showcased their Fimbles CD-ROM, in addition to a game based on Tiny Planets, a Bob the Builder game - Bob's Castle Adventure for a July 2003 release,[11] and an Engie Benjy CD-ROM for a September 2003 release.[12] In October, the company announced the FightBox video game for February 2004.[13] On November 24, the company announced a Balamory CD-ROM for 2004.[14]

In January 2004, Balamory was announced for the following month.[15] A compilation release titled Playtime! was announced.[16] In February, the company announced a video game based on Spooks for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Windows, for a late 2004 release window.[17] On 2 November 2004, Global Software Publishing announced acquiring exclusive distribution rights to BBC Multimedia's library. This move was done so BBC Worldwide could refocus BBC Multimedia as a video game licensor instead of being a publisher.[18] Shortly before this, BBC Worldwide closed down Gamezlab and cancelled the upcoming Spooks video game.

BBC Multimedia was closed in 2006 after sales declined in its boxed product business.[19]

## Games

[edit]

Game  | Platform(s)  | Release Date

|
|

Attenborough's Antarctic | Windows 95 / 98 / 3.1  | 1997
Balamory | Windows 98 / 95 / XP  | 2004
Bill & Ben: Flowerpot Fun! | Windows 98 / 95  | 2001
BBC Games Collection Featuring Toybox/Playtime | Windows 98 / 95 / XP  | 2003 / 2005
Blue Peter | Windows 95  | 1997
Bob the Builder: Bob Builds a Park (Published in North America by THQ)  | Windows 98 / Me / XP  | 2001
Bob the Builder: Bob's Castle Adventure (Published in North America by THQ)  | Windows 98 / Me / XP  | 2003
Bob the Builder: Can We Fix It? (Published in North America by THQ)  | Microsoft Windows, PlayStation  | 2000 / 2001
Bob the Builder: Fix it Fun! (Published in North America by THQ)  | Game Boy Color  | 2000 / 2001
Changing Rooms | Windows 95 / 98  | N/A
Doctor Who: Destiny of the Doctors | Windows 95  | 1997
Fast Show Comedy Fun Pack | Windows 95 / 98  | N/A
Fawlty Towers – Comedy Pack | Windows 95 / 98  | N/A
Fimbles: Fimbling Fun | Windows 95 / 98 / XP  | 2003
Gardeners' World Magazine Garden Manager with Alan Titchmarsh | Windows 95 / 98  | N/A
GCSE Bitesize Revision: Maths | Windows 95 / 98  | 2000
GCSE Bitesize Revision: Science | Windows 95 / 98  | 2000
The Human Body – Your Body | Windows 95 / 98  | 1999
Key Stage 2 ReviseWise Science | Windows 95 / 98  | 1997
Key Stage 3 Bitesize Revision English | Windows 95 / 98  | 1999
Key Stage 3 Bitesize Revision Maths | Windows 95 / 98  | 1999
Live & Kicking: Show Maker | Windows 3.1 / 95 / 98  | 1995
Mastermind | Windows 3.1 / 95 / 98  | 1997
Noddy: Let's Get Ready for School! (Released in North America as  Noddy: Playtime in Toyland) (Published in North America by Knowledge Adventure)  | Windows 95 / 98  | 1998 (UK) 1999 (US)
Noddy: The Magic of Toytown | Windows 95 / 98  | 1996
Noddy's Magic Adventure | PlayStation  | 2000
Noddy and the Birthday Party | Game Boy Color  | 2000
Only Fools & Horses | Windows 95 / 98  | N/A
Pingu & Friends | Windows, Macintosh  | 1999
Pingu: A Barrel of Fun! | Windows 95 / 98  | 1997
Play with the Teletubbies (Published in North America by Knowledge Adventure)  | Windows 95 / 98 /PlayStation | 1998 / 2000
Teletubbies 2: Favourite Games (Published in North America by Knowledge Adventure)  | Windows 95 / 98  | 1999
Result: The BBC Sports Quiz presented by Desmond Lynam | Windows 95  | N/A
Robot Wars: Advanced Destruction (Published in North America by Vivendi Universal Games)  | Game Boy Advance | 2001
Robot Wars: Metal Mayhem | Game Boy Color | 2000
Rotten Ralph – Big Night In | Windows 95 / 98  | 2000
S Club 7: On The Road | Windows 95 / 98 / Me / 2000 / XP  | 2003
Shakespeare on CD-ROM: Macbeth | Windows 3.1 / 95 / 98  | 1995
Shakespeare on CD-ROM: Romeo and Juliet | Windows 95 / 98  | 1995[20]
SMart | Windows 95 / 98 / NT  | N/A
Spark Island Adventures in Literacy 7-9 | Windows, Macintosh  | 1997
Spark Island Adventures in Literacy 9-11 | Windows, Macintosh  | 1997
Spark Island Adventures in Maths 7-9 | Windows, Macintosh  | 1997
Spark Island Farmer Rumtums Letter Fun 3-5 | Windows, Macintosh  | 1999
Spark Island Farmer Rumtums Number Fun 3-5 | Windows, Macintosh  | 1999
Spark Island Maths Adventures 9-11 | Windows, Macintosh  | 2001
Spark Island Number Games 5-7 | Windows, Macintosh  | 2001
Spark Island Reading Games 5-7 | Windows, Macintosh  | 2001
Top Of The Pops: Mix Factory | Windows 95 / 98  | N/A
Top Of The Pops: Mix Factory 2 | Windows 95 / 98  | 1999[21]
Tweenies: Doodles' Bones | Windows 95 / 98, Game Boy Color  | 2000
Tweenies: Game Time | PlayStation  | 2001
Tweenies: Messy Time Magic | Windows 95 / 98  | 2002
Tweenies: Play to the Music | Windows 95 / 98 / Me / XP  | 2004
Tweenies: Ready to Play | Windows 95 / 98  | 2000
Wallace & Gromit Cracking Animator | Windows 95 / 98  | 1997
Wallace & Gromit Print-o-matic | Windows 95 / 98  | 1998
The Weakest Link (published by Activision)  | Microsoft Windows, PlayStation, PlayStation 2  | 2001
Yoho Ahoy: All Aboard! | Windows 98  | 2000

### Gamezlab

[edit]

Game  | Platform(s)  | Release Date

|
|

Robot Wars: Arenas of Destruction (Published in North America by Vivendi Universal Games)  | Windows 98 / Me, PlayStation 2 | 2001
Robot Wars: Extreme Destruction | Windows 95 / 98 / 2000 / Me / XP, Xbox, Game Boy Advance | 2002
Ace Lightning | Windows, PlayStation 2 | 2002
FightBox | Windows, PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance | 2004
Spooks | PlayStation 2, Xbox, Windows  | Cancelled

## See also

[edit]

* BBC portal
* Video games portal

* List of video game publishers
* Lists of video games

## References

[edit]

1. ^ French, Michael (6 August 2007). "BBC to return to games development?". MCV. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
2. ^ "BBC - Worldwide Press Office - Robot Wars activated on Xbox". www.bbc.co.uk.
3. ^ "BBC - Worldwide Press Office - BBC Multimedia at E3". www.bbc.co.uk.
4. ^ "BBC - Worldwide Press Office - Bob the Builder: Bob Builds a Park PC CD-ROM". www.bbc.co.uk.
5. ^ "BBC - Worldwide Press Office - Tweenies Get Messy". www.bbc.co.uk.
6. ^ "BBC - Worldwide Press Office - Multimedia - Children's Titles". www.bbc.co.uk.
7. ^ "BBC - Worldwide Press Office - PC Fimbling Fun from BBC Multimedia". www.bbc.co.uk.
8. ^ "BBC - Worldwide Press Office - Fight the fear on PS2 with Ace Lightning". www.bbc.co.uk.
9. ^ "BBC - Worldwide Press Office - BBC Multimedia brings FightBox to E3". www.bbc.co.uk.
10. ^ Yarwood, Jack (22 March 2023). "Remembering FightBox, BBC's Big-Budget Video Game Failure". Time Extension. Hookshot Media. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
11. ^ "BBC - Worldwide Press Office - Award Winning Bob Returns on PC CD-ROM". www.bbc.co.uk.
12. ^ "BBC - Worldwide Press Office - BBC Multimedia publishes Engie Benjy PC CD-ROM". www.bbc.co.uk.
13. ^ "BBC - Worldwide Press Office - FightBox on PC, PlayStation 2 and Game Boy Advance". www.bbc.co.uk.
14. ^ "BBC - Worldwide Press Office - Top story for Balamory". www.bbc.co.uk.
15. ^ "BBC - Worldwide Press Office - Balamory goes interactive". www.bbc.co.uk.
16. ^ "BBC - Worldwide Press Office -". www.bbc.co.uk.
17. ^ "BBC - Worldwide Press Office - Spooks revealed as multi-format computer game". www.bbc.co.uk.
18. ^ "GSP licenses BBC Worldwide's catalogue of award winning software". GamesIndustry.biz. 2 November 2004.
19. ^ French, Michael (21 January 2010). "BBC gets back into games". MCV. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
20. ^ BBC Shakespeare on CD-ROM – Romeo and Juliet. ASIN 0003252787. "25 April 1995"
21. ^ "Top Of The Pops: Mix Factory 2". GameTrailers. Retrieved 18 February 2014.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

* v
* t
* e

BBC

Services|

* Television
* stations
* programmes
* Radio
* stations
* local
* BBC Online
* BBC Red Button
* Ceefax
* iPlayer
* BBC Sounds

Management|

* Chair
* Samir Shah
* Director-General
* Tim Davie
* BBC Board
* BBC Charter
* BBC independence

Departments|

* BBC Academy
* Archives
* BBC Film
* BBC World Service (Timeline)
* Television
* Design & Engineering
* Monitoring
* News
* Pronunciation Unit
* Radio
* Sport
* Weather

Nations and
regions|

| England|

* Birmingham
* Bristol
* East
* East Midlands
* London
* Manchester
* North East & Cumbria
* North West
* South
* South East
* South West
* West
* West Midlands
* Yorkshire
* Yorkshire & Lincolnshire

|

Rest of UK|

* Northern Ireland
* Scotland
* Gàidhlig
* Wales

Commercial
subsidiaries|

* BBC Studios
* Productions
* Natural History Unit
* Home Entertainment
* Demon Music Group
* BBC Studioworks
* BBC Worldwide

History|

* Archives
* Sound Archive
* BBC Trust
* Board of Governors
* British Broadcasting Company
* Coat of arms
* Controversies
* Criticism
* First day of TV
* Logo
* Radio Times
* Genome
* Timeline

Key
properties
(full list)|

| London|

* Broadcasting House
* Lime Grove (former)
* Maida Vale Studios
* Television Centre (former)
* White City & Media Village

|

Birmingham|

* Drama Village
* Mailbox Birmingham
* Pebble Mill Studios (former)

Cardiff|

* New Broadcasting House, Cardiff
* Broadcasting House (former)
* Drama Village (Roath Lock)
* BBC Hoddinott Hall

Other locations|

* Broadcasting House, Belfast
* BBC Elstree Centre
* MediaCityUK, Salford
* Pacific Quay, Glasgow

Finance|

* Television licence
* history

Projects|

* Backstage
* BBC Micro
* BBC UK regional TV on satellite
* The Box
* Bitesize
* BritBox
* Dirac
* Domesday
* Freely
* Freesat
* h2g2
* Local Democracy Reporting Service
* Redux
* YouView

Technical|

* Programme Catalogue
* Programme Identifier

Other|

* List of songs banned by the BBC
* Live at the BBC

* Category
* Portal
* Commons

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template