Menu
Home Explore People Places Arts History Plants & Animals Science Life & Culture Technology
On this page
BBC Multimedia
Division of the BBC

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

Related Image Collections Add Image
We don't have any YouTube videos related to BBC Multimedia yet.
We don't have any PDF documents related to BBC Multimedia yet.
We don't have any Books related to BBC Multimedia yet.

History

The Multimedia division was founded in 19951 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 release4 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

GamePlatform(s)Release Date
Attenborough's AntarcticWindows 95 / 98 / 3.11997
BalamoryWindows 98 / 95 / XP2004
Bill & Ben: Flowerpot Fun!Windows 98 / 952001
BBC Games Collection Featuring Toybox/PlaytimeWindows 98 / 95 / XP2003 / 2005
Blue PeterWindows 951997
Bob the Builder: Bob Builds a Park (Published in North America by THQ)Windows 98 / Me / XP2001
Bob the Builder: Bob's Castle Adventure (Published in North America by THQ)Windows 98 / Me / XP2003
Bob the Builder: Can We Fix It? (Published in North America by THQ)Microsoft Windows, PlayStation2000 / 2001
Bob the Builder: Fix it Fun! (Published in North America by THQ)Game Boy Color2000 / 2001
Changing RoomsWindows 95 / 98N/A
Doctor Who: Destiny of the DoctorsWindows 951997
Fast Show Comedy Fun PackWindows 95 / 98N/A
Fawlty Towers – Comedy PackWindows 95 / 98N/A
Fimbles: Fimbling FunWindows 95 / 98 / XP2003
Gardeners' World Magazine Garden Manager with Alan TitchmarshWindows 95 / 98N/A
GCSE Bitesize Revision: MathsWindows 95 / 982000
GCSE Bitesize Revision: ScienceWindows 95 / 982000
The Human Body – Your BodyWindows 95 / 981999
Key Stage 2 ReviseWise ScienceWindows 95 / 981997
Key Stage 3 Bitesize Revision EnglishWindows 95 / 981999
Key Stage 3 Bitesize Revision MathsWindows 95 / 981999
Live & Kicking: Show MakerWindows 3.1 / 95 / 981995
MastermindWindows 3.1 / 95 / 981997
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 / 981998 (UK) 1999 (US)
Noddy: The Magic of ToytownWindows 95 / 981996
Noddy's Magic AdventurePlayStation2000
Noddy and the Birthday PartyGame Boy Color2000
Only Fools & HorsesWindows 95 / 98N/A
Pingu & FriendsWindows, Macintosh1999
Pingu: A Barrel of Fun!Windows 95 / 981997
Play with the Teletubbies (Published in North America by Knowledge Adventure)Windows 95 / 98 /PlayStation1998 / 2000
Teletubbies 2: Favourite Games (Published in North America by Knowledge Adventure)Windows 95 / 981999
Result: The BBC Sports Quiz presented by Desmond LynamWindows 95N/A
Robot Wars: Advanced Destruction (Published in North America by Vivendi Universal Games)Game Boy Advance2001
Robot Wars: Metal MayhemGame Boy Color2000
Rotten Ralph – Big Night InWindows 95 / 982000
S Club 7: On The RoadWindows 95 / 98 / Me / 2000 / XP2003
Shakespeare on CD-ROM: MacbethWindows 3.1 / 95 / 981995
Shakespeare on CD-ROM: Romeo and JulietWindows 95 / 98199520
SMartWindows 95 / 98 / NTN/A
Spark Island Adventures in Literacy 7-9Windows, Macintosh1997
Spark Island Adventures in Literacy 9-11Windows, Macintosh1997
Spark Island Adventures in Maths 7-9Windows, Macintosh1997
Spark Island Farmer Rumtums Letter Fun 3-5Windows, Macintosh1999
Spark Island Farmer Rumtums Number Fun 3-5Windows, Macintosh1999
Spark Island Maths Adventures 9-11Windows, Macintosh2001
Spark Island Number Games 5-7Windows, Macintosh2001
Spark Island Reading Games 5-7Windows, Macintosh2001
Top Of The Pops: Mix FactoryWindows 95 / 98N/A
Top Of The Pops: Mix Factory 2Windows 95 / 98199921
Tweenies: Doodles' BonesWindows 95 / 98, Game Boy Color2000
Tweenies: Game TimePlayStation2001
Tweenies: Messy Time MagicWindows 95 / 982002
Tweenies: Play to the MusicWindows 95 / 98 / Me / XP2004
Tweenies: Ready to PlayWindows 95 / 982000
Wallace & Gromit Cracking AnimatorWindows 95 / 981997
Wallace & Gromit Print-o-maticWindows 95 / 981998
The Weakest Link (published by Activision)Microsoft Windows, PlayStation, PlayStation 22001
Yoho Ahoy: All Aboard!Windows 982000

Gamezlab

GamePlatform(s)Release Date
Robot Wars: Arenas of Destruction (Published in North America by Vivendi Universal Games)Windows 98 / Me, PlayStation 22001
Robot Wars: Extreme DestructionWindows 95 / 98 / 2000 / Me / XP, Xbox, Game Boy Advance2002
Ace LightningWindows, PlayStation 22002
FightBoxWindows, PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance2004
SpooksPlayStation 2, Xbox, WindowsCancelled

See also

  • BBC portal
  • Video games portal

References

  1. French, Michael (6 August 2007). "BBC to return to games development?". MCV. Retrieved 30 June 2014. http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/bbc-to-return-to-games-development/017892

  2. "BBC - Worldwide Press Office - Robot Wars activated on Xbox". www.bbc.co.uk. https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/bbcworldwide/worldwidestories/pressreleases/2002/05_may/robot_wars_xbox.shtml

  3. "BBC - Worldwide Press Office - BBC Multimedia at E3". www.bbc.co.uk. https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/bbcworldwide/worldwidestories/pressreleases/2002/05_may/e3.shtml

  4. "BBC - Worldwide Press Office - Bob the Builder: Bob Builds a Park PC CD-ROM". www.bbc.co.uk. https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/bbcworldwide/worldwidestories/pressreleases/2002/05_may/bob_builds_a_park.shtml

  5. "BBC - Worldwide Press Office - Tweenies Get Messy". www.bbc.co.uk. https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/bbcworldwide/worldwidestories/pressreleases/2002/05_may/tweenies.shtml

  6. "BBC - Worldwide Press Office - Multimedia - Children's Titles". www.bbc.co.uk. https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/bbcworldwide/worldwidestories/pressreleases/2002/07_july/multimedia_childrens_software.shtml

  7. "BBC - Worldwide Press Office - PC Fimbling Fun from BBC Multimedia". www.bbc.co.uk. https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/bbcworldwide/worldwidestories/pressreleases/2002/11_november/fimbles_cdrom.shtml

  8. "BBC - Worldwide Press Office - Fight the fear on PS2 with Ace Lightning". www.bbc.co.uk. https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/bbcworldwide/worldwidestories/pressreleases/2003/02_february/ace_ps2.shtml

  9. "BBC - Worldwide Press Office - BBC Multimedia brings FightBox to E3". www.bbc.co.uk. https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/bbcworldwide/worldwidestories/pressreleases/2003/05_may/fightbox_e3.shtml

  10. Yarwood, Jack (22 March 2023). "Remembering FightBox, BBC's Big-Budget Video Game Failure". Time Extension. Hookshot Media. Retrieved 23 March 2023. https://www.timeextension.com/features/remembering-fightbox-bbcrs-big-budget-video-game-failure

  11. "BBC - Worldwide Press Office - Award Winning Bob Returns on PC CD-ROM". www.bbc.co.uk. https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/bbcworldwide/worldwidestories/pressreleases/2003/05_may/bob_castle.shtml

  12. "BBC - Worldwide Press Office - BBC Multimedia publishes Engie Benjy PC CD-ROM". www.bbc.co.uk. https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/bbcworldwide/worldwidestories/pressreleases/2003/05_may/enjie_benjy_pc.shtml

  13. "BBC - Worldwide Press Office - FightBox on PC, PlayStation 2 and Game Boy Advance". www.bbc.co.uk. https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/bbcworldwide/worldwidestories/pressreleases/2003/10_october/fightbox_multimedia.shtml

  14. "BBC - Worldwide Press Office - Top story for Balamory". www.bbc.co.uk. https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/bbcworldwide/worldwidestories/pressreleases/2003/11_november/balamory.shtml

  15. "BBC - Worldwide Press Office - Balamory goes interactive". www.bbc.co.uk. https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/bbcworldwide/worldwidestories/pressreleases/2004/01_january/balamory_pc_cd.shtml

  16. "BBC - Worldwide Press Office -". www.bbc.co.uk. https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/bbcworldwide/worldwidestories/pressreleases/2004/01_january/playtime_cdrom.shtml

  17. "BBC - Worldwide Press Office - Spooks revealed as multi-format computer game". www.bbc.co.uk. https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/bbcworldwide/worldwidestories/pressreleases/2004/02_february/spooks_multimedia.shtml

  18. "GSP licenses BBC Worldwide's catalogue of award winning software". GamesIndustry.biz. 2 November 2004. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/gsp-licenses-bbc-worldwides-catalogue-of-award-winning-software

  19. French, Michael (21 January 2010). "BBC gets back into games". MCV. Retrieved 30 June 2014. http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/bbc-gets-back-into-games

  20. BBC Shakespeare on CD-ROM – Romeo and Juliet. ASIN 0003252787. 25 April 1995 /wiki/Amazon_Standard_Identification_Number

  21. "Top Of The Pops: Mix Factory 2". GameTrailers. Retrieved 18 February 2014. http://www.gametrailers.com/games/nt002l/top-of-the-pops--mix-factory-2