America (video game)

America is a real-time strategy game developed by Related Designs and published by Data Becker, released in December 2000 and January 2001 to mixed reviews. Set in a post-civil war America, the game plays similarly to Age of Empires.[1] The player may choose to control a group of either settlers, Native Americans, Mexicans or outlaws of that time.[1]

America
German box cover
Developer(s)Related Designs
Publisher(s)Data Becker
Director(s)Thomas Pottkämper
Designer(s)
  • Stefan Binder
  • Andreas Liebeskind
  • Thomas Pottkämper
  • Christian Schmittgen
Programmer(s)Thomas Stein
Artist(s)Igor Posavec
Composer(s)Andreas Liebeskind
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows
Release
  • EU: December 2000
  • NA: 15 January 2001
Genre(s)Real-time strategy
Mode(s)Single-player

Development

America was the first released game developed by German studio Related Designs after the studio had been founded in 1995,[2][3] and the first full-price game published by Data Becker.[4] The game was conceptualised at Data Becker in 1998 and developed in less than 23 months.[4] In Germany, the game was released in late December 2000;[4] a release in North America followed on 15 January 2001.[5] The game was released for Microsoft Windows, specifically supporting the Windows 95, 98, 2000 and Me versions.[6]

Expansion

An expansion pack to American, titled America: Expansion Pack, added eight further missions, a level editor, a multiplayer mode, a revamped game engine to allow for improved artificial intelligence, gameplay and graphics, as well as new units and buildings, to the game.[7] It was also developed by Related Designs,[8] and announced by Data Becker in May 2001, scheduled for release in Germany in September 2001.[9] In North America, Data Becker released the expansion pack on 17 December 2001.[10]

Sequel

On 9 March 2001, CDV Software, by press release, announced that it was producing a real-time strategy developed by Related Designs, tentatively titled America II.[4][11] Data Becker, which owned the rights to the America name, took notice and inquired CDV to cease and desist shortly thereafter. CDV declined to do so as it found no copyright infringement in America II's title, though opted to file for a caveat to protect itself from a preliminary injunction.[4] Data Becker subsequently filed for a preliminary injunction with the Landgericht Berlin on 29 March 2001.[4] At the time, Data Becker intended to produce an America sequel of its own.[12] Data Becker won the case by May, wherefore CDV had to drop the America II title, though it was allowed to continue producing the game under a different name.[12] As a result, America II was retitled No Man's Land.[13] However, CDV continued advertising America II through press releases and its newsletter, prompting further action by Data Becker.[14] CDV also registered the internet domain "america2.de" with registrar DENIC, which redirected users to the website of No Man's Land; a judgement reached by the Kammergericht in Berlin in December 2002 ordered CDV to inquire the deletion of the domain with DENIC and publicise a press release to announce that it was not releasing a game titled America II in 2003.[15]

Data Becker proceeded to produce its own sequel to America, to be titled America 2 or America II, by June 2001, planning to release it in the first quarter of 2003.[16] Data Becker announced its sequel in February 2003, with its release scheduled for later that year.[17] A website for the game was launched in May 2003.[18] It was also scheduled to be displayed at E3 2002.[19] America II was later cancelled.[20]

Reception

John Lee reviewed the PC version of the game for Next Generation, rating it three stars out of five, and stated that "Saddle up old Blitzkrieg! It's time for ein shootout mit der bad guys."[21]

America received mixed reviews, holding a score of 50/100 based on 15 critic reviews on review aggregator website Metacritic.[22][23][24][25][26]

References
  1. IGN Staff (25 August 2000). "Conquer the Frontier in Data Becker's RTS America". IGN. Archived from the original on 13 February 2017. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  2. Sinclair, Brendan (11 April 2013). "Ubisoft completes Related Designs acquisition". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  3. MCV Staff (12 April 2013). "Ubisoft acquires Anno maker Related Designs". MCV.
  4. Philipp, Andreas (24 April 2001). "Data Becker vs. CDV: Einstweilige Verfügung gegen CDV erwirkt ..." [Data Becker vs. CDV: Preliminary injunction against CDV obtainend ...]. Gameswelt (in German). Archived from the original on 14 November 2017. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  5. IGN Staff (13 January 2001). "News Briefs". IGN.
  6. Olafson, Peter (22 February 2001). "GAME THEORY; After So Many Fantasies, Back to Reality". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 27 May 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  7. IGN Staff (18 December 2001). "America Expansion on the Way". IGN. Archived from the original on 6 September 2018. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  8. Pototzki, Tim (3 May 2001). ""America"-AddOn von Data Becker" ["America" add-on from Data Becker]. Gamesmarkt (in German).
  9. GameStar Redaktion (4 May 2001). "Addon zu America" [Addon for America]. GameStar (in German).
  10. "DATA BECKER Announces America Expansion Pack". GameZone. 17 December 2001.
  11. GameStar Redaktion (9 April 2001). "Data Becker gegen CDV" [Data Becker versus CDV]. GameStar (in German).
  12. "Data Becker + CDV: Streit um America" [Data Becker + CDV: Battle for America]. PC Games (in German). 24 April 2001.
  13. Marc (7 April 2001). "Data Becker klagt gegen CDV" [Data Becker sues CDV]. 4Players (in German).
  14. Wiesner, Thorsten (24 April 2001). "CDV und Data Becker: Streit um America geht weiter" [CDV and Data Becker: Battle for America continues]. Golem (in German). Archived from the original on 19 September 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  15. "KG Berlin, Urteil vom 17. Dezember 2002, AZ: 5 U 79/02 – Schikane bei Internet-Domains" [KG Berlin, judgement from 17 December 2002, AZ: 5 U 79/02 – Bullying with Internet domains]. aufrecht.de (in German). 17 December 2012. Archived from the original on 20 August 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  16. Steininger, Stefan (12 June 2001). "Data Becker verstärkt Spiele-Line-up" [Data Becker strengthens games line-up]. Gamesmarkt (in German).
  17. Naser, Bodo (6 February 2003). "America: Data Becker kündigt Nachfolger an" [America: Data Becker announces sequel]. 4Players (in German).
  18. Kautz, Paul (22 May 2003). "America 2: Website online". 4Players (in German).
  19. Walker, Trey (22 May 2002). "E3 2002: America II preshow report". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 9 May 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  20. "America II". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 11 May 2019. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  21. Lee, John (May 2001). "Finals". Next Generation. Vol. 4 no. 5. Imagine Media. p. 89.
  22. "America Critic Reviews for PC". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 30 May 2017. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  23. "America". GameStar (in German). 1 February 2001.
  24. Wiesner, Thorsten (1 March 2001). "Spieletest: America - No peace beyond the line" [Game review: America - No peace beyond the line]. Golem (in German). Archived from the original on 22 June 2018. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  25. Kasavin, Greg (16 February 2001). "America Review". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 1 March 2018. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  26. Butts, Steve (31 January 2001). "America". IGN. Archived from the original on 2 June 2019. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
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