Difference between revisions of "Fantasy Productions"
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| − | '''''Fantasy Productions''''' (often abbreviated '''''FanPro''''') is pair of game and publishing companies from [[w:Germany|Germany]] and the [[w:USA|USA]], respectively. Owned and managed by essentially the same people, they | + | '''''Fantasy Productions''''' (often abbreviated '''''FanPro''''') is pair of game and publishing companies from [[w:Germany|Germany]] and the [[w:USA|USA]], respectively, who held the [[BattleTech]] license for a time. Owned and managed by essentially the same people, they are generally perceived as a single entity but legally they are in fact two distinct firms. |
| + | |||
| + | The German firm exists since 1983. The US firm was created in 2001 and ceased operations in 2006. | ||
==FanPro Germany== | ==FanPro Germany== | ||
| − | The '''Fantasy Productions GmbH''', based in Düsseldorf and later Erkrath, Germany, was founded in 1983 by [[Ulrich Kiesow]], [[Werner Fuchs]] and [[Hans-Joachim Alpers]] to produce | + | The '''Fantasy Productions GmbH''', originally based in [[w:Düsseldorf|Düsseldorf]] and later in [[w:Erkrath|Erkrath]], Germany, was founded in 1983 by [[Ulrich Kiesow]], [[Werner Fuchs]] and [[Hans-Joachim Alpers]] to produce [[w:Miniature figure (gaming)|gaming miniatures]]. They also created the massively popular and successful German fantasy role-playing game ''Das Schwarze Auge'' ([[w:The Dark Eye|The Dark Eye]]), which was published in cooperation with [[w:Schmidt Spiele|Schmidt Spiele]] (Schmidt Spiel & Freizeit GmbH) and [[w:Droemer Knaur|Droemer Knaur]] publishing house. Kiesow's editorial work for ''Das Schwarze Auge'' was organized at FanPro, and the firm evolved into a major German publisher of role playing games and science-fiction/fantasy literature. Following the bankruptcy of Schmidt Spiel & Freizeit GmbH in 1997, FanPro published ''Das Schwarze Auge'' in-house. |
| + | |||
| + | Under license from [[FASA Corporation]], FanPro produced the German-language edition of [[BattleTech]] from 1988 onwards. FanPro did not merely translate the original material. They added original content like new scenarios to their translations of various scenario packs, and created new products by putting together content from several original sources (like ''[[Mächte der Inneren Sphäre]]'', a compilation of the five original House Books, or the ''[[Atlas der Inneren Sphäre]]''). They also produced at least one German-only sourcebook (''[[Ronin!]]'') with completely original content. | ||
| − | + | FanPro also produced the German version of [[Shadowrun]], FASA's other highly successful game. | |
| − | + | When FASA unexpectedly withdrew from the market in 2001, the [[w:intellectual properties|intellectual properties]] to BattleTech and Shadowrun (among others) were transferred to [[WizKids]] and FanPro created a sister company in the United States (see below) to license these IPs from WizKids, thus becoming the producer for the original (English) version of these games as well. | |
As of 2004, FanPro was reported to have 12 employees, plus a large number of freelance authors. | As of 2004, FanPro was reported to have 12 employees, plus a large number of freelance authors. | ||
| − | In 2007 the company reduced itself to its book publishing division (formerly their ''Phoenix'' imprint), after their BattleTech and Shadowrun licenses ran out in that year and were not renewed. | + | In 2007 the company reduced itself to its book publishing division (formerly their ''Phoenix'' imprint), after their BattleTech and Shadowrun licenses ran out in that year and were not renewed. WizKids licensed the BattleTech and Shadowrun rights to [[InMediaRes]] instead who proceeded to market the games through their [[Catalyst Game Labs]] imprint. |
The rights to ''Das Schwarze Auge'' were sold to Ulisses Spiele. FanPro continued its novel series for ''Das Schwarze Auge'', but had a disagreement with Catalyst over whether or not FanPro had retained the right to publish new German-language BattleTech and Shadowrun novels (which Catalyst denied). Several German-language BattleTech novels were published in this time which have not been translated into English to date. In 2008, FanPro ceased further publications for BattleTech and Shadowrun. | The rights to ''Das Schwarze Auge'' were sold to Ulisses Spiele. FanPro continued its novel series for ''Das Schwarze Auge'', but had a disagreement with Catalyst over whether or not FanPro had retained the right to publish new German-language BattleTech and Shadowrun novels (which Catalyst denied). Several German-language BattleTech novels were published in this time which have not been translated into English to date. In 2008, FanPro ceased further publications for BattleTech and Shadowrun. | ||
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==FanPro US== | ==FanPro US== | ||
| − | + | In 2001, the owners of FanPro set up a sister company, '''Fantasy Productions LLC''' (also often referred to as FanPro US), in Chicago, although most of its employees worked remotely. FanPro US initially licensed the rights to produce English-language ''Shadowrun'' books in early 2001 from WizKids who had obtained the licensing rights from FASA, and by the summer of 2001 FanPro LLC had also signed an agreement to publish what was now known as [[Classic BattleTech]] in English. The staff of authors that went to work for FanPro was largely identical to the people who had previously worked for FASA, so the transition was seamless. | |
| − | + | All English material published by FanPro also bears the WizKids logo and is copyrighted to WizKids (instead of FanPro). | |
| − | From 2001 to 2005, FanPro | + | From 2001 to 2005, FanPro US released over a dozen original Shadowrun titles and reprinted core titles that FASA had originally released. They continued to release new Classic BattleTech books in English, and in 2006 released [[Total Warfare]], the first in a series of revised full-color books for Classic BattleTech. FanPro Germany continued to translate these books and publish them in Germany, along with German-only Shadowrun books. Conversely, FanPro US published The Dark Eye, a translated English edition of ''Das Schwarze Auge''. |
FanPro LLC allegedly<ref>''According to a [http://forum.rpg.net/showpost.php?p=11857231&postcount=11 forum post by Rob Boyle]''</ref> lost a significant amount of money when their distributor '''Fast Forward Entertainment''' ('''FFE'''), through whom all their income was funneled, collapsed. FFE is said to have grown too rapidly and hired employees with FanPro's money while creating what was described as an "accounting mess" through poor bookkeeping that made it impossible to find out just how much of FanPro's money they had actually spent. This, combined with business decisions by the FanPro owners that benefitted FanPro Germany to the detriment of FanPro US, spelled doom for FanPro US. | FanPro LLC allegedly<ref>''According to a [http://forum.rpg.net/showpost.php?p=11857231&postcount=11 forum post by Rob Boyle]''</ref> lost a significant amount of money when their distributor '''Fast Forward Entertainment''' ('''FFE'''), through whom all their income was funneled, collapsed. FFE is said to have grown too rapidly and hired employees with FanPro's money while creating what was described as an "accounting mess" through poor bookkeeping that made it impossible to find out just how much of FanPro's money they had actually spent. This, combined with business decisions by the FanPro owners that benefitted FanPro Germany to the detriment of FanPro US, spelled doom for FanPro US. | ||
Revision as of 17:46, 21 September 2010
Fantasy Productions (often abbreviated FanPro) is pair of game and publishing companies from Germany and the USA, respectively, who held the BattleTech license for a time. Owned and managed by essentially the same people, they are generally perceived as a single entity but legally they are in fact two distinct firms.
The German firm exists since 1983. The US firm was created in 2001 and ceased operations in 2006.
FanPro Germany
The Fantasy Productions GmbH, originally based in Düsseldorf and later in Erkrath, Germany, was founded in 1983 by Ulrich Kiesow, Werner Fuchs and Hans-Joachim Alpers to produce gaming miniatures. They also created the massively popular and successful German fantasy role-playing game Das Schwarze Auge (The Dark Eye), which was published in cooperation with Schmidt Spiele (Schmidt Spiel & Freizeit GmbH) and Droemer Knaur publishing house. Kiesow's editorial work for Das Schwarze Auge was organized at FanPro, and the firm evolved into a major German publisher of role playing games and science-fiction/fantasy literature. Following the bankruptcy of Schmidt Spiel & Freizeit GmbH in 1997, FanPro published Das Schwarze Auge in-house.
Under license from FASA Corporation, FanPro produced the German-language edition of BattleTech from 1988 onwards. FanPro did not merely translate the original material. They added original content like new scenarios to their translations of various scenario packs, and created new products by putting together content from several original sources (like Mächte der Inneren Sphäre, a compilation of the five original House Books, or the Atlas der Inneren Sphäre). They also produced at least one German-only sourcebook (Ronin!) with completely original content.
FanPro also produced the German version of Shadowrun, FASA's other highly successful game.
When FASA unexpectedly withdrew from the market in 2001, the intellectual properties to BattleTech and Shadowrun (among others) were transferred to WizKids and FanPro created a sister company in the United States (see below) to license these IPs from WizKids, thus becoming the producer for the original (English) version of these games as well.
As of 2004, FanPro was reported to have 12 employees, plus a large number of freelance authors.
In 2007 the company reduced itself to its book publishing division (formerly their Phoenix imprint), after their BattleTech and Shadowrun licenses ran out in that year and were not renewed. WizKids licensed the BattleTech and Shadowrun rights to InMediaRes instead who proceeded to market the games through their Catalyst Game Labs imprint.
The rights to Das Schwarze Auge were sold to Ulisses Spiele. FanPro continued its novel series for Das Schwarze Auge, but had a disagreement with Catalyst over whether or not FanPro had retained the right to publish new German-language BattleTech and Shadowrun novels (which Catalyst denied). Several German-language BattleTech novels were published in this time which have not been translated into English to date. In 2008, FanPro ceased further publications for BattleTech and Shadowrun.
They now operate as Fantasy Productions Verlags- und Medienvertriebsgesellschaft mbH.
FanPro US
In 2001, the owners of FanPro set up a sister company, Fantasy Productions LLC (also often referred to as FanPro US), in Chicago, although most of its employees worked remotely. FanPro US initially licensed the rights to produce English-language Shadowrun books in early 2001 from WizKids who had obtained the licensing rights from FASA, and by the summer of 2001 FanPro LLC had also signed an agreement to publish what was now known as Classic BattleTech in English. The staff of authors that went to work for FanPro was largely identical to the people who had previously worked for FASA, so the transition was seamless.
All English material published by FanPro also bears the WizKids logo and is copyrighted to WizKids (instead of FanPro).
From 2001 to 2005, FanPro US released over a dozen original Shadowrun titles and reprinted core titles that FASA had originally released. They continued to release new Classic BattleTech books in English, and in 2006 released Total Warfare, the first in a series of revised full-color books for Classic BattleTech. FanPro Germany continued to translate these books and publish them in Germany, along with German-only Shadowrun books. Conversely, FanPro US published The Dark Eye, a translated English edition of Das Schwarze Auge.
FanPro LLC allegedly[1] lost a significant amount of money when their distributor Fast Forward Entertainment (FFE), through whom all their income was funneled, collapsed. FFE is said to have grown too rapidly and hired employees with FanPro's money while creating what was described as an "accounting mess" through poor bookkeeping that made it impossible to find out just how much of FanPro's money they had actually spent. This, combined with business decisions by the FanPro owners that benefitted FanPro Germany to the detriment of FanPro US, spelled doom for FanPro US.
The FanPro US staff made an attempt to buy the company out, but the owners refused. Subsequently, the staff all quit and then went to work for Catalyst Game Labs who had acquired the licenses. Catalyst operates from the same business adress that FanPro LLC had previously had.
References
- ↑ According to a forum post by Rob Boyle
External links
The text in this article is based on this revision of the Wikipedia article "Fantasy Productions" used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. See the BattleTechWiki's copyright notice.