Editing Factor 5 (section)

{{Short description|German-American video game developer}}
{{About|the software company|the blood coagulation protein|Factor V}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox company
|name = Factor 5 GmbH<br />Factor 5, Inc. (US branch)
|logo = Factor 5 Logo.png
|logo_size = 250px
|type = [[Privately owned company|Private]]
|foundation = 1987
|defunct = 2011
|fate =
|location = Cologne, Germany<br />San Rafael, California, U.S.
|key_people = Achim Moller, CEO<br />[[Julian Eggebrecht]], President (U.S. branch)
|industry = [[Video game industry|Video games]]
|products = ''[[Lair (video game)|Lair]]''<br />[[Star Wars: Rogue Squadron (series)|''Rogue Squadron'' series]]<br />''[[Turrican]]'' series<br />MusyX: Dolby Sound Tools<br />[[DivX|DivX For Games SDK]]
|revenue =
|operating_income =
|net_income =
|num_employees =
|homepage = {{Official website | http://www.factor5.com/}}
}}

'''Factor 5 GmbH''' was a German-American [[Independent business|independent]] [[software]] and [[video game developer]]. The company was co-founded by five former [[Rainbow Arts]] employees in 1987 in [[Cologne]], Germany, which served as the inspiration behind the studio's name.

In order to have a stronger relationship with Factor 5's North American partners like [[LucasArts]], '''Factor 5, Inc.''' was established in the United States in May 1996 with legal support from LucasArts, and in late 1996 the core of the development team in Germany was relocated to the North American company headquarters in [[San Rafael, California|San Rafael]], [[California]].<ref name="FACTOR 5">{{Cite web|url=http://www.factor5.de/index.php?page=chome|title=FACTOR 5|website=www.factor5.de}}</ref><ref name="Postmortem: Factor 5's Star Wars Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron II">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/2993/postmortem_factor_5s_star_wars_.php|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071220041014/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/2993/postmortem_factor_5s_star_wars_.php|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 December 2007|title=Postmortem: Factor 5's Star Wars Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron II|author=Thomas Engel|publisher=Gamasutra}}</ref> [[Julian Eggebrecht]], one of the five initial co-founders, served as President of Factor 5's U.S. branch.

The U.S. company closed in May 2009, following the closure of [[Brash Entertainment]], with which the company had multiple contracts.<ref name="Factor 5 Closed">{{cite web |url=http://www.next-gen.biz/news/lair-dev-factor-5-closes |title=Lair Dev Factor 5 Closes |author=Tom Ivan |publisher=Edge |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110323014023/http://www.next-gen.biz/news/lair-dev-factor-5-closes |archive-date=2011-03-23 }}</ref> The original German company, headed by CEO Achim Moller, remained active due to its unrelated business policy and operations with the North American company.<ref name="Factor 5 Shuts Down">{{cite web|url=http://uk.wii.ign.com/articles/982/982870p1.html|title=Factor 5 Shuts Down|author=Matt Casamassina|date=14 May 2009|publisher=IGN}}</ref><ref name="Factor 5 Germany Confirms U.S. Studio Closure">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=23625|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090517063024/http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=23625|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 May 2009|title=Factor 5 Germany Confirms U.S. Studio Closure|author=Leigh Alexander|publisher=Gamasutra}}</ref>

However, in January 2011, Moller liquidated Factor 5 GmbH, and all game licenses were transferred to "Eggebrecht, Engel, Schmidt GbR".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=451147|title=Factor 5 now completely dead &#124; NeoGAF|accessdate=30 November 2023}}</ref>

On March 15, 2017, Factor 5 co-founder Julian Eggebrecht had announced that the company has returned and re-acquired the rights to the ''Turrican'' franchise.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://gonintendo.com/stories/276107-factor-5-rises-from-the-ashes-reacquires-turrican-license-gives|title = Factor 5 rises from the ashes, reacquires Turrican license, gives insight into Switch development|date = 15 March 2017}}</ref>