Editing Surreal Software (section)

== History ==
Surreal Software was founded in 1995 as an independent video game development studio by Stuart Denman, Mike Nichols, Alan Patmore and Nick Radovich. Patmore, Nichols and Radovich attended [[Eastside Catholic School|Eastside Catholic High School]] in [[Bellevue, Washington]] together.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=btinterface18&date=20020318&query=alan+patmore | work=The Seattle Times | title=A Surreal Seattle approach to producing video games | date=March 18, 2002}}</ref> They found Stuart Denman, a [[University of Washington]] grad, through an online message board. The group began operating in 1995 in an office in Seattle's [[Queen Anne, Seattle|Queen Anne]] neighborhood. Previously, Radovich sold real estate, Patmore worked at a wireless company, Nichols was working at local game company Boss Studios, and Denman had just interned at Microsoft on the Excel team.

Their first contract was with Bothell-based children's game developer [[Humongous Entertainment|Humongous]], which found Denman's website and called to recruit programmers for Humongous. Surreal instead offered to do contract work. Surreal developed the Riot Engine for its games in 1996. First receiving critical acclaim with the 1999 release of ''[[Drakan: Order of the Flame]]'',<ref>{{cite news|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D07E2D91639F931A2575BC0A96F958260|title=GAME THEORY; The Feel of Cinema, but a Game at Heart|author=J. C. Herz|work=New York Times|date=August 12, 1999}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3178/postmortem_surreal_softwares_.php|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080227075801/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3178/postmortem_surreal_softwares_.php|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 27, 2008|title=Postmortem: Surreal Software's Drakan: Order of the Flame|author=Stuart Denman|publisher=Gamasutra}}</ref> Surreal Software continued its success with ''[[Drakan: The Ancients' Gates]]'' in early 2002, both games selling in excess of 250,000 units. Having grown to two development teams, Surreal released ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)|The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'' later that same year, selling over 1.8&nbsp;million units.

In March 2004, Surreal Software released ''[[The Suffering (video game)|The Suffering]]'',<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/2110/postmortem_the_game_design_of_.php|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080227075412/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/2110/postmortem_the_game_design_of_.php|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 27, 2008|title=Postmortem: The Game Design of Surreal's The Suffering|author=Richard Rouse III|publisher=Gamasutra}}</ref> an original concept action-packed horror game set in a secluded island prison, with monster designs by [[Stan Winston]]. Gamers and critics alike enjoyed this bold new contribution to the horror genre and in 2005, ''[[The Suffering: Ties That Bind]]'' followed.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ps3.ign.com/articles/724/724526p1.html|title=Original PS3 IP From Surreal|author=Jeremy Dunham|publisher=IGN}}</ref> In April 2004, [[Midway Games]] acquired Surreal Software as an in-house game studio.<ref>{{cite press release |title=PR 2004-04-06: Midway Raises First Quarter 2004 Guidance |url=http://www.investor.midway.com/rxpage/mpr_968.html |publisher=[[Midway Games]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061103024621/https://www.investor.midway.com/rxpage/mpr_968.html |archive-date=3 November 2006 |date=6 April 2004 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2006, the Surreal Software staff moved from Fremont to their new waterfront studio on Elliott Avenue next to the [[Olympic Sculpture Park]]. In 2009, Surreal Software was among the Midway Games assets purchased by [[Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment]]. In 2010, the company was merged into the nearby studio [[Monolith Productions]].