Editing Bullfrog Productions (section)

=== Acquisition by Electronic Arts and Molyneux's departure (1995–1998) ===
According to Edgar, Bullfrog began merger talks with Electronic Arts in 1993.<ref name="History"/> To get the best deal, he believed Bullfrog should also talk with other companies such as [[Sony]] and [[Virgin Interactive|Virgin]].<ref name="History"/> He explained that Electronic Arts was the obvious choice as Bullfrog already had a positive relationship with them.<ref name="History"/> According to Molyneux, Bullfrog received numerous offers expressing interest in purchasing the company. The offers were not taken seriously until major companies, such as Electronic Arts and [[Philips]], made contact; it was then thought that the acquisition by one of these companies would be inevitable.<ref name="ChairPM"/> Bullfrog was bought by Electronic Arts in early January 1995.<ref>{{cite web |access-date=13 April 2008 |url=http://www.allbusiness.com/electronics/computer-equipment-personal-computers/7089474-1.html |title=Electronic Arts to acquire leading European software developer, Bullfrog Productions Ltd. |publisher=AllBusiness |date=6 January 1995 |author= <!--not stated--> |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081205001756/http://www.allbusiness.com/electronics/computer-equipment-personal-computers/7089474-1.html |archive-date=5 December 2008}}</ref> The rumored price of the acquisition was $44 million(£29 million).<ref>{{cite web|first=Michael|last=Foster|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99178270/the-observer/|title=Britain faces game drain|newspaper=[[The Observer]]|page=38|date=March 5, 1995|access-date=April 6, 2022|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> By this time, the studio's staff count had risen from 35 to 60 and the acquisition allowed it to grow to 150 people within months.<ref name="ChairPM"/> Molyneux became a vice-president of Electronic Arts and head of their European branch.<ref name="ChairPM"/><ref name="Kotaku">{{cite web |author1=Jason Schreier|author-link=Jason Schreier|title=The Man Who Promised Too Much |url=http://kotaku.com/the-man-who-promised-too-much-1537352493 |website=Kotaku |access-date=11 June 2017 |date=11 March 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160120201511/http://kotaku.com/the-man-who-promised-too-much-1537352493 |archive-date=20 January 2016}}</ref> Edgar became the vice-president of the European branch and Bullfrog's [[chairman]].<ref>{{cite web |title=PRESS RELEASE Mr. LES EDGAR |url=http://www.lincolnbeasley.co.uk/press_releases/les_edgar/documents/press_release_les_edgar_profile.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051223085718/http://www.lincolnbeasley.co.uk/press_releases/les_edgar/documents/press_release_les_edgar_profile.htm |archive-date=23 December 2005 |website=Lincoln Beasley |access-date=12 June 2017}}</ref> He described Bullfrog becoming part of a multinational company as "a very big change" and worked for Electronic Arts to assist with the transition.<ref name="Audience99">{{cite magazine |magazine=Edge |publisher=[[Future plc]] |issn=1350-1593 |department=Audience |pages=120–125 |issue=74 |date=August 1999 |title=An Audience With Les Edgar |location=Bath}}</ref> Although Molyneux had said that Bullfrog's products would not suffer as a result of Electronic Arts' purchase,<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Ramshaw |first=Mark James |title=Generator |magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]] |issue=17 |publisher=[[Imagine Media]] |date=May 1996 |page=28 |issn=1078-9693}}</ref> the number of games in development meant that there was less time to refine them (despite the company's growth rate), affecting their quality.<ref name="Legend"/>

After the release of ''Magic Carpet'' in 1994, seven games were in development: ''Magic Carpet 2'', ''Theme Hospital'', ''The Indestructibles'', ''Syndicate Wars'', ''Gene Wars'', ''Creation'', and ''Dungeon Keeper''.<ref name="Legend"/> After Electronic Arts' purchase, Molyneux was told to release a game, namely ''Magic Carpet 2'' or ''Dungeon Keeper'', within six weeks.<ref name="Legend"/> Neither was near completion, so to appease Electronic Arts, ''[[Hi-Octane]]'' was created.<ref name="Legend"/><ref name="Legacy">{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/stream/RetroGamerIssue107-110/Retro_Gamer_Issue_110#page/n59/mode/2up |magazine=[[Retro Gamer]] |publisher=[[Imagine Publishing]] |location=Bournemouth |issn=1742-3155 |title=Revisiting Bullfrog: 25 Years On |pages=60–67 |issue=110 |date=December 2012}}</ref> It had a rushed development and no name by July 1995.<ref name="Legend"/><ref name="Legacy"/><ref name="Bullfrog95">{{cite magazine |magazine=Edge |publisher=[[Future plc]] |issue=22 |date=July 1995 |pages=25–27 |issn=1350-1593 |title=Bullfrog |location=Bath}}</ref> Molyneux explained that Bullfrog's games were normally original, and they were not concerned about them being copied, but the project was "a little derivative", which was why it was kept secret—even Edgar was not informed of the project at first.<ref name="Legend"/><ref name="Bullfrog95"/> Around this time, Bullfrog had a reputation for having largely ignored [[History of video game consoles (fourth generation)|16-bit game consoles]], and ''Syndicate Wars'' was the company's first title originally developed for a console—the [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]].<ref name="Bullfrog95"/>

As Molyneux had been made vice-president of Electronic Arts, his corporate role and responsibility increased considerably and he began making frequent trips to San Francisco.<ref name="Kotaku"/><ref name="ChairPM"/> Over time, he grew increasingly frustrated with the position and wished to return to game development.<ref name="Legend"/> In July 1996, Molyneux decided to resign from Bullfrog to focus on game design, rather than become a mere employee.<ref name="Legend"/><ref name="House">{{cite magazine|date=June 1997|title=Welcome to the House of Molyneux|magazine=PC Gamer UK|publisher=Future Publishing|issue=44|pages=74, 75|issn=1470-1693}}</ref><ref name="Audience97">{{cite magazine|date=July 1997|title=An Audience With Peter Molyneux|department=audience|magazine=Edge|location=Bath|publisher=[[Future plc]]|issue=47|pages=22–27|issn=1350-1593}}</ref> In response, Electronic Arts banned him from its offices, forcing him to move development of ''Dungeon Keeper'' to his house.<ref name="DKMaking"/> Molyneux speculated that this was because Electronic Arts feared that he would take people with him.<ref name="ChairPM"/> He decided to leave as soon as ''Dungeon Keeper'' was finished and commented: "My last day will be the day that this game goes into final test. I'm very, very, very sad, but also very relieved."<ref name="House"/> He also said that Electronic Arts had been "unbelievably patient"<ref name="House"/> and thanked vice-president Mark Lewis for campaigning for ''Dungeon Keeper''{{'}}s completion.<ref name="Words">{{cite book |author1=Melissa Tyler |author2=Shin Kanaoya |title=Bullfrog's Official Guide to Dungeon Keeper |date=1997 |publisher=Prima Publishing |isbn=978-0-7615-0714-7 |pages=252–263 |chapter=Brief Words from the Dark Creator-Overlords}}</ref> Molyneux's planned departure was his motivation to make ''Dungeon Keeper'' good.<ref name="Words"/> He believed that he would enjoy being an executive but said that it was "an utter nightmare".<ref name="House"/> Shortly after his departure, Molyneux said he still had feelings for Bullfrog and wished them success.<ref name="House"/><ref name="Audience97" /> Despite his dissatisfaction with the corporate aspects of being vice-president, Molyneux said that he had learned "an enormous amount".<ref name="Drunk">{{cite web |author1=Alex Osborn |title=Peter Molyneux Departed Bullfrog Over a Drunken Email |url=http://uk.ign.com/articles/2017/04/04/peter-molyneux-departed-bullfrog-over-a-drunken-email-a-ign-unfiltered |website=IGN |access-date=14 June 2017 |date=4 April 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191002112243/https://uk.ign.com/articles/2017/04/04/peter-molyneux-departed-bullfrog-over-a-drunken-email-a-ign-unfiltered |archive-date=2 October 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2017, he revealed that his resignation was the consequence of his, and technical director Tim Rance's, drunkenness. He said he would take his resignation email back if he could.<ref name="Drunk"/>

Around this time, as Electronic Arts increased control over Bullfrog.<ref>{{cite web |author1=Chris Higgins |title=Bullfrog 'stopped being the same' after EA takeover |url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/bullfrog-and-lionhead-devs-recount-the-fall-of-british-gaming-at-egx-retrospective |website=PCGamesN |access-date=14 June 2017 |date=9 April 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160923134104/http://www.pcgamesn.com/bullfrog-and-lionhead-devs-recount-the-fall-of-british-gaming-at-egx-retrospective |archive-date=23 September 2016}}</ref> [[Mark Healey]] (the lead artist for ''Dungeon Keeper'')<ref name="DKMaking" /> stated that the company "felt more like a chicken factory" after Electronic Arts' takeover and compared it to being assimilated by the [[Borg]].<ref name="History" /><ref name="ChairMH">{{cite magazine |magazine=[[Retro Gamer]] |publisher=[[Imagine Publishing]] |location=Bournemouth |issn=1742-3155 |title=In The Chair With Mark Healey |pages=92–97 |issue=139}}</ref> [[Glenn Corpes]] (an artist for ''Fusion'' and ''Populous'')<ref name="Progress"/> stated that he was not surprised at Molyneux's departure.<ref name="ChairGC">{{cite magazine |magazine=[[Retro Gamer]] |publisher=[[Imagine Publishing]] |location=Bournemouth |issn=1742-3155 |title=In The Chair With Glenn Corpes |pages=92–97 |issue=160 |date=October 2016}}</ref> Another employee believed that working for Bullfrog had become "a job" and that the company had lost its innovation.<ref name="History"/> In 2008, Electronic Arts' president [[John Riccitiello]] corroborated these sentiments by admitting that their "dictatorial managerial approach" had suppressed Bullfrog's creativity.<ref>{{cite web |title=EA chief: We killed Bullfrog |url=http://www.bcs.org/content/conWebDoc/17440 |website=BCS |access-date=14 June 2017 |date=13 February 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170706050106/http://www.bcs.org/content/conWebDoc/17440 |archive-date=6 July 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Sean Cooper (the designer of ''Syndicate'')<ref name="History"/> said that if he could travel back in time, he would probably force Molyneux to refrain from selling Bullfrog to Electronic Arts. He described the period of resignations following Molyneux's departure as "such a horrible time".<ref name="Destroy">{{cite web |author1=Jason Schreier |author-link=Jason Schreier|title=One Explanation Behind EA 'Destroying' Bullfrog |url=https://kotaku.com/one-explanation-behind-ea-destroying-bullfrog-1548092283 |website=Kotaku |access-date=1 October 2017 |date=20 March 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171001213715/https://kotaku.com/one-explanation-behind-ea-destroying-bullfrog-1548092283 |archive-date=1 October 2017 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> Molyneux believed that Electronic Arts had good intentions for Bullfrog, saying that "they just wanted to make it nicer" and putting the company's effects on Bullfrog down to "love abuse".<ref name="Destroy"/>

When ''Dungeon Keeper'' was nearing its completion in 1997, Molyneux, Rance, and [[Mark Webley]] (the project leader for ''Theme Hospital'')<ref>{{cite magazine|date=1996|title=Hospital Update|magazine=Bullfrog Bulletin|location=Guildford|publisher=Bullfrog Productions|issue=3|page=11}}</ref> founded a new company, [[Lionhead Studios]], that July.<ref name="ChairPM" /><ref name="BWIntro">{{cite book |author1=James Leach |author2=Christian Bravery |title=The Making Of Black & White |date=2001 |publisher=Prima Games |location=Roseville, Calif. |isbn=978-0-7615-3625-3 |pages=4, 5 |chapter=Introduction}}</ref> By the time the studio's first game, ''[[Black & White (video game)|Black & White]]'', was released, Bullfrog employees such as Healey, Andy Bass (an artist who had worked on ''Theme Hospital''),<ref name="BTSTH" /> [[Russell Shaw (composer)|Russell Shaw]] (the composer for various titles),<ref name="FunTime" /> James Leach (Bullfrog's script writer),<ref name="THMaking" /> Paul McLaughlin (who worked on ''Creation''),<ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=Bullfrog Bulletin |issue=3 |date=1996 |title=Water, Water Everywhere... |pages=15–17 |publisher=Bullfrog Productions |location=Guildford}}</ref> and Jonty Barnes (a programmer who had worked on ''Dungeon Keeper'')<ref name="Words"/> had joined Lionhead.<ref>{{cite book |author1=James Leach |author2=Christian Bravery |title=The Making Of Black & White |date=2001 |publisher=Prima Games |location=Roseville, Calif. |isbn=978-0-7615-3625-3 |pages=94, 95 |chapter=the lionhead team}}</ref> Healey stated that, because of his dissatisfaction at Bullfrog, he was happy to follow Molyneux and became Lionhead's first artist.<ref name="ChairMH"/> Also in 1997, Mike Diskett (the project leader, lead programmer, and lead designer of ''Syndicate Wars''),<ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=Edge |publisher=[[Future plc]] |issue=31 |date=April 1996 |pages=42–45 |issn=1350-1593 |title=Bullfrog |department=Prescreen |location=Bath}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=[[Retro Gamer]] |publisher=[[Imagine Publishing]] |location=Bournemouth |issn=1742-3155 |title=A Moment With Mike Diskett |page=16 |issue=136}}</ref><ref name="Finish">{{cite magazine |magazine=Bullfrog Bulletin |issue=4 |title=How to finish a game |pages=10, 11 |date=1997 |publisher=Bullfrog Productions |location=Guildford}}</ref> Finn McGechie (the lead artist for ''Magic Carpet''),<ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=[[PC Gamer]] |publisher=[[Future plc]] |issn=1470-1693 |title=Now that's MAGIC! |issue=9 |date=August 1994 |pages=42–50 |location=Bath |volume=1}}</ref> and Guy Simmons left to found [[Mucky Foot Productions]], with Carr joining them the following year.<ref>{{cite web |author1=Kieran Gillen |title=The Rise and Fall of the Mucky Foot |url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/issues/issue_146/4839-Footprints |website=The Escapist |access-date=8 June 2022 |date=22 April 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170731023720/http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/issues/issue_146/4839-Footprints |archive-date=31 July 2017 |df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref name="Legacy" />

Other notable people at Bullfrog around the mid-1990s include Simon Carter (the lead programmer for ''Dungeon Keeper''),<ref name="DKMaking" /> Richard Reed (the project leader for ''Gene Wars''),<ref name="Finish" /> Mike Man (the lead artist for ''Syndicate Wars''),<ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=Bullfrog Bulletin |issue=3 |title=Syndicate Wars |pages=4–7 |date=1996 |publisher=Bullfrog Productions |location=Guildford}}</ref> Alan Wright (the project leader and lead programmer for ''Magic Carpet 2''),<ref name="MC2">{{cite book |title=Magic Carpet 2 Playguide |date=1995 |author=Bullfrog |edition=PC |publisher=Electronic Arts |location=Slough |chapter=Credits |page=27}}</ref> and Eoin Rogan (the lead artist for ''Magic Carpet 2'').<ref name="MC2" />