Editing Bullfrog Productions (section)

=== Post-Molyneux, final years, and closure (1998–2001) ===
In 1998, two games were released: ''Theme Aquarium'', and ''Populous: The Beginning''.<ref name="Legacy"/> ''Theme Aquarium'' was an attempt to "cross barriers" between the United Kingdom and Japan. Edgar explained that Bullfrog was more successful than most western game developers in Japan due to ''Populous'' and ''Theme Park'', and wondered about the possibilities of having a game designed in the United Kingdom and implemented in Japan by Japanese development teams.<ref name="Audience99"/> A small group was set up to do this.<ref name="Audience99"/> ''Theme Aquarium'' was released as a ''Theme'' game in Japan only; western releases removed the Bullfrog branding.<ref name="Legacy"/> As of 2012, many ex-Bullfrog employees were unfamiliar with the game.<ref name="Legacy"/> Shortly before Molyneux's departure, Bullfrog announced that the games then in development may be the final ones released for [[MS-DOS]]. It was "quite likely" that all future games would be [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]-only.<ref name="Windows95">{{cite magazine |magazine=Bullfrog Bulletin |issue=4 |date=1997 |title=What's With Windows 95? |publisher=Bullfrog Productions |location=Guildford |page=12}}</ref> The reason for the change in platform focus was so Bullfrog could create games with Windows in mind and use "powerful features" (such as [[3D acceleration]]), which were difficult to use with MS-DOS.<ref name="Windows95"/>

In 1999, ''[[Theme Park World]]'' and ''[[Dungeon Keeper 2]]'' were released.<ref name="Legacy"/> Most of ''Theme Park World''{{'}}s development team came from [[Mindscape (company)|Mindscape]]—they were brought to Bullfrog wholesale.<ref name="Legacy"/> Bullfrog worked with its sister company [[Maxis]] to release ''Theme Park World'' in North America under their ''[[List of Sim video games|Sim]]'' brand as ''Sim Theme Park'' to further establish itself in the region.<ref>{{cite web |author1=James Fudge |title=Theme Park World Gets North American Name Change |url=http://www.cdmag.com:80/articles/021/185/tpw_name.html |website=Computer Games Magazine |access-date=13 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030709114703/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/021/185/tpw_name.html |date=7 August 1999 |archive-date=9 July 2003 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all}}</ref> ''Theme Resort'', a ''Theme'' game based around holiday islands, was cancelled and its team reallocated to ''Theme Park World''.<ref name="Legacy"/> ''Dungeon Keeper 2'' had a new development team led by Nick Goldsworthy,<ref name="DKMaking"/> previously an assistant producer for ''Theme Park'' at Electronic Arts.<ref>{{cite book |title=Theme Park Manual |date=1994 |author=Bullfrog |edition=PC |publisher=Electronic Arts |location=Slough |chapter=Credits |page=77}}</ref> During the development, Colin Robinson was interviewed for the role of Bullfrog's [[chief technical officer]],<ref name="ChairGC"/> and helped the project succeed.<ref name="DKMaking"/> In 2016, Glenn Corpes speculated that Electronic Arts did not understand Molyneux's role at Bullfrog and thought he was in charge of everything and that Electronic Arts' response to his departure would be to install managers. In fact, he focused on one game at a time, and let others carry out their work.<ref name="ChairGC"/>

In mid-1999, Edgar stepped down as chairman.<ref name="Audience99"/> He was succeeded as managing director by Bruce McMillan of Electronic Arts' Canadian studios.<ref name=SiliconValley>{{cite magazine|magazine=Edge|publisher=[[Future plc]]|title=Inside silicon valley, UK|pages=74–81|issue=76|date=October 1999|issn=1350-1593|location=Bath}}</ref> Corpes left to found the studio [[Lost Toys]] with Jeremy Longley (who had worked on ''Theme Hospital'', ''Syndicate Wars'', and ''Populous III'') and Darren Thomas (who had worked on ''Dungeon Keeper'' and ''Magic Carpet 2'', and was the lead artist on ''Theme Park World''),<ref name="ChairGC" /><ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=Edge |publisher=[[Future plc]] |issn=1350-1593 |department=Audience |pages=107–111 |issue=71 |date=May 1999 |title=An Audience With Lost Toys |location=Bath}}</ref> which Edgar supported financially.<ref name="Audience99" /> Corpes stated that he was inspired by Mucky Foot Productions running its own affairs and that it was "quite embarrassing to still be working for the Borg".<ref name="InsideLT">{{cite magazine |magazine=Edge |publisher=[[Future plc]] |title=Inside... Lost Toys |pages=38–42 |issue=107 |date=February 2002 |issn=1350-1593 |location=Bath}}</ref> He also said that Lost Toys was partially his take on what Bullfrog was.<ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=[[PC Zone]] |publisher=[[Dennis Publishing]] |issn=0967-8220 |pages=158–161 |issue=88 |date=April 2000 |title=The World According To Lost Toys |location=London}}</ref> Alex Trowers (a designer who had worked on ''Syndicate'' and ''Powermonger'') believed that Bullfrog had become too corporate after Electronic Arts' takeover and left for Lost Toys to return to "making games for the sake of making games", rather than to satisfy shareholders.<ref name="InsideLT"/>

In August 1999, Electronic Arts appointed Ernest Adams as the lead designer of the fourth instalment in the ''Populous'' series, ''Genesis: The Hand of God''.<ref name="DK3Story"/> Bullfrog's management had concerns about its similarity to Lionhead Studios' ''Black & White'' and cancelled the project.<ref name="DK3Story"/> Adams then became the lead designer on ''[[Dungeon Keeper 3]]''.<ref name="DK3Story"/> As ''Dungeon Keeper 2'' did not perform as well as hoped, the team were instructed to make the third game more accessible. Development began in November 1999,<ref name="DK3Story"/> but Electronic Arts' focus was changing.<ref name="DKMaking"/> It was in negotiation with [[J. K. Rowling]] and [[New Line Cinema]] for licences to ''Harry Potter'' and ''The Lord of the Rings'', respectively.<ref name="DK3Story"/> Electronic Arts saw a profitable opportunity and, in March 2000, cancelled ''Dungeon Keeper 3'' in favour of those franchises,<ref name="DK3Story"/> although its cancellation was not officially announced until August.<ref>{{cite web |author1=Sam Parker |title=Dungeon Keeper 3 Cancelled |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dungeon-keeper-3-cancelled/1100-2610618/ |website=GameSpot |access-date=15 June 2017 |date=1 August 2000 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150927063729/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dungeon-keeper-3-cancelled/1100-2610618/ |archive-date=27 September 2015}}</ref> Bullfrog moved to [[Chertsey]] in 2000 and went through "a quiet patch" for the remainder of the year.<ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=[[PC Zone]] |publisher=[[Dennis Publishing]] |issn=0967-8220 |pages=158–161 |issue=89 |date=May 2000 |title=The World According To Bullfrog |location=London}}</ref>

The final game under the Bullfrog brand, ''[[Theme Park Inc]]'', was released in 2001.<ref name="Legacy"/> By the time the game was in development, most of the Bullfrog teams had become part of [[EA UK]] and much of the development was handled by another company.<ref name="Legacy"/> What remained of Bullfrog was then merged into EA UK.<ref name="History"/> Molyneux stayed with Lionhead Studios until the formation of [[22cans]] in 2012.<ref name="Legacy" /> Edgar had some involvement with the gaming industry since Bullfrog but eventually left for the [[automotive industry]].<ref name="History" /><ref>{{cite web|last=Porter|first=Will|title=PC Feature: 30 in 30: Bullfrog Productions – ComputerAndVideoGames.com|url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/326139/features/30-in-30-bullfrog-productions/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140108104358/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/326139/features/30-in-30-bullfrog-productions/|archive-date=8 January 2014|access-date=15 June 2017|work=[[Computer and Video Games]]|publisher=[[Future Publishing]]}}</ref> In August 2009, Electronics Arts were considering revising some of Bullfrog's games for then current systems.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bit-tech.net/news/gaming/2009/08/11/ea-looking-to-revive-classic-bullfrog-games/1 |author=Joe Martin |date=11 August 2009 |title=EA looking to revive classic Bullfrog games |publisher=[[Dennis Publishing Limited]] |access-date=26 March 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100325205831/http://www.bit-tech.net/news/gaming/2009/08/11/ea-looking-to-revive-classic-bullfrog-games/1 |archive-date=25 March 2010}}</ref>