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Insomniac Games records

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: 119.6337
The Insomniac Games records contain game design documentation, including notes, descriptions, drawings, concepts, and more, for various games created by Insomniac. Published games represented here are Spyro 2: Ripto’s Rage! (1999), Spyro 3: Year of the Dragon (2000), Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando (2003), Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal (2004), Ratchet & Clank: Deadlocked (2005) and Resistance: Fall of Man (2006). Also included in this collection are game design materials on two cancelled projects (“Monster Knight” and “Girl with a Stick”) and one undeveloped concept. Additional scope and content information can be found in the Contents List section of this finding aid.

The Insomniac Games records have been arranged into one series, which has been further divided into two subseries. The materials are housed in four archival document boxes and one oversized folder.

Dates

  • 1998 - 2005

Creator

Language

The materials in this collection are in English.

Conditions Governing Use

This collection is open for research use by staff of The Strong and by users of its library and archives. Though the donor has not transferred intellectual property rights (including, but not limited to any copyright, trademark, and associated rights therein) to The Strong, he has given permission for The Strong to make copies in all media for museum, educational, and research purposes. Intellectual property rights for this collection are owned and controlled by Insomniac Games, Sony Interactive Entertainment, and Activision.

Extent

2.1 Linear Feet (4 boxes, 1 oversized folder)

Abstract

The Insomniac Games records are a compilation of game design documentation, including notes, descriptions, drawings, and more, for various games created by Insomniac Games. The materials are dated between 1998 and 2005.

Historical Note

Insomniac Games is an American video game developer based in Burbank, California. The company is best known for several best-selling series of games for Sony PlayStation consoles, including Spyro, Ratchet & Clank, and Resistance, as well as the acclaimed 2018 game Marvel’s Spider-Man.

Originally founded in 1994 as Xtreme Software by Ted Price, the company was renamed to Insomniac Games the following year. Insomniac released its premier product, a first-person shooter called Disruptor, for the PlayStation in late 1996. Soon after, the development team at Insomniac focused on a game concept featuring a family-friendly purple dragon; the end result, Spyro the Dragon, found great success after its 1998 release (going on to sell nearly 5 million copies worldwide), and Insomniac had its first big hit. In 2000, Sony released the PlayStation 2, and Insomniac crafted several projects for the new system. Though two concepts were ultimately cancelled (“Monster Knight” and “Girl with a Stick”), Insomniac created a winning duo of characters named Ratchet (a feline humanoid known as a “Lombax”) and Clank (a robot) who went on to star in their own popular science-fiction, universe-traveling, zany-weapon-shooting franchise. Insomniac continued developing games exclusively for Sony consoles (including the Resistance series, set in an alternate 1950s timeline) throughout the 2000s.

By 2013, Insomniac had partnered with Electronic Arts to publish a multi-platform game called Fuse for the PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Xbox 360. They also crafted games for Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, virtual reality headsets, and mobile platforms. As a second-party studio for Sony, Insomniac introduced its first licensed title, Marvel’s Spider-Man, for the PlayStation 4 in 2018. The following year, Sony acquired Insomniac Games as one of its first-party developers, which joined the prestigious SIE Worldwide Studios. Insomniac continues to focus on storytelling, creative weapons, and third-person gameplay, while ensuring the creative freedom of its staff members.

System of Arrangement

Series I: Game design documentation, 1998-2005

Subseries A: Published games, 1998-2005
Subseries B: Game concepts, 1998-2001

Custodial History

The Insomniac Games records were donated to The Strong in November 2019 as a gift of John Fiorito, Insomniac Games. The papers were accessioned by The Strong under Object ID 119.6337 and were received from Fiorito in 2 boxes.

Processed by

Julia Novakovic, February 2020

Creator

Source

Title
Finding Aid to the Insomniac Games Records, 1998-2005
Status
completed
Author
Julia Novakovic
Date
3 March 2020
Description rules
dacs
Language of description
English

Repository Details

Part of the Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play at The Strong Repository

Contact:
The Strong
One Manhattan Square
Rochester NY 14607 USA
585.263.2700
585.423.1886 (Fax)