Overview
Think bigger. Cavedog Entertainment emerged from Humongous Entertainment as its “mature” division, immediately challenging RTS conventions. While Blizzard and Westwood refined micro-management, Chris Taylor’s team pursued macro-scale warfare—hundreds of units, streaming economies, 3D terrain. Total Annihilation rivalled StarCraft technically and commercially. GT Interactive’s bankruptcy killed Cavedog before they could follow up.
Fast facts
- Founded: 1995.
- Parent: Humongous Entertainment/GT Interactive.
- Location: Bothell, Washington.
- Closed: 2000.
Key releases
| Title | Year | Achievement |
|---|
| Total Annihilation | 1997 | Scale RTS |
| TA: Core Contingency | 1998 | Expansion |
| TA: Battle Tactics | 1998 | Expansion |
| TA: Kingdoms | 1999 | Fantasy spin-off |
Technical innovations
| Feature | Implementation |
|---|
| 3D terrain | Height advantage |
| Physics projectiles | Trajectory calculation |
| Streaming economy | Continuous flow |
| Unit counts | 500+ simultaneous |
Design philosophy
| Principle | Expression |
|---|
| Scale warfare | Hundreds of units |
| Economic flow | Continuous resources |
| Unit diversity | Extensive rosters |
| Mod support | Community content |
Collapse
| Event | Impact |
|---|
| GT Interactive troubles | Parent company failure |
| Infogrames acquisition | Corporate restructuring |
| Studio closure | 2000 |
| Staff dispersal | Industry-wide |
Legacy projects
| Successor | Developer | Connection |
|---|
| Supreme Commander | Gas Powered Games | Chris Taylor |
| Planetary Annihilation | Uber Entertainment | TA veterans |
| Beyond All Reason | Community | Open-source |
See also