Reto-Moto

Reto-Moto ApS was a Danish video game developer based in Copenhagen. Founded in 1997, its staff formed IO Interactive as a joint venture in September 1998. Following a decade of inactivity, some founders reformed Reto-Moto in April 2008, and the company developed Heroes & Generals, which was released in September 2016.

Reto-Moto ApS
TypePrivate
IndustryVideo games
Founded1997 (1997)
Defunct2022 (2022)
FateBankruptcy
Headquarters
Copenhagen
,
Denmark
Key people
Jean-Marc Broyer (CEO)
ProductsHeroes & Generals
OwnerNordisk Film (minority stake)
Number of employees
25 (2012)
Websitereto.dk

History

Prior to founding Reto-Moto, all founding members had been part of various demo groups. After a time in the US, they decided to move back to Copenhagen in 1997, where they founded Reto-Moto later that year.[1] In September 1998, Reto-Moto, at the time consisting of Jesper Vorsholt Jørgensen, Rasmus Guldberg-Kjær, Martin Munk Pollas, Karsten Lemann Hvidberg, Jacob Andersen, Janos Flösser and David Guldbrandsen, and Danish film studio Nordisk Film launched IO Interactive, another developer, as a joint venture.[2] Nordisk Film held a 40.3% stake in the venture.[2] Due to IO Interactive's rapid success through Hitman: Codename 47 in 2000, Reto-Moto's operations were put on ice.[3] Eventually, all stakes in IO Interactive were sold to Eidos Interactive in March 2004.[4]

On 11 April 2008, four of IO Interactive's founders—Vorsholt Jørgensen, Pollas, Andersen, and Guldbrandsen—announced that they had, together with former Eidos Interactive executive producer Neil Donnell, reformed Reto-Moto as an active developer.[5] Guldbrandsen and Donnell became the chief technology officer and chief executive officer, respectively.[6] Six further IO Interactive employees left the company to join Reto-Moto in December that year.[7] By April 2012, Reto-Moto had 25 employees, most of them transplants from IO Interactive.[8]

Reto-Moto's first game, Heroes & Generals, was announced on 7 October 2011.[9] A temporary publishing agreement for the game was reached with Square Enix in November 2012.[10] Heroes & Generals was officially released on 23 September 2016 and has since reached 10 million registered users as of January 2017.[11] On 16 August 2017, Reto-Moto hired Jean-Marc Broyer as new chief executive officer.[12] Nordisk Film announced on 6 December 2017 that they had acquired a minority stake in Reto-Moto in exchange for a US$5 million investment.[13]

On 4 February 2022, TLM Partners announced that it had acquired Heroes & Generals and related businesses from Reto-Moto.[14] A bankruptcy notice for the company was published on 7 March 2022.[15]

Games developed
Year Title Platform(s) Publisher(s)
2016 Heroes & Generals Microsoft Windows Reto-Moto

References
  1. Griffin, Mike (3 January 2012). "From Hitman to Reto-Moto: Jesper Kyd follows his own sound". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on 27 May 2018. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  2. "Hitman solgt til England" [Hitman sold to England]. Berlingske (in Danish). 4 March 2004. Archived from the original on 16 March 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  3. Sinclair, Brendan (11 April 2008). "Hitman devs go solo with Reto-Moto". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  4. Fahey, Ron (4 March 2004). "Eidos acquires Hitman developer as profits rise". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on 22 September 2019. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  5. Faylor, Chris (14 April 2008). "Hitman Veterans Leave IO, Form Reto-Moto". Shacknews. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  6. Kumar, Mathew (11 April 2008). "IO Interactive Founders Reform Reto Moto". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  7. Freeman, Will (12 December 2008). "More IO Interactive employees join Reto-Moto". MCV/Develop. Archived from the original on 16 March 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  8. Alexander, Leigh (18 April 2012). "In-Depth: At Reto-Moto, AAA veterans speak out on fascinating culture shift". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on 27 May 2018. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  9. Walker, John (10 October 2011). "Heroes & Generals: Re-Announced, Trailered". Rock Paper Shotgun. Archived from the original on 19 April 2021. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  10. Nunneley, Stephany (7 November 2012). "Heroes & Generals to be published by Square Enix, new shots and video released". VG247. Archived from the original on 16 March 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  11. Scott-Jones, Richard (17 January 2017). "MMOFPS Heroes & Generals hits 10 million players, promises more planes and vehicles". PCGamesN. Archived from the original on 27 May 2018. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  12. Brightman, James (16 August 2017). "Reto-Moto brings on Jean-Marc Broyer as CEO". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on 27 May 2018. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  13. Batchelor, James (6 December 2017). "Nordisk Film takes $5m ownership stake in Heroes & Generals studio". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on 27 May 2018. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  14. Rousseau, Jeffrey (4 February 2022). "TLM Partners acquires Heroes & Generals business operations". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on 18 February 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  15. "Feb-Company 2022 ApS". Statstidende. 10 March 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
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