Paradox Development

Background
Founded in 1994 by Christine Hsu, Paradox Development was a development studio based in Moorpark, California. It became a part of Midway Games in 2004, under the name of "Midway Studios Los Angeles". In 2008, Midway closed the division and moved its assets to the San Diego studio.

1st Logo (September 1995)
Nicknames: "The Duck Shield", "The Paradox Duck Shield"

Logo: We see the Paradox logo in bronze, which consists of a circle and the name written in two lines right to it. Inside the circle are two ducks, light and dark, posing as an infinity sign (Chinese yin / yang). A light shine appears through the "O" letter.

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: The opening theme of the game.

Availability: Only seen on the Sega 32X port of Blackthorne.

2nd Logo (October 1998)


Logo: Over a mist, a three-dimensional construction zooms in and folds into an inter-connected triangular figure similar to a radiation mark. It shines and the word "PARADOX" in spaced-out letters shrinks from the sides, with "A" being inside the construction. "DEVELOPMENT", also in spaced-out letters, appears below with the byline "CWS ENTERTAINMENT LTD".

Technique: The animation of constructions.

Music/Sounds: A hollow windy sound, which gradually slows down. After it, a loud synth plays.

Availability: Seen on the unreleased game Thrill Kill for PlayStation.

3rd Logo (November 30, 1999-March 6, 2003)


Nicknames: "The Duck Shield II", "The Paradox Duck Shield II"

Logo: In darkness, multiple parts of a shield fly and create the Paradox circle, again, rigged with two ducks. It shines with an outline and the word "PARADOX", in a similar font as before and in spaced-out letters, shrinks from the sides. The word "DEVELOPMENT", again in spaced-out letters, appears below and the whole logo gains an intensive yellow tint.

Technique: The flying particles and the shine, the logo being revealed.

Music/Sounds: Part of the previous logo's soundtrack with the first seconds cut out.

Availability: The most common around the Paradox logos. It was seen on Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style, X-Men: Mutant Academy and its sequel, and X-Men: Next Dimension.

4th Logo (October 7, 2003-April 7, 2005)
Nicknames: "The Duck Shield III", "The Paradox Duck Shield III"

Logo: We start over a sea with a stormy  skiy. The shield with the ducks zooms in and caps the sky inside the upper duck and the sea inside the lower duck. When the shield zooms in, the name appears already in place, with the word "PARADOX" above the logo and the word "DEVELOPMENT" below it.

Technique: The animation of water and shield zooming.

Music/Sounds: Thunder sounds.

Availability: Seen on the two Backyard Wrestling games.