Gremlin Interactive

From the Audiovisual Identity Database, the motion graphics museum


Background

Gremlin Graphics was a Sheffield-based company created in 1984 by Ian Stewart. It was slightly renamed in 1994. In 1997, Gremlin acquired Imagitec Design and DMA Design (creators of Grand Theft Auto), and was itself purchased by Infogrames in 1999, ultimately selling DMA to Take-Two Interactive. After this, it became one of Infogrames' main UK branches as Infogrames Sheffield House.


Gremlin Graphics

Logo (29 July 1984-1994)

Visuals: There is a rounded rectangular box with the word "GREMLIN" in a custom 3D font inside, turned a bit up. A rainbow crosses the logo. Sometimes, there may be a few shines on the letters.

Variant: Sometimes, the logo appears on the title screen of the game.

Technique: 8/16-bit animation.

Audio: None.

Availability: Seen on every Gremlin game from this time.

Gremlin Interactive

1st Logo (1994-22 June 1999)

Visuals: There is a box with a white outline. Inside its upper half is another box with a gold background, where a stylized lowercase "g" is seen. Below the box, the words "Gremlin" and "INTERACTIVE" are seen.

Variants:

  • On Fatal Racing, the background is silver, with copyright information below.
  • There is a variant with the box placed on a black screen. It ripples before it becomes still.
  • On Actua Soccer Club Edition, the word "Studios" appears below, as at that time, Gremlin was already in a partnership with Infogrames.
  • On Actua Ice Hockey, the logo is standing on a hockey field.
  • On Actua Soccer 3, the logo is in grayscale.

Technique: A still digital graphic.

Audio: None.

Availability: Seen on Gremlin's Genesis games and a few games for PC. The normal black version can be seen on Pool Shark and Full Metal Country, where it shares the screen with the DMA logo. The ripple variant was spotted on Slipstream 5000, Premier Manager 3, Retribution and Jungle Strike.

2nd Logo (April-12 November 1998)


Visuals: Above a spinning CGI earth in space, a blue rotating rectangle fades in, emitting blue sparks and the Gremlin Interactive logo forming on it as it spins. The earth flashes, the logo finishes forming, and we see the full logo as usual. The whole logo then fades out.

Variant: On N2O: Nitrous Oxide, the animation is sped up, causing the music to finish over a black background. Also, the logo cuts in instead of fading in.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: A droning choir evocative of Gregorian monks.

Availability: Seen on N2O: Nitrous Oxide, Buggy, and Motorhead for PlayStation.

3rd Logo (August 1999)

Visuals: On a white background are the words "Gremlin Interactive Studios" below. The first letters of each word stretch above, enlarging into the "GIS" wordmark, and the remains begin to tremble. As the letters meet into "GIS", the remaining words explode. Then a football comes and hits "GIS", which grows jaws and eyes. The background then changes to infernal fire, as "GIS" leaps and bites through the ball. Then it returns back, the background reverts back to white, and the name appears below again. The ball still hangs on "GIS".

Trivia: This logo was used while Infogrames made its efforts to acquire Gremlin during 1999. It was not used on box covers though.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: Sounds of rotating letters, explosion, the ball hitting "GIS" and the ferocious roar.

Availability: Seen on Premier Manager 99 for PlayStation. Also seen on Premier Manager for Nintendo 64, with the previous Gremlin logo in the corner.

Gremlin Interactive
Infogrames Sheffield House
Cookies help us deliver our services. By using our services, you agree to our use of cookies.