Rainbow Studios

Background

Founded as the Rainbow Multimedia Group in 1986, the company began producing games in 1994 under the name of Rainbow America. It was acquired by THQ in November 2001 and in February 2010, the studio was renamed "THQ Digital Studio Phoenix" to focus more on downloadable titles. In August 2011, THQ closed the studio. In 2013, Nordic Games acquired and reopened the studio, and restored the Rainbow Studios name. The studio became independent again in 2024.

1st Logo (November 6, 1995-July 27, 1996)

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Visuals: On a space background, an abstract "ri" structure can be seen, made of several crystal blue rectangles with golden borders. Below it is "rainbow" in a Bauhaus 93 font, as it can be seen below the structure in the same style. The entire logo is set at a tilted, upward-facing angle.

Trivia: The basic design for this logo was created in an effort led by employee Jon Sutz. According to his website, the design was used from 1991 to 2004. Sutz also designed and directed some logo animations for the company. The "rainbow" text with modifications is currently used on the Rainbow Japan website.

Technique: A still, CGI graphic.

Audio: None.

Availability: Appears on The Hive for PlayStation and PC.

2nd Logo (Ravage DCX custom variant) (September 30, 1996)

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Visuals: The same "ri" logo is swirling in space. It is now purple with rainbow tones and no colored edges. Two red stars pass behind the construction, when it takes place, then letters of rainbow (made from the same material) come in, also swirling, and stop below the logo.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: Unknown.

Availability: Seen on Ravage D.C.X.

3rd Logo (October 31, 1996)

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Visuals: Starting off inside a rounded rectangle, the camera zooms out from it as the rounded rectangle (with nine vertical lines and a metallic "r" on the right side of it inside the rectangle) is seen, with four pink-cyan lasers running through the sides of it. The "rainbow" text from before slides in above the rectangle (in which its reflection seen on the "r") just as the camera almost finished zooming.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: A crystallized synth note.

Availability: Appears on Deadly Tide.

4th Logo (August 18, 1998)

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Visuals: A blue ellipse is seen slowly rotating. It is 3D and has a curve line and a hole inside, which resemble an "ri". The word "rainbow" is seen over the ellipse in a box, and "studios" below the box. All words clear before the box does.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: Same as the previous logo.

Availability: Seen on Motocross Madness. Also appears on the trailer for Rainbow's cancelled feature film Blue Planet.

5th Logo (May 26, 2000-February 17, 2004)

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Visuals: Light passes over some rolling circles, and quickly creates the new logo. It has a circle on the left side, with a smaller circle attached to it, and with the letter "R" inside. It is separated with a vertical line from "rainbow STUDIOS", seen on the right side. The letter "n" is reversed.

Variants:

• On the 2001 TV movie Donner, the logo is enclosed in a box next to the 1999 Sunbow Entertainment logo.
• On Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles, the logo is beside the Hyper Image logo or the Flat Earth Productions Inc. logo, and below the Foundation Imaging logo.

Technique: 2D computer animation.

Audio: Same as the third logo.

Audio Variants:

• On Donner, it's the closing theme of the show.
• On Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles, none; but for the split-screen variant, it has the audio from the Foundation Imaging logo.

Availability: It was seen on Motocross Madness 2, Splashdown, Star Wars: Racer Revenge, Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX 2 and MX Unleashed. Also seen on the 2001 TV movie Donner and some episodes of Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles.

6th Logo (August 5, 2003-October 29, 2007)

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Visuals: There are a few circles rolling around, attached to a much bigger circle. Some of them are punctured. When the circles take place in the screen, "rainbow STUDIOS" also appears from the edge (blurred but becoming sharper) and goes right to the circles, separated from them with a vertical line. There are three dots inside the animation, which clear slowly.

Variants:

• There is a variation where some circles appear on-screen, and the words begin from the biggest circle rather than from right.
• A simplified version on a black background exists.

Technique: 2D computer animation.

Audio: A repeating electro-R&B tune with a five-note piano entry at the end.

Availability: Appeared on several games, such as the PS2, GameCube, Xbox, Wii, PC, and Xbox 360 versions of Cars, and the PS2, PS3, PC, Wii, and Xbox 360 versions of Cars: Mater-National Championship.

7th Logo (February 9-October 21, 2009)

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Visuals: Many black and red streaks cover the screen, until they form the word "RAInbOW" in an angular font, and a red box to the left, where a stylized letter "R" is seen.

Technique: 2D computer animation.

Audio: Loud humming and thundering noise.

Availability: Only seen on MX vs ATV Reflex and Deadly Creatures.

8th Logo (October 28, 2014-)

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Visuals: Fading in from black is the logo from before in a hi-tech setting, the camera pans to the right as a hole on the "R" moves down and engulfs inside a red box. It then flashes to see the full logo in a different view as the camera moves into an angular-right direction. A light then runs through the box before fading out.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: Ominous noises with machinery sounds in the background, ends with a laser sound when the light is seen.

Availability: Seen on games after Rainbow Studios' revival, starting with MX vs. ATV Supercross.