Summary
Classic game publisherAcclaimhas announced that it is returning to the video game industry. One of the defining names of the 1990s, Acclaim was responsible for publishing several games that made history on consoles, such as theSega Genesis, SNES, and Game Gear.
Among the manygames published by Acclaimare the first twoMortal Kombattitles, which marked the beginning of one of the most beloved fighting game franchises. For racing fans, Acclaim has titles such asFerrari Grand Prix Challenge,Re-Volt, andF1 World Championship Edition. However, one of the things Acclaim is most remembered for is releases based on TV shows and movies.
Surprising the industry, a team of veterans has come together to bring Acclaim back. According to the announcement, in this new phase, the publisher will focus on supportingnew indie gamesand original IP. There are plans to “resurrect and revitalize” classic franchises, although the official note did not name which games may already be in the publisher’s sights. To accomplish this, Acclaim will have a team made up of names such as Russell Binder (Striker Entertainment), Mark Caplan (Ridge Partners), Jeff Jarrett (Global Force Entertainment), and names from the entertainment industry beyond games, such as wrestler Jeff Garret.
Acclaim Promises Nostalgia and Support for Indie Games in its New Era
Acclaim Entertainment was founded in 1987 by Greg Fishbach, who is not on board for the return in 2025. At the time, the company became famous for publishing games such asNBA JamandMortal Kombat, which shocked the world by being so violent that it generated enormous controversy, partly causing thecreation of the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB). In 2004, Acclaim Entertainment went out of business, and in its place, Acclaim Games was founded in 2006. However, the company closed its doors in 2010. Almost 20 years later, the company returns not only with a new team, but with its brands now owned by other companies, such asNBA Jam, which is now held by EA, andTurok, now a Universal Studios IP.
At a time when thevideo games industry sees layoffs and closures, Acclaim plans to publish its first game in 2025, possibly in the third quarter. According to Alex Josef in an interview withGamesBeat, the goal is to generate revenue as quickly as possible to bring out additional games, so Acclaim may put out up to three or four releases a year as the process becomes more agile.
