Loki Entertainment Software, Inc. was a video game developer based in Tustin, California, United States, that ported several video games from Microsoft Windows to Linux. It took its name from the Norse deity Loki.
Although successful in its goal of bringing games to the Linux platform, the company eventually closed due to financial troubles, with it declaring Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection in August 2001 and finally being disbanded in January 2002.
Excerpt from their archived website:
"Loki Entertainment Software contracts with successful computer entertainment software companies to port their best selling titles to Linux. A freeware Unix-like operating system, Linux has been dubbed the only true competitor to Windows and has established a solid following in the United States and abroad. Gaming software is an untapped segment of the Linux market with significant potential.
Unlike commercial operating systems developed solely for profit, Linux truly represents the "power of the people." Created in 1991 by Linus Torvalds, a Finnish developer, and made available for free over the Internet, Linux is continually being enhanced by thousands of volunteer developers and programmers around the globe. New capabilities are routinely shared and contributed as software developers have molded the versatile operating system to fit their company's specific needs. While most commercial operating systems go through five to seven revisions per year, Linux might see multiple revisions in a day. There is a virtually unlimited and growing pool of talent supporting the product.
Loki Entertainment Software was founded in August, 1998 with the goal of bringing a broad range of games to Linux. Loki generates revenues for game publishers by bringing proven hits to this significant, new market. Just as Hollywood studios are able to supplement profits by re-releasing movies to video, pay-per-view and international markets, the ports developed by Loki enable publishers to generate additional revenues from existing products without incurring additional costs.
For Linux users, Loki brings best selling games, fully supported and sold through traditional retail channels -- something the Linux community has been lacking until now. We are very proud of our commitment to Linux, and are excited about bringing a rich gaming experience to our platform of choice."
