Bethesda Game Studios Dallas LLC (formerly Escalation Studios, LLC) is an American video game developer based in

Dallas Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...

, founded in 2007 by Tom Mustaine, Marc Tardif, and

Shawn Green Shawn David Green (born November 10, 1972) is an American former Major League Baseball right fielder. Green was a 1st round draft pick and a two-time major league All-Star. He drove in 100 runs four times and scored 100 runs four times, hit ...

. The company was briefly owned by 6waves Lolapps in 2012 and acquired by

ZeniMax Media ZeniMax Media Inc. is an American video game holding company based in Rockville, Maryland, and founded in 1999. The company owns publisher Bethesda Softworks with its development unit Bethesda Game Studios (developer of ''The Elder Scrolls,'' ...

in February 2017. In August 2018, Escalation became part of

Bethesda Game Studios Bethesda Game Studios is an American video game developer and a studio of ZeniMax Media based in Rockville, Maryland. The company was established in 2001 as the spin-off of Bethesda Softworks' development unit, with Bethesda Softworks itself re ...

under the name Bethesda Game Studios Dallas.

History

Escalation Studios was formed in 2007, co-founded by Tom Mustaine, Marc Tardif, and

. Mustaine had previously co-founded

Ritual Entertainment Ritual Entertainment was an American video game developer established in 1996 by Robert Atkins, Mark Dochtermann, Jim Dosé, Richard 'Levelord' Gray, Michael Hadwin, Harry Miller, and Tom Mustaine. Based in Dallas, Texas, Ritual Entertainment wa ...

, while Tardif had been an executive producer and

senior vice president A vice president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vice president is on ...

of business development at

Gearbox Software Gearbox Software is an American video game development company based in Frisco, Texas. It was established as a limited liability company in February 1999 by five developers formerly of Rebel Boat Rocker. Randy Pitchford, one of the founders, s ...

. On January 18, 2012, social gaming company 6waves Lolapps (6L) announced that it had acquired Escalation to undisclosed terms. As a result of the acquisition, Mustaine and Tardif became Escalation's design directors, while Green became director of engineering for 6L. At the time, Escalation had around 30 employees. However, in March 2012, 6L announced that it had laid off its entire development staff, wherein Escalation would "remain active in some capacity". On May 15, 2012, Escalation announced that it had become independent again. On February 1, 2017, Escalation Studios was announced to have been acquired by

, the parent company of game publisher Bethesda Softworks. Subsequently, Escalation became part of

, Bethesda Softworks' development division, under the name Bethesda Game Studios Dallas. ZeniMax Media was acquired by

Microsoft Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology corporation producing computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at the Microsoft Redmond campus located in Redmond, Washin ...

for in March 2021 and became part of

Xbox Game Studios Xbox Game Studios (previously known as Microsoft Studios, Microsoft Game Studios, and Microsoft Games) is an American video game publisher and part of the Microsoft Gaming division based in Redmond, Washington. It was established in March 2000, ...

Games developed

Canceled

* '' Severity''

References

{{Xbox Game Studios 2007 establishments in Texas American companies established in 2007 American corporate subsidiaries Companies based in Dallas Video game companies based in Texas Video game companies established in 2007 Video game development companies ZeniMax Media