Battlefront.com Posted August 27 Share Posted August 27 Hello all you Battlefront fans out there! Here's a rather important press release for you to read and digest: Slitherine, a leader in the development and publishing of wargames, proudly announces the acquisition of Battlefront, the renowned developers of the Combat Mission series. This strategic move underscores Slitherine's commitment to expanding the wargaming market in a meaningful and sustainable manner while honoring the legacy of a franchise that has captivated thousands of fans worldwide for over two decades. A Landmark Franchise in Wargaming Combat Mission is a name synonymous with excellence in tactical wargaming. Since its inception 25 years ago, the franchise has released over 20 products, selling over 1 million copies globally. These figures are a testament to the game's enduring popularity and the community's loyalty. Combat Mission has not only set the standard for realism and tactical depth but has also fostered a dedicated following around the globe. Bringing Combat Mission to the Next Generation Slitherine's acquisition of Battlefront signals an exciting new chapter for Combat Mission. With Slitherine's resources and expertise, the franchise is poised to evolve, embracing cutting-edge technology and innovative gameplay mechanics to captivate a new generation of wargamers. This partnership aims to enhance the gaming experience while maintaining the core principles that have made Combat Mission a beloved series. “We are thrilled to welcome the Battlefront team into the Slitherine family,” said Iain McNeil, CEO of Slitherine. “Their expertise and passion for wargaming are unparalleled, and together, we will continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in this genre. Our goal is to not only preserve the legacy of Combat Mission but to elevate it to new heights.” An Essential Tool for Defence Organizations Combat Mission's impact extends beyond the realm of entertainment. The software is widely used by numerous Defence Organizations around the world as a planning and wargaming tool. Its realistic simulations and detailed scenarios provide invaluable insights for military training and operational planning. This unique application underscores the game's sophistication and its relevance in real-world scenarios. Continuity and Expansion All Battlefront staff, including co-founders Stephen Grammont and Charles Moylan, will be fully absorbed within Slitherine. This integration ensures continuity and preserves the invaluable knowledge and experience that the Battlefront team brings. Fans of Combat Mission can rest assured that the franchise is in good hands, with the original creators continuing to play a pivotal role in its development. “We are excited to join forces with Slitherine,” said Stephen Grammont, co-founder of Battlefront. “Their vision for the future of wargaming aligns perfectly with ours, and we are confident that together we can achieve great things. We look forward to bringing new and exciting content to our dedicated fanbase.” Availability and Distribution Slitherine is committed to maintaining the availability of Combat Mission games through existing channels. All titles will continue to be sold through Matrix Games, Steam, and various other outlets. This ensures that fans can easily access and enjoy their favorite games, and new players can discover the series with ease. If you want to know more about how to redeem and/or get access to your games, please visit the FAQ or the “how to download my Games” sections. Looking Forward The acquisition of Battlefront by Slitherine represents a significant milestone in the evolution of wargaming. This partnership is poised to deliver new and exciting experiences for fans of the genre, while expanding the reach and impact of Combat Mission. Together, Slitherine and Battlefront are dedicated to growing the wargaming market in a meaningful and sustainable way, ensuring that this beloved genre continues to thrive for years to come. Slitherine's strategic acquisition of Battlefront, emphasizing the significance of Combat Mission in the wargaming community and the broader Defence sector. It assures continuity, celebrates the franchise's legacy, and outlines the future vision for the series under Slitherine's stewardship. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwolf Posted August 27 Share Posted August 27 Congrats! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vacillator Posted August 27 Share Posted August 27 21 minutes ago, Battlefront.com said: the franchise is poised to evolve, embracing cutting-edge technology and innovative gameplay mechanics to captivate a new generation of wargamers Sounds great Steve . 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwolf Posted August 27 Share Posted August 27 What does this mean for the macOS version of CM? 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bearstronaut Posted August 27 Share Posted August 27 Hope you got a big payday 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarkus Posted August 27 Share Posted August 27 Uh oh! Congratulations guys! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pugstorm Posted August 27 Share Posted August 27 I did not see this coming congratulations. I now have two questions? 1.will this affect the forums 2. Is this why redacted is still redacted Regards Pugstorm 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trsnaqe Posted August 27 Share Posted August 27 Let's hope it is for the best 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sttp Posted August 27 Share Posted August 27 Congrats, Battlefront! Looking forward to many more years of addiction regardless of whose name is on the box. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mediocreman Posted August 27 Share Posted August 27 Wow, big news! End of an era. My congratulations! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c3k Posted August 27 Share Posted August 27 Surprising news. I hope it pans out as well as been hoped. I'm sure the decision to give up total independence was a hard choice to make. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pericles Posted August 27 Share Posted August 27 This is great as far as CM3 is concerned. Now it's time for Slitherine to rebrand: to change its name to something that doesn't sound like a sketchy snake and to upgrade its mid-1990s website aesthetic (https://www.slitherine.com/). 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SergeantSqook Posted August 27 Share Posted August 27 Just now, Pericles said: change its name to something that doesn't sound like a sketchy snake Honestly the strangest part of that is that their logo is a lizard, not a snake. It's too advanced for me. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umlaut Posted August 27 Share Posted August 27 (edited) 20 minutes ago, Pericles said: Now it's time for Slitherine to rebrand: to change its name to something that doesn't sound like a sketchy snake Rattlefront? ------ More on topic: A bit sad to see BFC lose it's independence, but I guess it was somewhat inevitable in the long run. Hopefully, the BFC team has been well compensated and now are able to leave the hard and boring parts of the business to Slitherine. Looking at the future for CM with both hope and a bit anxiety. Edited August 27 by umlaut 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnum50 Posted August 27 Share Posted August 27 Congrats... but unfortunately, I have not been able to get my keys copied over to Matrix or Slitherine and been unable to get some of my games download here or there. So, for me this looks like it sucks. Sorry to see Battlefront go. I loved it from the beginning, buying all the games, books, manuals, art you use to sell, (still have it on my wall in my gaming cave). I'm going to miss the small developer/publisher of yester-year. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butschi Posted August 27 Share Posted August 27 (edited) @Battlefront.com While it always feels a bit sad to see an independent and original company being "gobbled up" by a larger company, the additional resources will certainly be a great chance to make CM "future proof" (and a long and healthy life is what we all wish for CM). Trying to develop a product instead of making more of a well proven formula is always more risky for a smaller company that doesn't have a broader portfolio. Congrats and please make sure not to go down the Close Combat path with Slitherine, that would be a real pity. EDIT: And please also keep these forums, the official Slitherine ones are just meh. Edited August 27 by Butschi 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Probus Posted August 27 Share Posted August 27 Congratulations guys! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Battlefront.com Posted August 27 Author Share Posted August 27 Thanks guys! I'm here to answer questions as they come up, even though most of our audience is either still asleep or at work for a little while longer The most important thing to address is why we finally decided "now is the time". We've been working closely with Slitherine for about 5 years now and we've gotten to see how they work, they've had the chance to see how we work. It turns out we both liked what we saw. It's pretty amazing that we stayed independent without either selling out or going out of business long ago. Looking ahead we could see us continuing down that road if we wanted it to, but we took a long hard look at things and decided we didn't want to. Us being independent is a double edged sword. On the one hand we stayed true to our roots and produced a lot of great games over the years. On the other hand, the primary reason we didn't go out of business is because we kept our staff small enough to be sustainable. That means a lot of things we want to do, and are in fact capable of doing, just weren't feasible. Or at least feasible as quickly as any of us wanted. The upshot of all of this is Combat Mission will get a huge production boost without losing its focus. I can say that for sure because there's already 2x (closing in on 3x) more people working on Combat Mission already and all of Battlefront is part of that. We started ramping up almost 2 months ago, just as an FYI, and we're VERY happy with how it is going. As for who gets to call the shots... ultimately Slitherine makes the call. However, remember that 5 years of working together I mentioned? It built up a lot of trust. Slitherine knows what they bought and they know that we (Battlefront and our core customers) are responsible for its success. They are smart people who really do care about what happens to CM. And as smart people, they know full well that it's dumb to "mess with success". Steve 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Battlefront.com Posted August 27 Author Share Posted August 27 BTW, notice we're having this conversation here on this Forum and not on Slitherine's own discussion areas. Guess why? Because they recognize the value in this community and want to keep it going. Most companies would have shut this place down the second the transition became public. While I can't say this Forum will remain here forever (because that's a long time!), there are zero plans for closing it. Steve 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
photon Posted August 27 Share Posted August 27 3 minutes ago, Battlefront.com said: Thanks guys! I'm here to answer questions as they come up, even though most of our audience is either still asleep or at work for a little while longer Congrats man. A long way from the Last Defense and Reisberg to the night of the refreshing monkeys to today. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ithikial_AU Posted August 27 Share Posted August 27 Congrats on the news. Hopefully a holiday to celebrate. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Battlefront.com Posted August 27 Author Share Posted August 27 Ah... such fond memories of you guys hitting the F5 keys every couple of seconds. I think you are the reason why the Cloud got invented. Steve 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bootie Posted August 27 Share Posted August 27 LOL.... waiting for the drop. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bootie Posted August 27 Share Posted August 27 Suddenly feeling old and remembering CMBO. A lifetime ago and we are still here. 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ithikial_AU Posted August 27 Share Posted August 27 Just now, Bootie said: Suddenly feeling old and remembering CMBO. A lifetime ago and we are still here. I was in Year 10 of high school when the beta demo of CMBO was provided to the masses. I'm pretty sure I downloaded it onto the family's iMac 333mhz (Purple ) via the inbuilt 56k modem. Painfully slow but was hooked from the first playthrough. CMBB coming out close to exams a few years later wasn't the best timing. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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