The original eGames logo
eGames, Inc. (formerly known as RomTech) was primarily a software publisher of family-friendy and casual PC games founded in 1992 and headquartered in Langhorne, Pennsylvania. While they did perform some 1st party development as RomTech, it was very limited and they largely relied on 3rd party developers. According to eGames' defunct website:[1]
Our strategy is to bring simple, familiar, fun, Family Friendly™ games to PC users of all ages and capabilities at affordable prices, while maintaining a lean, focused business organization. Our business model is based on the premise that the under $20 segment of the PC game software market will continue to be the largest segment of the market in unit sales for the foreseeable future. We focus on this segment of the market in an effort to gain market share, while increasing sales, earnings, and cash flows.
We license our game content from third party developers and we outsource all of our manufacturing. We maintain direct sales relationships with the leading North American retail chains that traditionally sell PC games and rely on distributors to fulfill our sales commitments with most retailers. We license the eGames brand and content for sale and distribution in International territories.
In late 2005, eGames acquired Cinemaware who was most famous for Defender of the Crown. In 2006, eGames published a few titles under Cinemaware Marquee. Through the Cinemaware Marquee label, eGames intended to rebrand itself and bring traditional games to market, however they only ever published six titles under this name.
eGames claimed that it would revive many of the classic Cinemaware titles, although this never happened as they lacked 1st party developers.
Hamumu Software Titles Published Through eGames[]
The prior 'RomTech' legacy text in Eddie Galaxy's JSP data
eGames has published the following Hamumu Software games:
- Eddie Galaxy: Intergalactic Exterminator
- The Adventures of Bouapha: Spooky Castle
- Spooky Castle: The Adventures of Kid Mystic
The two Spooky Castle games were released apart from Dr. Lunatic because eGames was not interested in publishing Dr. Lunatic in its entirety. According to Jamul, "Kid Mystic was created when a publisher said they liked Dr. Lunatic but thought a bald adult hero would be scary to kids [...], and said 'how about making him a wizard or a dinosaur instead?'"[2].
All three games would later be redistributed by Hamumu, The Adventures of Bouapha: Spooky Castle (renamed to simply Spooky Castle) as a free download and Spooky Castle: The Adventures of Kid Mystic (renamed to simply Kid Mystic) being re-released as an extended edition.
TSAdBot Controversy[]
eGames was known to bundle the TSAdBot adware to spy on its users and collect telemetry. Many developers, including Jamul, warned eGames not to do it but they refused to listen and went ahead with it anyway.