Underground Development, Ltd. (formerly Z-Axis, Ltd.) was an Americanvideo game developer based in Foster City, California. It was founded in 1994 by David Luntz and sold to Activision in May 2002.[1] Following a rebranding to Underground Development in February 2008, the company was closed in February 2010.[2][3]
History
Founding and early years
Z-Axis, Ltd. was founded in 1994 by David Luntz in San Mateo, California, initially focusing on contract work for sports video game titles.[4][5]The studio's first major project was contributing to the development of John Madden Football '96 (1995) for the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo Entertainment System, handling graphics and animation under Luntz's direction.[6][7] This title became a commercial bestseller, selling over a million copies and helping Z-Axis secure additional contracts with EA Sports for subsequent sports simulations.[7]Starting as a small startup, Z-Axis grew by specializing in adapting PC-based game engines to console hardware, building expertise in sports game ports across multiple platforms.[7] By the late 1990s, the team had expanded to support projects like early N64 titles, leveraging motion capture and 3D graphics techniques to enhance simulation realism.[8]
On May 22, 2002, Activision announced the acquisition of Z-Axis, Ltd., which became effective on May 20, 2002, for $20.5 million in cash plus up to 93,446 shares of Activision common stock, contingent on future performance criteria.[4][9] The deal marked Activision's fourth studio acquisition in seven months, reflecting the publisher's aggressive expansion strategy amid the consolidating interactive entertainment industry in the early 2000s.[10]The acquisition was driven by Activision's desire to bolster its position in the extreme sports genre, leveraging Z-Axis's proven expertise demonstrated through the successful Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX series, which had sold over one million units for publisher Acclaim.[11][12] Following the purchase, Z-Axis operated as a wholly owned subsidiary from its existing facility in Hayward, California, with the management team and key employees securing long-term contracts to ensure continuity.[11][7]Post-acquisition, the studio shifted focus to developing titles under Activision's publishing umbrella, expanding resources for multi-platform support across consoles like PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube. This integration enabled Z-Axis to undertake its first major project aligned with Activision, Aggressive Inline, released in October 2002, followed by BMX XXX later that year, both emphasizing the studio's strengths in fast-paced, stunt-based gameplay.[11] The move provided Z-Axis with enhanced financial backing and development tools, facilitating larger-scale productions while retaining core talent to drive Activision's sports franchise growth.[4]
Rebranding and relocation
In 2005, following its acquisition by Activision, Z-Axis relocated its operations from Hayward to Foster City, California, positioning the studio within the company's Bay Area footprint to facilitate closer integration with other development teams.[13][7] This move supported enhanced collaboration amid Activision's expanding portfolio of action and licensed titles.The studio underwent a rebranding in February 2008, changing its name from Z-Axis to Underground Development to signal a renewed emphasis on rhythm and action-based projects.[14] In April 2008, Activision announced plans to close the studio by the end of May after completing the PlayStation 3 port of Enemy Territory: Quake Wars, but operations continued under the new name.[15] During this period, the team contributed to several key titles, including co-development on True Crime: New York City (2005), lead development of X-Men: The Official Game (2006), porting work for Enemy Territory: Quake Wars (2007), and support on Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008).[7] These efforts marked a transition from the studio's earlier focus on extreme sports games to a broader range of licensed and multimedia adaptations under Activision's diversification strategy.[16]By 2008, Underground Development's staff had grown to fewer than 45 employees, with significant resources directed toward expanding the Guitar Hero franchise, culminating in the development of Guitar Hero: Van Halen (2009).[17] This shift introduced internal adjustments as the studio adapted to Activision's push into music and film-tie-in genres, moving beyond its sports simulation roots.[7]
Closure
Activision announced the closure of Underground Development on February 12, 2010, as part of a broader wave of studio shutdowns and layoffs affecting multiple internal teams.[18] This decision came amid post-merger cost-cutting efforts following the 2008 formation of Activision Blizzard through the combination with Vivendi Games, aimed at streamlining operations and reducing overhead.[19]The primary reasons for the closure included the underperformance of Guitar Hero: Van Halen (2009), which failed to meet sales expectations, and the overall decline in the rhythm game genre that had previously driven the studio's output.[20] Additionally, redundancies emerged within Activision's rhythm and action development divisions, prompting consolidation to focus resources on higher-priority franchises.[3]The shutdown resulted in layoffs for the studio's approximately 40 employees, with the Bay Area-based team fully disbanded by mid-February. While most staff were let go, a small number were reportedly reassigned to other Activision facilities to support ongoing projects.[21]Prior to closure, Underground Development completed porting work for Wolfenstein (2009) to additional platforms, marking the end of its contributions to Activision's portfolio. The studio's demise was one of several in 2010 that reshaped Activision's structure, reducing emphasis on niche genres like extreme sports and rhythm games in favor of core titles, thereby altering the landscape for specialized development teams.[22]
Developed games
Games developed as Z-Axis
During its early years as Z-Axis, the studio focused primarily on sports titles, beginning with American football simulations for 16-bit consoles. John Madden Football '96, released in 1995 for the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo Entertainment System and published by EA Sports, marked the company's debut major project and became a best-seller on Genesis, featuring updated rosters and improved AI for passing plays.[7] Later sports efforts included Fox Sports College Hoops '99 in 1998 for the Nintendo 64, published by Fox Sports Interactive, which emphasized realistic college basketball mechanics like team-specific playstyles and season mode simulations.[7]Z-Axis expanded into soccer and action genres in the late 1990s, blending licensed properties with arcade revivals. Alexi Lalas International Soccer, launched in 1998 for PlayStation and Windows and published by Take-Two Interactive, incorporated real player likenesses and international teams, with a focus on fast-paced 3v3 indoor modes alongside full 11v11 matches.[23] The studio also handled the 1999 remake of Space Invaders for PlayStation, Nintendo 64, and Windows, published by Activision, updating the classic shooter with 3D graphics, branching levels, and power-up systems while preserving core invasion mechanics across multiple alien waves.[24] That same year, Thrasher Presents Skate and Destroy arrived for PlayStation, published by Rockstar Games, introducing street skating with combo-based scoring, real skate spots like the LA River, and a career progression tied to magazine coverage.[7]The extreme sports series became Z-Axis's signature output in the early 2000s, emphasizing trick-based gameplay and licensed athletes. Freestyle Motocross: McGrath vs. Pastrana, released in 2000 for PlayStation and published by Acclaim Entertainment, pitted players against pros in stunt competitions, featuring physics-driven jumps and freestyle events across outdoor tracks.[23] The Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX series debuted that year on multiple platforms including PlayStation, Dreamcast, and PC (published by Acclaim Entertainment), renowned for its realistic physics simulation, open-ended trick modifier system allowing combos like tailwhips into barspins, and a career mode where players advanced through urban parks to unlock custom bikes and levels.[25] An enhanced version, Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX: Maximum Remix (2001, PlayStation; Acclaim Entertainment), was released for international markets with additional levels, riders, and updated graphics. The sequel, Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2 (2001, PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube; Acclaim), enhanced these with larger open-world environments, multiplayer races, and expanded career progression involving sponsorships and rival challenges.[26]Aggressive Inline (2002, PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube; Z-Axis/Acclaim) shifted to inline skating, offering grind-heavy levels inspired by real skateparks, unique momentum-based controls for speed maintenance, and a story-driven career with boss battles against rival skaters.[23] Closing the series, BMX XXX (2002, PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube; Acclaim) added mature humor with nude customizable characters, blending BMX tricks with environmental interactions like casino heists in Vegas levels, while retaining the physics and career structure.[23]In its later Z-Axis phase under Activision ownership (post-2002), the studio diversified into action-adventure and ports. True Crime: New York City (2005, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Windows; Activision) served as a co-developer, expanding the open-world driving and shooting with a narrative centered on undercover cop Marcus Reed, including branching missions influenced by moral choices and licensed hip-hop soundtrack.[7]X-Men: The Official Game (2006, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Windows; Activision) tied into the film trilogy's conclusion, featuring playable mutants like Wolverine with combo-based combat, vehicle sections, and level designs mirroring movie sets, though criticized for repetitive gameplay.[27] Finally, Z-Axis ported Enemy Territory: Quake Wars in 2007 for PlayStation 3 (Activision), adapting the PC squad-based shooter with class-specific objectives, deployable vehicles, and objective-focused multiplayer maps emphasizing team coordination between human and Strogg factions.[28]
Games developed as Underground Development
Following the 2008rebranding, Underground Development focused on support roles for licensed tie-ins and full development of rhythm games under Activision's publishing umbrella, marking a departure from prior sports titles.[7] This period yielded three notable releases between 2008 and 2009, emphasizing family-friendly adventures, first-person shooter adaptations, and band-centric music experiences.Underground Development provided additional development support for Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, a family-oriented action-adventure tie-in game released in November 2008 across multiple platforms including Wii, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC.[29] Published by Activision, the game followed the film's plot with players controlling characters like Alex the lion and Marty the zebra in quests involving vehicle chases, puzzle-solving, and mini-games across African savanna levels.[29] Underground's contributions included rendering and technology direction, aiding in the adaptation of the film's animated style to interactive gameplay.[30] The title received mixed reviews for its accessible co-op play but criticized repetitive mechanics, though it aligned with the franchise's appeal to younger audiences.[31]In 2009, Underground Development handled console adaptations and additional multiplayer development for Wolfenstein, a first-person shooter released on August 18 for Windows, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. Published by Activision and led by Raven Software, the game featured protagonist B.J. Blazkowicz battling Nazis with supernatural elements like the Veil dimension, emphasizing gunplay and co-op modes. Underground's work focused on optimizing multiplayer features for consoles, ensuring cross-platform parity in online battles.[32] Despite positive notes on its shooting mechanics, the game faced criticism for uneven pacing and sold approximately 106,000 units in its first week across all platforms, contributing to its commercial underperformance amid a crowded FPS market.[33]Underground Development's final major project was the full development of Guitar Hero: Van Halen, a rhythm game released on December 22, 2009, for PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360 (with Budcat Creations handling PS2 and Wii ports).[34] Published by Activision, it spotlighted 25 Van Halen tracks such as "Jump" and "Panama," alongside 19 guest songs from bands like Queens of the Stone Age, integrated into a career mode where players used motion-captured avatars of band members Eddie Van Halen, David Lee Roth, Alex Van Halen, and Wolfgang Van Halen.[35] Custom setlists and venue unlocks emphasized the band's 1980s era, with challenges in development including capturing authentic band performances via motion capture sessions to replicate their stage energy and likenesses.[35] Reviews praised the track selection but noted limited song variety beyond Van Halen material; sales were hampered by a broader decline in rhythm game popularity, underperforming expectations in a saturated genre.[36]
Cancelled projects
Underground Development initiated several projects during its tenure under Activision that ultimately did not see release, reflecting the volatile nature of game development in the mid-2000s and late 2000s. These cancellations often stemmed from resource reallocation, licensing challenges, and the studio's eventual shutdown.One early cancelled effort was Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX 3, a planned sequel to the Activision O2 sports series developed in the mid-2000s. The project aimed to build on the extreme sports gameplay of its predecessors, featuring enhanced BMX tricks and urban environments for PlayStation 2, GameCube, and Xbox platforms. Prototypes were reportedly demonstrated at E3 events to showcase potential mechanics, but development halted due to shifting priorities following Activision's acquisition of Z-Axis in 2002, with resources redirected toward other titles. A developer involved confirmed the project's cancellation, noting it "never released" amid broader portfolio changes.[37]Another uncompleted title was an Iron Man tie-in game, handled in part by Z-Axis (pre-rebranding) from 2003 to 2005. Intended as an action-adventure utilizing the Marvel license, it targeted PlayStation 2 and Xbox with gameplay focused on superhero combat and flight mechanics. Z-Axis actively recruited staff for this and a simultaneous X-Men project, but the Iron Man effort was shelved likely due to overlapping development strains and licensing complexities, allowing only X-Men: The Official Game to proceed to release in 2006. Early prototype screenshots surfaced years later, highlighting rudimentary level designs, but no further progress was made.[38][39]The studio's final major cancelled project under the Underground Development name was Call of Duty: Devil’s Brigade, a World War II-themed spin-off in pre-production from 2007 to 2009 for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Set in the Italian campaign, it planned first-person shooter mechanics with co-op squad-based gameplay, emphasizing tactical assaults and historical authenticity through concept art depicting rugged terrains and Allied forces. The project was axed in early 2010 during Activision's closure of the studio on February 11, as part of broader cost-cutting measures tied to the Guitar Hero series' decline, including shifts to titles like Guitar Hero: Van Halen. Surviving concept art illustrated potential multiplayer modes and narrative elements, but no playable builds emerged.[40]