Close Combat: Battle of the Bulge
Fourth Close Combat game, simulating the Battle of the Bulge.
Close Combat: Battle of the Bulge, also referred to as Close Combat IV: Battle of the Bulge, is a 1999 computer wargame developed by Atomic Games and published by Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI). It simulates the World War II Battle of the Bulge and is the fourth title in the Close Combat series. The game uses real-time gameplay to model the conflict. Atomic Games, which had developed the first three Close Combat games for Microsoft, moved to SSI after Microsoft ended the series. Although all three prior games were profitable, Microsoft reportedly shifted focus to titles with higher sales potential. Atomic split from Microsoft in April 1999 and brought the franchise to SSI. The game received favorable reviews according to GameRankings. It was a finalist for Computer Games Strategy Plus' 1999 "Wargame of the Year" award, losing to Panzer Campaigns I: Smolensk '41, with the staff praising the series' innovation and quality. The game was also a runner-up for Computer Gaming Worlds 1999 "Wargame of the Year" award, which ultimately went to Sid Meier's Antietam!; the magazine noted that Battle of the Bulge was its only serious competition but was held back by AI issues and units that would reappear. After this game, Atomic began work on a fifth Close Combat title with SSI in early 2000. However, Mindscape (SSI's parent) had been sold to Mattel in 1999, and Mattel Interactive, the publisher of Close Combat V, was financially unstable. By September 2000, the series' future was uncertain, as Mattel Interactive was up for sale and Atomic had lost key staff. Later that month, Mattel sold The Learning Company (Mindscape's parent) to The Gores Group, whose spokesman expected to make it profitable within six months. The fifth game, subtitled Invasion: Normandy, was released in October 2000.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Atomic Games
- Publisher
- Strategic Simulations Inc.
- Series
- Close Combat
- Released
- NA · December 2, 1999 · EU · December 24, 1999
- Genre
- Computer wargame
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Close Combat: Battle of the Bulge was developed by Atomic Games as the fourth entry in the Close Combat series. The first three games had been made for Microsoft, but the publisher ended the series after Close Combat III: The Russian Front, despite all three being profitable. According to Marc Dultz of CNET Gamecenter, there were indications that Microsoft was only interested in games with potential sales of 250,000 units or more. Atomic Games responded by splitting from Microsoft and migrating to Mindscape's Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) label in April 1999 to create Battle of the Bulge. The game uses real-time gameplay to simulate the World War II battle. A remake, Close Combat: Wacht am Rhein, was released in 2008.
Reader's Guide
Close Combat: Battle of the Bulge received favorable reviews according to GameRankings. It was a finalist for Computer Games Strategy Plus' 1999 'Wargame of the Year' prize, losing to Panzer Campaigns I: Smolensk '41; the staff noted that 'Atomic Games’ innovative series finds a new home but retains its high-quality gameplay.' It was also a runner-up for Computer Gaming World's 1999 'Wargame of the Year' award, which went to Sid Meier's Antietam!; the staff called Battle of the Bulge the latter's only 'serious competition' but said it was hampered by 'AI quirks and mysteriously reincarnating units.' Following the game, Atomic began work on a fifth Close Combat game with SSI in early 2000. However, Mindscape had been sold to Mattel when that company bought The Learning Company, Mindscape's parent, for $3.5 billion in 1999. As a result, Close Combat V was published by Mattel Interactive, a financially unstable company. Computer Games Magazine's Robert Mayer noted in September 2000 that 'the future of this game series is up in the air.' Late in September, Mattel sold The Learning Company at a bargain price to The Gores Group, and the fifth Close Combat, subtitled Invasion: Normandy, was released in October.
Did You Know?
- The game is sometimes known as Close Combat IV: Battle of the Bulge.
- It was the first Close Combat game not published by Microsoft.
- Atomic Games migrated to SSI in April 1999 to create this game.
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