Close Combat: Invasion: Normandy
Fifth Close Combat title set in World War II Normandy.
Last updated
Close Combat: Invasion: Normandy, released for Windows in 2000, is the fifth installment in the Close Combat series. It was developed by Atomic Games and published by Mattel Interactive. The game is a real-time computer wargame set during World War II.
Development began in early 2000, right after the fourth game, Close Combat: Battle of the Bulge. That earlier title had been made for Mindscape's Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) label, and Invasion: Normandy initially started under the same publisher.
However, Mindscape had been sold to Mattel following Mattel’s 1999 purchase of The Learning Company (Mindscape’s parent) for $3.5 billion. Consequently, Close Combat V was published by Mattel Interactive, a company in financial trouble. In September 2000, Computer Games Magazine’s Robert Mayer noted that the series’ future was uncertain, as Mattel Interactive was perpetually up for sale and Atomic had recently lost key staff.
Later that September, Mattel sold The Learning Company at a low price to The Gores Group. The new managers stated they expected to make the company profitable within six months. Invasion: Normandy was released in October 2000.
According to Metacritic, the game received generally favorable reviews from critics.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does Close Combat: Invasion: Normandy fit in the Close Combat series?
It is the fifth entry in the franchise, coming right after Battle of the Bulge as the fourth title. Development picked up in early 2000, immediately following the previous game's completion.
Why did the publisher shift from Mindscape to Mattel Interactive?
Mattel bought The Learning Company in 1999, which folded Mindscape into Mattel's publishing line. The half-finished title therefore moved from the old SSI/Mindscape banner to Mattel Interactive for its 2000 launch.
More in Video Games of the 2000s
Test yourself
Three questions drawn from this entry’s sources. Pick an answer to check it.
Answers checked against the source article
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Close Combat: Invasion: Normandy (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced