Close Combat: Invasion: Normandy
Fifth Close Combat title set in World War II Normandy.
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.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Close Combat: Invasion: Normandy
- Developer
- Atomic Games
- Publisher
- Mattel Interactive
- Series
- Close Combat
- Platforms
- Windows
- Released
- October 2000
- Genre
- Computer wargame
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Close Combat: Invasion: Normandy is a real-time computer wargame that focuses on military conflict in World War II. It was developed by Atomic Games, who began work on the title in early 2000 following the release of the fourth Close Combat game, Close Combat: Battle of the Bulge. That previous game had been made for Mindscape's Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) label, and Invasion: Normandy began under that publisher. However, Mindscape had since 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 [Close Combat] is up in the air—Mattel Interactive is perennially on the trading block, and Atomic ... has lost some key staff members in recent months.' Late in September, Mattel sold The Learning Company at a bargain price to The Gores Group. A spokesman for the new managers announced that they expected to make it 'profitable within six months.' Invasion: Normandy was released in October 2000.
Reader's Guide
Close Combat: Invasion: Normandy is notable as the fifth entry in the Close Combat series, a real-time wargame set in World War II. Its development and release were marked by corporate instability: the game began under Mindscape's SSI label but was ultimately published by Mattel Interactive, a financially unstable company that had acquired Mindscape's parent. The article notes that Mattel Interactive was 'perennially on the trading block' and that Atomic Games had lost key staff members. Shortly before release, Mattel sold The Learning Company to The Gores Group, which expected to make it profitable within six months. The game received 'generally favorable reviews' according to Metacritic. A remake, Close Combat: The Longest Day, was released in 2009. The entry preserves the uncertainty around the series' future as reported by Robert Mayer in September 2000.
Did You Know?
- Close Combat: Invasion: Normandy is the fifth game in the Close Combat series.
- The game began development under Mindscape's SSI label before Mattel Interactive took over publishing.
More in Video Games of the 2000s, Part 1 1-24
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