Codemasters Founders Honored by Queen
Codemasters Founders Honored by Queen
June 18, 2008
The founders of UK developer Codemasters have been honored by Queen Elizabeth II.
As reported by the BBC, David and Richard Darling were named Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for their "services to the computer games industry".
The brothers founded the firm as teens in 1986 (see pic at left) and exited in 2007. Among Codemasters' best-known titles are the Colin McRae Rally and Sensible Soccer series, as well as Lord of the Rings Online. Rod Cousens, who now runs the company, praised the Darling brothers:
[They are] one of the video game industry's great British success stories... Their drive and passion for creating the best in interactive entertainment will always be part of the industry's heritage and this recognition is well deserved.
GP: Codemasters has a fascinating history. Their Wikipedia entry is definitely worth a read.
Thanks to: GP correspondent Colin "Jabrwock" McInnes.
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Posted 11/20/09 at 05:42pm
ZippyDSMlee: oh may the cute stab out your eyes, http://www.youtube.com/user/simonscat
ZippyDSMlee: oh may the cute stab out your eyes, http://www.youtube.com/user/simonscat
Posted 11/20/09 at 05:17pm
JDKJ: O.K. Suit yourself. But when you're wearing Ray-Bans, sitting on a curb with a white cane and a cup of pencils, and doing Stevie Wonder impersonations, don't say I didn't warn you.
JDKJ: O.K. Suit yourself. But when you're wearing Ray-Bans, sitting on a curb with a white cane and a cup of pencils, and doing Stevie Wonder impersonations, don't say I didn't warn you.
Posted 11/20/09 at 05:10pm
ZippyDSMlee: JD:No thank you I don;t want your cooties...or STDs...
ZippyDSMlee: JD:No thank you I don;t want your cooties...or STDs...
Posted 11/20/09 at 05:01pm
JDKJ: Me. I'm rehearsing the role just in case I do get dubbed Zippy The Soecnda.
JDKJ: Me. I'm rehearsing the role just in case I do get dubbed Zippy The Soecnda.
Posted 11/20/09 at 04:59pm
DarkSaber: Wait, is that meant to be Zippy, me or you?
DarkSaber: Wait, is that meant to be Zippy, me or you?
Posted 11/20/09 at 04:49pm
JDKJ: I cud caer lez. =^^= *wakes up in mid-afternoon after staying up until 3:00AM soldering resistors on to circuit boards, stumbles around in formerly white but now grey underwear, while simultaneously scratching groin with vigor and making coffee*
JDKJ: I cud caer lez. =^^= *wakes up in mid-afternoon after staying up until 3:00AM soldering resistors on to circuit boards, stumbles around in formerly white but now grey underwear, while simultaneously scratching groin with vigor and making coffee*
Posted 11/20/09 at 04:46pm
DarkSaber: knell? Don't you mean Neil? Anymore of tht and I'll dub thee Zippy The Soecnda
DarkSaber: knell? Don't you mean Neil? Anymore of tht and I'll dub thee Zippy The Soecnda
Posted 11/20/09 at 04:44pm
JDKJ: Now, now, Saber. Don't be salty. You weren't the first one to knell and bob and you ain't gonna be the last one, either.
JDKJ: Now, now, Saber. Don't be salty. You weren't the first one to knell and bob and you ain't gonna be the last one, either.
Posted 11/20/09 at 04:42pm
DarkSaber: JD's feeling rather desperate it seems.
DarkSaber: JD's feeling rather desperate it seems.
Posted 11/20/09 at 04:33pm
JDKJ: C'mon, Zip. You already touch yourself way too much. Spread the love. Before you go blind.
JDKJ: C'mon, Zip. You already touch yourself way too much. Spread the love. Before you go blind.
Posted 11/20/09 at 04:27pm
ZippyDSMlee: JD:No and I ain't touching any part of you or your friends!! :P
ZippyDSMlee: JD:No and I ain't touching any part of you or your friends!! :P
Posted 11/20/09 at 04:25pm
JDKJ: @Zip: You know Lik Mitaint?
JDKJ: @Zip: You know Lik Mitaint?
Posted 11/20/09 at 04:18pm
ZippyDSMlee: neill and bob,oldest giveing head joke and most lamest...
ZippyDSMlee: neill and bob,oldest giveing head joke and most lamest...
Posted 11/20/09 at 04:18pm
JDKJ: But thanks for the memory. MIB's a classic. *sings* "Here come the Men in Black. Galaxy defenders. Here come the Men in Black. They won't let you remember."
JDKJ: But thanks for the memory. MIB's a classic. *sings* "Here come the Men in Black. Galaxy defenders. Here come the Men in Black. They won't let you remember."
Posted 11/20/09 at 04:18pm
ZippyDSMlee: JD:for the record I told you you can suck your own dck.
ZippyDSMlee: JD:for the record I told you you can suck your own dck.
Posted 11/20/09 at 04:07pm
JDKJ: Naw, man. That's Mueedeegiaap and Bob. And you can stop bobbing. I got Zippy bobbing now, too.
JDKJ: Naw, man. That's Mueedeegiaap and Bob. And you can stop bobbing. I got Zippy bobbing now, too.
Posted 11/20/09 at 03:56pm
DarkSaber: OH I get it now! It's Men In Black quote! The twins that run the comm centre in HQ.
DarkSaber: OH I get it now! It's Men In Black quote! The twins that run the comm centre in HQ.
Posted 11/20/09 at 03:49pm
JDKJ: I'd like to introduce you to them. First, Neil. Then, Bob.
JDKJ: I'd like to introduce you to them. First, Neil. Then, Bob.
Posted 11/20/09 at 03:47pm
ZippyDSMlee: JD:I know they are intimate friends of yours...
ZippyDSMlee: JD:I know they are intimate friends of yours...
Posted 11/20/09 at 03:44pm
JDKJ: @Zip: You know Neil and Bob?
JDKJ: @Zip: You know Neil and Bob?
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Comments
I thought that the CBE designation was for non-British citizens only. Still, good job on their part.
Just curious, do you get anything for being knighted? A sword, perhaps?
Well you'd at least get the right to say "That's SIR to the likes of you, lowly peon!"
If nothing else, these guys are one of the reasons england was so highly respected back in the 8bit era
It's worth noting that Lord of the Rings Online is a Codemasters title in the same sense that Oblivion is an Ubisoft title--publication only, not development. LotRO is published by Codemasters in the UK, but it was developed by Turbine. In the US, it was published by Midway.
This is good news in a line of good news. First Grid has gotten good reviews and now this... Things are looking up for CodeMasters.
It's all about Micro-Machines and Dizzy tbh.
Not to mention Fruit Machine Simulator ;)
Pro BMX simulator was the best game they ever made. Well that or Operation Flashpoint, slightly different target audience...
Is this the subthread for the tape deck wrinklies, then? Let us show our respect for the Codies with a three and a half minute BWOOWEEOOOeeeeee fanfare.
Or sing the ZX Spectrum loading song...
NyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeDIP!
Nyeeeeeee...Diddleiddleiddleiddle!
Hmm.. When I think of 2 brothers working for Codemasters I immediately think of the Oliver Twins who wrote all the Dizzy games back in the day. Have to say I'm never heard of this pair.
Dennis:
Further to my thoughts on this, Sensible Soccer was written by Sensible Software, which to my recollection did Wizball, Wizkid, Cannon fodder and other such games on the Amiga. The front two for those games were Jon Hare and Chris something-or-other. These games were out ages before the company got sold, so probably not really fair to claim it as a Codemaster's title.
Goes to show if you can make bad games for 10+ eyars you will be knighted...i guess they still hand out darkknight awards....
I is fuzzy brained mew
http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com/
(in need of a bad overhaul)
OMG! I love that picture! It's been ages since I've seen a Commodore 64.
-Loudspeaker
"Volume helps to get a point across but sharp teeth are better."
When I first saw the headline I thought that it was talking about the band Queen.
But I guess this is pretty okay too.
What a coincidence! I just recently managed to get a copy of one of the Dizzy games. Neat.
Dude, I thought they broke up years ago.
Oh. The Queen.
My hats go off to those two. They have made some of the best simulators I have ever played and one of them is OFP which is the best military game next to ArmA: Armed Assault I have ever played.
Rockstar Ate My Hamster, Micro Machines, and Cosmic Spacehead