The story
Founded by Strange Company on Jan 2000.1
History
In December 1999, id Software released Quake III Arena. According to Paul Marino, executive director of the Academy of Machinima Arts & Sciences, filmmakers who had been using prior versions of the Quake series to record animated videos, then called "Quake movies", were initially excited, but the enthusiasm dampened when id announced that, in an attempt to curtail cheating in multiplayer video games, it would take legal action against anyone who released details of Quake III's networking code, which was included in the game's game demo file format. This precluded the use of custom demo-editing tools that had facilitated the creation of videos that used the older Quake and Quake II demo file formats, slowing the release of new Quake movies. Another contributing factor to this decline was that the self-referential nature of the gameplay-related situations and commentary of Quake movies was losing novelty. Marino explained bluntly that "the joke was getting old". Therefore, the Quake movie community needed to reinvent itself.
In January 2000, Hugh Hancock started Machinima.com, a resource for video makers who used computer and video games as a medium. The site's name was foreign to the Quake movie community. The term machinima was originally machinema, from the words machine and cinema. However, Hancock had misspelled the term in a previous email, and the new name stuck because he and Anthony Bailey, who had worked on Quake done Quick, liked the now-embedded reference to anime.
The site opened with multiple articles, interviews, and tutorials, and was soon able to acquire exclusive releases of new productions. One such work, Quad God, was the first to use Quake III Arena and the first to be released in a conventional video file format instead of a demo file format exclusive to a certain game. The switch to conventional media offended some machinima producers, but Quad God, by Tritin Films helped to introduce machinima to a wider audience and to solidify Machinima.com's launch. Matt Kelland, Dave Morris, and Dave Lloyd called the release of Quad God "a key moment in the development of machinima". In turn, as Machinima.com became more popular throughout 2000, other game engines, such as that of Unreal Tournament, became the basis of new productions and the focus of new software tools for machinima.
2006–2016
On January 16, 2006, the Machinima Inc. YouTube channel was created, but did not upload any videos until around September 2007. The earliest archived snapshot of the channel, taken by the Wayback Machine on December 16, 2007, shows that the channel had 12,211 subscribers.
On January 30, 2006, Hancock announced his resignation as editor-in-chief of Machinima.com and that control of the site would be transferred to the staff of Machinima, Inc. Among the reasons cited for the change were differences in approach to the site and a desire to devote more time to Strange Company's 2006 machinima production BloodSpell. Hancock called the decision "possibly the biggest step I've taken since I founded Strange Company nearly nine years ago".
Towards the end of 2010, Machinima revamped its website and removed the forums (wanting users to use the Facebook page instead), and the ability to upload videos. Since the revamp of their website, Machinima had shifted focus away from actual machinima content. The network now focused on gamer lifestyle and entertainment programming, broadcasting solely through their YouTube channels. In 2010, the Machinima Respawn sub-brand expanded its lineup of partner directors to include high-output creators such as Justin K. Loebel (known as Myoelectric or LoX), who was recognized by industry outlets as a "rising star" within the network's roster of filmmakers. Loebel's work, including the Teh BirdZ series and various "Super Montages," became a staple of the platform's community-driven content during this period.
In January 2012, Machinima discontinued podcast feeds on iTunes without an in-feed announcement. Back episodes remained available but no new episodes have appeared on the feed since moving to YouTube exclusively. In June 2012, Machinima partnered with Meteor Entertainment to promote Hawken, a highly anticipated free-to-play online game which was later released in December 2012.
In the same month, Microsoft announced the inclusion of Machinima programming on Xbox Live during the 2012 Electronic Entertainment Expo. In May 2012, Google invested $35 million into Machinima. It was the first time Google has openly backed a content company by taking an equity stake. In December 2012, Machinima.com announced it was letting go of 23 staff from its workforce. Machinima said the lay-offs were due to re-organizing as part of its global growth strategy, but were still hiring other key divisions whilst these layoffs were happening.
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In late 2012, Machinima reached 4th place in YouTube's subscriber rankings with over 5 million subscribers. The only channels preventing Machinima from becoming #1 at the time were Smosh, nigahiga and Ray William Johnson, all three of which at the time had over 6 million subscribers. As of December 2018, the channel had over 12 million subscribers.
In early 2014, the main channel briefly returned to uploading original machinima series and movies. In March 2014, Warner Bros. led an $18 million round of funding for Machinima. Around the same time, founder Allen DeBevoise stepped down as CEO and became the new chairman. Former Ovation COO Chad Gutstein was installed in his place. In November 2014, Machinima announced plans to rebrand their network, with a revamped logo and new tagline, "Heroes Rise." A video ID was produced by the Matthew Finio Creative agency and editor Ian McGuire with the word "Machinima" whispered by jazz singer Melissa Morgan, Finio's cousin.
In February 2015, the company raised an additional $24 million in funding led by Warner Bros. Machinima said that the additional funding would be used to accelerate growth through more investments in content and technology to better serve the firm's audiences, advertisers, creators and distributors.
On October 12, 2016, sources told media sites that Warner Bros. was nearing a deal to acquire Machinima and its branded properties. On November 17, 2016, Warner Bros. confirmed the news, thus making Machinima a wholly owned subsidiary of Warner Bros. Digital Networks.
2018–2019
On February 14, 2018, after being integrated into Warner Bros. Digital Networks, Machinima unveiled a new logo and plans to shift its programming back towards game-centric content, and away from the multi-channel network model.
In June 2018, Warner Bros. parent company Time Warner was acquired by AT&T and renamed WarnerMedia. AT&T owns Otter Media, which runs the multi-channel networks Fullscreen and Rooster Teeth—which similarly produces gaming-oriented content and web series, and previously the anime-oriented streaming service Crunchyroll. After the purchase, AT&T bought out Chernin Group's stake in the company, making WarnerMedia the sole owner. In November 2018, Deadline Hollywood reported that AT&T was preparing to reorganize Machinima into Otter Media. The following month, the merger went ahead as part of a larger reorganization of Otter Media, which resulted in layoffs of 10% of the company's workforce.
On January 18, 2019, following the completion of the reorganization, all content was abruptly set to private on Machinima's YouTube channels. Fullscreen explained that Machinima would now be a unit of Fullscreen, producing content under the Machinima banner while Machinima's partners would migrate into Fullscreen's creator network. Fullscreen GM Beau Bryant stated in an email sent to Machinima partners that they were "going to great lengths 'behind-the-scenes' to ensure a smooth and efficient transition".
In January 2019, Machinima abruptly discontinued their YouTube channels, with all their videos set to private, largely in part due to the AT&T acquisition of Otter Media, Rooster Teeth, FullScreen and more, leading to an executive decision consolidating digital assets which closed Machinima's doors. On February 1, 2019, Machinima officially announced that it had laid off its 81 employees and ceased remaining operations. The company stated that certain employees were being retained to work for Otter Media, and that Russell Arons was "assisting with transitional activities as she explores new opportunities". Shortly afterward, it was announced that a number of former Machinima series and shows would move under Rooster Teeth, including a revival of Inside Gaming.
Original programming
Terminator Salvation: The Machinima Series
On May 18, 2009, Machinima released Terminator Salvation: The Machinima Series, an animated web series set before the video game and leading to the events of the film, comprising six episodes. The series is set in 2016 and follows Blair Williams (voiced by Moon Bloodgood) who is fighting the war against the machines in downtown Los Angeles, while tracking down the computer hacker named Laz Howard (voiced by Cam Clarke) and trying to pursue him to join sides with the resistance. The series was created using real-time computer animation from the video game. It was distributed by Warner Premiere, and produced by Wonderland Sound and Vision and The Halcyon Company.
Mortal Kombat: Legacy
On April 11, 2011, Machinima aired Mortal Kombat: Legacy, a live-action series produced by Warner Bros. Digital Distribution, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Warner Premiere featuring Michael Jai White, Darren Shahlavi, and Jeri Ryan. Based on the Mortal Kombat series, Legacy succeeds the short film Mortal Kombat: Rebirth, which takes place in an alternate universe. This series was aired exclusively on the Machinima YouTube channel and served over 60 million combined views.
Bite Me
Bite Me was a two-season web series released on December 31, 2010, about three gamers who find themselves in the midst of a real-life zombie outbreak. Relying only on the knowledge and skills they have gained from years of gaming, they drop the controller and pick up anything that can be used as a weapon. For the first season of the show, Machinima partnered with Microsoft and Capcom and accumulated over 14 million viewers. The second season was released on March 6, 2012, and was also aired on FEARnet, a horror cable network.
Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist
On May 23, 2014, Machinima aired Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist, a live-action Street Fighter series produced by Capcom and created by Joey Ansah and Christian Howard who made the popular short film Street Fighter: Legacy, reprising their roles as Ken and Akuma from the film.
Justice League: Gods and Monsters Chronicles
In 2014, Machinima announced that they would air a three-part animated series titled Justice League: Gods and Monsters Chronicles, which would serve as a companion to the animated movie Justice League: Gods and Monsters. In May 2015, before the series even debuted, Machinima and DC Entertainment revealed that it had been renewed for a ten-episode second season to air in 2016. The first season launched on June 8, 2015, over two weeks before the movie was released. Series creator Sam Liu would later report that the series was shelved and that he had "moved on to other projects".
#4Hero
In May 2015 it was revealed that Machinima, in co-development with Blue Ribbon Content and DC Entertainment was developing a live-action adaptation of the DC Comics' cult-favorite classic Dial H for Hero, called #4Hero. It was described as a VFX-heavy action-comedy about a young woman named Nellie Tribble who gets her powers from a smartphone app that allows her to instantly become a super hero for a short period of time. Her superpowers are dictated by whatever is trending on social media at that moment.
DC's Hero Project
DC's Hero Project is a contest show developed by Machinima, Blue Ribbon Content, and DC Entertainment. The show is about finding "the next great creator for the world of DC Comics". It is described as a contest between eight competitors who compete in elimination challenges to develop a live-action short video based on their interpretations of the characters from DC Comics' Starman series. One of the confirmed judges was bestselling writer, and DC Entertainment chief creative officer, Geoff Johns.
Street Fighter: Resurrection
Street Fighter: Resurrection streamed exclusively on go90 in March 2016.
The Bacca Chronicles
The Bacca Chronicles, also known as JeromeASF Presents: The Bacca Chronicles, was released on November 23, 2015. Sponsored by go90, the series followed four characters—Kyle, Bacca, Allison, and Mod Gary—who attempt to maintain peace in a city on an online Minecraft server.
FYI
FYI is a series that combines whiteboard animation, whimsicality, and narration with frank discussions of subjects like politics, gaming, sexuality, and more. Two episodes were released.
Web Tales
Web Tales is a series featuring online comedy duo Fatawesome. 12 episodes were released on go90.
Transformers: Prime Wars Trilogy
Transformers: Prime Wars Trilogy is a trilogy of animated series created in partnership with Hasbro for go90. It is based on Hasbro's Transformers franchise and set in the Transformers: Generation 1 continuity family. It is split into three parts, Combiner Wars, Titans Return and Power of the Primes, drawing inspiration from the toylines of the same name as well as the story line from IDW Publishing's The Transformers.
Happy Wheels: The Series
Happy Wheels: The Series is an animated series based on the game of the same name. Co-produced by Bunim/Murray Productions, it was released in November 2016.
Greater Creators
A series hosted by Danika Massey, known online as ComicBookGirl19. 14 episodes were released on go90.
Co-Op Connection
Co-Op Connection was a gamer-centric dating show series, originally released on Facebook Watch.
From Wikipedia’s article on Machinima, Inc., shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.6