# Dark Colony

> 1997 video game

**Wikidata**: [Q1151827](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1151827)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Colony)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/dark-colony

## Summary
Dark Colony is a real-time strategy and science fiction video game originally released in 1997. Developed by GameTek and published by Strategic Simulations, the game is set on Mars and was released for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS platforms. It features both single-player and multiplayer modes and follows a continuity that includes the title *Dark Colony: The Council Wars*.

## Key Facts
- **Release Date:** August 31, 1997
- **Genre:** Real-time strategy, Science fiction video game
- **Developer:** GameTek; Sold-Out Software
- **Publisher:** Strategic Simulations; GameTek
- **Platforms:** Microsoft Windows, Classic Mac OS, macOS, IBM PC compatible
- **Setting:** Mars
- **Distribution:** Take-Two Interactive; Format: CD-ROM
- **Country of Origin:** Canada
- **Age Rating:** USK 16
- **Game Modes:** Single-player, Multiplayer

## FAQs
### Q: What type of game is Dark Colony?
A: Dark Colony is a real-time strategy (RTS) video game with a science fiction theme. It involves strategic simulation gameplay set in a futuristic environment.

### Q: When was Dark Colony released?
A: The game was published on August 31, 1997.

### Q: On which operating systems can Dark Colony be played?
A: Dark Colony runs on Microsoft Windows, IBM PC compatible computers, and Apple's macOS (specifically Classic Mac OS).

## Why It Matters
Dark Colony represents a notable entry in the late 1990s real-time strategy (RTS) boom, a period dominated by science fiction and military simulation titles. Its significance is anchored in its association with Strategic Simulations (SSI), a legendary American software company founded in 1979 that was pivotal in the computer wargaming and RPG industries. By 1997, SSI was expanding into the RTS market, and *Dark Colony* served as one of its forays into this popular genre.

The game is distinct for its setting on Mars, tapping into the specific sub-genre of planetary colonization and conflict that resonated with late-90s sci-fi aesthetics. Developed by GameTek and distributed by Take-Two Interactive, the title stands as a cross-platform project from an era when Mac OS gaming was less standardized. While it did not reach the ubiquity of genre giants like *Starcraft*, it maintains a dedicated archival presence, evidenced by its listings on digital preservation sites and compatibility databases like WineHQ and Lutris. Its existence highlights the collaborative nature of 90s game publishing, where developers like GameTek worked alongside established publishers like SSI to bring niche sci-fi strategy titles to a global market.

## Notable For
- **Strategic Simulations Pedigree:** Published by SSI, a major figure in video game history known for strategy and role-playing games since 1979.
- **Mars Setting:** Distinctly set on Mars, differentiating its narrative environment from terrestrial strategy games.
- **Cross-Platform Availability:** Unusual for its time to have simultaneous support for Windows and Mac OS (Classic).
- **Canadian Origin:** Identified as a video game with Canada as its country of origin.
- **Expansion Content:** The property extends to *Dark Colony: The Council Wars*, indicating a franchise expansion.

## Body

### Development and Publishing
Dark Colony was developed primarily by GameTek, with Sold-Out Software also listed as a developer in industry databases. The game was published by Strategic Simulations (SSI), a company renowned for its contributions to the video game industry since 1979 and headquartered in Sunnyvale, United States. The distribution of the title was handled by Take-Two Interactive. The game's origin is traced to Canada.

### Gameplay and Setting
Classified as a real-time strategy game, Dark Colony immerses players in a science fiction narrative. The specific narrative location is Mars. The gameplay supports both single-player and multiplayer modes, utilizing a computer keyboard as the primary input device. The content is rated USK 16, suitable for ages 16 and up.

### Technical Specifications
The software is designed for IBM PC compatible computers and the Microsoft Windows family of operating systems (incepted 1985). It also supports the Apple Macintosh ecosystem, specifically Classic Mac OS (incepted 1984) and modern macOS (incepted 2001). The physical distribution format for the game was CD-ROM.

### Release and Identifiers
The initial publication date for Dark Colony was August 31, 1997. The game has preserved a digital footprint across various gaming databases and archives, confirming its lasting catalog presence:
- **MobyGames ID:** 2737
- **IGDB ID:** dark-colony
- **PCGamingWiki ID:** Dark_Colony
- **WineHQ AppDB ID:** 3192
- **Lutris Game ID:** dark-colony

The game is followed by *Dark Colony: The Council Wars*.

## Schema Markup
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "VideoGame",
  "name": "Dark Colony",
  "description": "A 1997 real-time strategy and science fiction video game set on Mars, developed by GameTek and published by Strategic Simulations.",
  "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Colony",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1166114",
    "https://www.mobygames.com/game/2737/dark-colony/"
  ],
  "gamePlatform": ["Microsoft Windows", "Classic Mac OS", "macOS", "IBM PC compatible"],
  "author": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "GameTek"
  },
  "publisher": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Strategic Simulations"
  },
  "genre": ["Real-time strategy", "Science fiction"],
  "datePublished": "1997-08-31",
  "applicationCategory": "Game",
  "operatingSystem": "Microsoft Windows, macOS"
}

## References

1. redump.org
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
3. [Category:Video games set on Mars - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Video_games_set_on_Mars?oldid=616700857#Pages_in_category)
4. GameSpot
5. Giant Bomb
6. Q124398839
7. GamesMeter.nl
8. GOG Dreamlist