# Loriciels > French video game development company **Wikidata**: [Q3259558](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3259558) **Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loriciel) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/loriciels ## Summary Loriciels, legally known as LORICIEL, was a French video game development company founded in 1983 by Laurent Weill. Operating as a public limited company with a board of directors, the organization specialized in creating video games for the video game industry until its dissolution in 1995. The company is historically recognized for developing titles such as *Infernal Runner*, *Best of the Best: Championship Karate*, and *Jim Power in Mutant Planet*. ## Key Facts * **Official Name:** LORICIEL (company name under French law). * **Aliases:** Loriciel SA, Loriciels, LORICIEL. * **Founding Date:** 1983. * **Dissolution Date:** 1995. * **Founder:** Laurent Weill. * **Legal Form:** Public limited company with a board of directors (n.o.s.), based on legal categories in France. * **Country of Origin:** France (Western Europe and overseas territories). * **Headquarters Location:** France. * **Industry:** Video game industry. * **SIREN Number:** 328186705. * **UVL Company IDs:** 253, 2937. * **OGDB Company ID:** 1015. * **Freebase ID:** /m/0gqrgr. * **MobyGames Company ID:** 161. * **TheLegacy Company ID:** 1296. * **Gaming History Company ID:** 4869. * **Internet Game Database IDs:** loriciel, loriciels, loriciel-sa. * **LaunchBox Games Database Developer IDs:** 683, 1048. * **GameFAQs Company ID:** 72853. * **LastDodo Area ID:** 504515. * **VideoGameGeek Company ID:** 12810. * **Gry Online Company ID:** 1733. * **TheGamesDB Developer IDs:** 5054, 5052. * **SNESMusic.org Company ID:** 236. * **OpenCorporates ID:** fr/328186705. * **Wikipedia Languages:** English, French, Italian, Korean, Polish. * **Notable Developed Games:** *Infernal Runner* (1985), *Best of the Best: Championship Karate* (1992), *Jim Power in Mutant Planet* (1993). * **Classification:** Video game developer and organization. ## FAQs **What was the legal structure and origin of Loriciels?** Loriciels was established as a public limited company with a board of directors under French legal categories. It was founded in 1983 by Laurent Weill and operated out of France, holding the SIREN number 328186705. **Which video games are attributed to Loriciels' development history?** The company is credited with developing several notable titles, including the 1985 release *Infernal Runner*, the 1992 fighting game *Best of the Best: Championship Karate*, and the 1993 platformer *Jim Power in Mutant Planet*. **When did the company cease operations and what identifiers does it hold?** Loriciels was dissolved in 1995 after operating for over a decade. It is identified across multiple databases with unique IDs such as MobyGames 161, Freebase /m/0gqrgr, and various developer IDs on platforms like TheGamesDB and LaunchBox. **How is Loriciels classified within the broader technology and gaming sectors?** The entity is classified as a video game developer and a general organization within the video game industry. It is recognized as a social entity established to meet needs or pursue goals within the economic sector of game development, marketing, and sales. ## Why It Matters Loriciels represents a significant chapter in the history of the French video game industry, serving as a domestic alternative to international publishers during the 1980s and early 1990s. By producing titles like *Best of the Best: Championship Karate* and *Jim Power in Mutant Planet*, the company contributed to the diversification of the global video game library, offering unique experiences that defined an era of gaming. Its existence highlights the early ecosystem of European software development, demonstrating how local entities could compete in a rapidly expanding market before the industry consolidated. The company's specific legal and operational footprint, documented through its SIREN number and various database entries, provides researchers with a concrete case study of French corporate structures in the tech sector during the late 20th century. ## Notable For * **French Industry Pioneer:** One of the prominent French video game development companies operating from 1983 to 1995. * **Specific Game Portfolio:** Creator of distinct titles including *Infernal Runner*, *Best of the Best: Championship Karate*, and *Jim Power in Mutant Planet*. * **Legal Distinctiveness:** Operated under the specific legal form of a public limited company with a board of directors, adhering to French corporate law. * **Extensive Database Presence:** Holds unique identifiers across a wide spectrum of gaming archives, including MobyGames, OGDB, LastDodo, and TheLegacy. * **Founder Legacy:** Established by Laurent Weill, a key figure in the company's inception and early direction. ## Body ### Corporate Identity and Legal Structure Loriciels, officially registered as LORICIEL under French law, functioned as a public limited company with a board of directors. This legal form was determined using specific criterion used for legal categories in France. The company's official name was recorded as LORICIEL, while it was also known by the aliases Loriciel SA, Loriciels, and LORICIEL. The organization was founded in 1983 and remained active until its dissolution in 1995. Its primary classification falls under the category of a video game developer, which is a software development organization specializing in the creation of video games for personal use. As an organization, it was a social entity established to meet needs or pursue goals within the video game industry. The company's headquarters were located in France, a country in Western Europe and other continents through its overseas territories. ### Founding and Leadership The entity was founded by Laurent Weill. This founding event occurred in 1983, marking the inception of the company's operations. The founder's role was central to the establishment of the organization as a player in the video game industry. The company's existence is documented with a SIREN number of 328186705, which serves as a unique identifier for the business within the French administrative system. ### Product Portfolio and Development History Loriciels developed a specific set of video games that are now part of gaming history. One of their earliest known works is *Infernal Runner*, a video game released in 1985. Another significant title in their catalog is *Best of the Best: Championship Karate*, which was released in 1992. The company also developed *Jim Power in Mutant Planet*, a video game launched in 1993. These titles represent the core of their creative output and are the primary reasons the company is remembered in the context of the video game industry. The company's work falls under the broader economic sector involved with the development, marketing, and sales of video games. ### Digital Footprint and Database Identifiers The company maintains a presence across numerous gaming databases and archives, each assigning it a unique identifier. In the MobyGames database, it is listed with the ID 161. The OGDB (Online Game Database) assigns it the ID 1015. For the LastDodo area, the ID is 504515. The Legacy Company ID is 1296. Gaming History lists the company with ID 4869. The Internet Game Database recognizes it under the names "loriciel," "loriciels," and "loriciel-sa." LaunchBox Games Database assigns developer IDs 683 and 1048. GameFAQs uses the ID 72853. VideoGameGeek lists it with ID 12810. Gry Online uses ID 1733. TheGamesDB assigns developer IDs 5054 and 5052. SNESMusic.org uses ID 236. The Freebase ID is /m/0gqrgr. The OpenCorporates ID is fr/328186705. The UVL Company IDs are 253 and 2937. The MobyGames Company ID under the former scheme is listed as "loriciels" and "loriciel-sa." ### Geographic and Linguistic Context The company was based in France, a nation with a complex inception history involving West Francia, Francia, and the First French Empire. Its operations were centered in this country, which is located in Western Europe. The company's documentation and presence span multiple languages, with Wikipedia articles available in English, French, Italian, Korean, and Polish. This multilingual presence indicates an international reach or interest in the company's history and products. The sitelink count for the entity across various platforms is recorded as 5, reflecting its documented presence in major knowledge repositories. ### Historical Timeline and Dissolution The timeline of Loriciels begins with its inception in 1983. The company operated for over a decade, producing games throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. Its operational period concluded with its dissolution, abolished, or demolished date in 1995. This end date marks the cessation of its activities as a video game developer. The company's history is a snapshot of the early era of the video game industry, a sector that has since evolved significantly. The references for these dates and facts are drawn from various sources, including , , and , ensuring the accuracy of the historical record. ## References 1. LastDodo 2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013 3. SIRENE 4. VideoGameGeek