# Underground Development

> defunct American video game developer

**Wikidata**: [Q7883635](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7883635)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Underground_Development)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/underground-development

## Summary
Underground Development was a defunct American video game developer founded in 1994 and acquired by Activision Blizzard. The company operated until its dissolution in February 2010, headquartered in Redwood Shores, California.

## Key Facts
- Founded in 1994
- Dissolved on February 11, 2010
- Headquartered in Redwood Shores, United States
- Owned by Activision Blizzard
- Also known as Z-Axis Games or Z軸ゲーム
- Official website was http://www.undergrounddev.com
- Had Wikipedia articles in 5 languages (Catalan, English, Indonesian, Russian, Chinese)
- Had 5 sitelinks across Wikipedia projects

## FAQs
### Q: What was Underground Development known for?
A: Underground Development was a video game developer that operated from 1994 until 2010. The company was also known as Z-Axis Games and developed games for various platforms during its operational period.

### Q: When was Underground Development founded and when did it cease operations?
A: Underground Development was founded in 1994 and ceased operations on February 11, 2010, when it was officially dissolved.

### Q: Who owned Underground Development?
A: Underground Development was owned by Activision Blizzard, a major video game holding company that acquired the developer at some point during its operational history.

### Q: Where was Underground Development headquartered?
A: The company was headquartered in Redwood Shores, United States, which is located in California.

### Q: What other names was Underground Development known by?
A: Underground Development was also known by the aliases Z-Axis Games and Z軸ゲーム (Z-Axis Games in Japanese).

## Why It Matters
Underground Development represents a significant entity in the American video game industry history. As a developer that operated for over 15 years, it contributed to the industry's growth and evolution during a transformative period. The company's acquisition by Activision Blizzard highlights the consolidation trend in the gaming industry, where larger companies absorb smaller studios. Its dissolution in 2010 marked the end of an era for many of its projects and team members. Understanding Underground Development helps researchers and industry analysts track the lifecycle of game studios, the patterns of acquisition and consolidation, and the business dynamics of the video game industry.

## Notable For
- Operating as an independent video game developer for 16 years before dissolution
- Having its official website in English (http://www.undergrounddev.com)
- Being known by multiple aliases including Z-Axis Games and its Japanese name Z軸ゲーム
- Having a presence in multiple Wikipedia languages, indicating international recognition
- Maintaining 5 sitelinks across different Wikipedia projects

## Body
### Company Overview
Underground Development was an American video game developer that operated from 1994 to 2010. The company was headquartered in Redwood Shores, United States, and specialized in the creation of video games for various platforms.

### Ownership and History
- Founded in 1994
- Acquired by Activision Blizzard at some point during its operational history
- Officially dissolved on February 11, 2010

### Identity and Recognition
- Also known as Z-Axis Games or Z軸ゲーム
- Had a Freebase ID of /m/035trv
- Maintained an official website at http://www.undergrounddev.com in English
- Had Wikipedia articles in 5 languages: Catalan, English, Indonesian, Russian, and Chinese
- Accumulated 5 sitelinks across Wikipedia projects

### Industry Classification
- Classified as a video game developer
- Operated within the video game industry
- Had an industry classification of "video game industry"

### Database Identifiers
- Freebase ID: /m/035trv
- Open Game Database Company ID: 5517
- MobyGames Company ID: 704
- GameFAQs Company ID: 92723
- TheGamesDB Developer ID: 9211
- Launchbox Games Database Developer ID: 3103
- VideoGameGeek Company IDs: 36382, 12731
- Media Arts Database ID: C47356
- LastDodo Area IDs: 468293, 3635449, 4295193

## References

1. LastDodo
2. VideoGameGeek