Lankhor was a French video game development and publishing company that operated from the late 1980s until the early 2000s. Founded in 1988 by a group of programmers and entrepreneurs, the studio produced titles primarily for home computer platforms such as the Atari ST, Amiga, and later Microsoft Windows.
History
- Founding: Lankhor was established in 1988 in France. The company’s name was derived from the surnames of its founders, though the exact etymology is not definitively documented.
- Early years: During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Lankhor focused on developing and publishing games for the European home‑computer market, a sector that was then dominated by platforms such as the Atari ST and Amiga.
- Transition to PC: As the market shifted toward IBM‑compatible PCs in the mid‑1990s, Lankhor adapted its development efforts to Windows‑based titles.
- Closure: By the early 2000s the company had ceased operations, with its final releases dating from around 2001. The precise reasons for the closure are not extensively recorded in publicly available sources.
Notable products
Lankhor released a variety of games across multiple genres, including adventure, simulation, and action titles. Among the titles most frequently cited in retrospectives of the company’s catalogue are:
- Morpheus (1995) – a graphic adventure game that received attention for its atmospheric presentation and puzzle design.
- Dark Sun (1996) – an adventure‑simulation hybrid noted for its blend of narrative and exploratory gameplay.
Other releases from Lankhor spanned both original IPs and licensed adaptations, though comprehensive lists of the full catalogue are limited in available English‑language sources.
Legacy
Although Lankhor was a relatively small studio, its contributions are recognized within the context of the 1990s European computer gaming scene. The company’s titles are occasionally referenced in discussions of the era’s adventure and simulation genres, and a modest collector community preserves and documents many of its releases.
References
- French video game industry retrospectives (various archival articles).
- Game databases that catalog Lankhor’s releases, such as MobyGames and Giant Bomb.
Note: While the existence of Lankhor and its general activities are documented, detailed information about specific corporate decisions, financial performance, and a complete bibliography of its games is limited in publicly accessible sources.