America was the first released game developed by German studioRelated Designs after the studio had been founded in 1995,[3][4] and the first full-price game published byData Becker.[5] The game was conceptualised at Data Becker in 1998 and developed in less than 23 months.[5] In Germany, the game was released in late December 2000;[5] a release in North America followed on 15 January 2001.[1] The game was released forMicrosoft Windows, specifically supporting theWindows 95,98,2000 andMe versions.[6]
America received "mixed or average" reviews, according to thereview aggregation websiteMetacritic.[7] John Lee ofNextGen said that the game was "still a kick, even if the history is skewed. Many of us grew up playing cowboys and Indians, and we're primed for covered wagons, and cavalry charges. The fun wears thin quickly enough, but the game still has its charm. Now if only the Germans could polish up their American history."[16]
Anexpansion pack toAmerica, titledAmerica: Expansion Pack, added eight further missions, alevel editor, amultiplayer mode, a revampedgame engine to allow for improvedartificial intelligence, gameplay and graphics, as well as new units and buildings, to the game.[18] It was also developed by Related Designs,[19] and announced by Data Becker in May 2001, scheduled for release in Germany in September 2001.[20] In North America, Data Becker released the expansion pack on 17 December 2001.[21]
On 9 March 2001,CDV Software, bypress release, announced that it was producing a real-time strategy developed by Related Designs, tentatively titledAmerica II.[5][22] Data Becker, which owned the rights to theAmerica name, took notice and inquired CDV tocease and desist shortly thereafter. CDV declined to do so as it found nocopyright infringement inAmerica II's title, though opted to file for a caveat to protect itself from apreliminary injunction.[5] Data Becker subsequently filed for a preliminary injunction with theLandgericht Berlin on 29 March 2001.[5] At the time, Data Becker intended to produce anAmerica sequel of its own.[23] Data Becker won the case by May, wherefore CDV had to drop theAmerica II title, though it was allowed to continue producing the game under a different name.[23] As a result,America II was retitledNo Man's Land. and was set inearly colonial america of the 17th century to the 18th century rather than 19th century to early 20th century american frontier[24] However, CDV continued advertisingAmerica II through press releases and itsnewsletter, prompting further action by Data Becker.[25] CDV also registered theinternet domain "america2.de" with registrarDENIC, which redirected users to the website ofNo Man's Land; a judgement reached by theKammergericht in Berlin in December 2002 ordered CDV to inquire the deletion of the domain with DENIC and publicise a press release to announce that it was not releasing a game titledAmerica II in 2003.[26]
Data Becker proceeded to produce its own sequel toAmerica, to be titledAmerica 2 orAmerica II, by June 2001, planning to release it in the first quarter of 2003.[27] Data Becker announced its sequel in February 2003, with its release scheduled for later that year.[28] A website for the game was launched in May 2003.[29] It was also scheduled to be displayed atE3 2002.[30]America II was later cancelled.[31]
^Pototzki, Tim (3 May 2001).""America"-AddOn von Data Becker" ["America" add-on from Data Becker].Gamesmarkt (in German).Archived from the original on 25 August 2021. Retrieved14 December 2023.
^GameStar Redaktion (4 May 2001)."Addon zu America" [Addon for America].GameStar (in German). Webedia. Archived fromthe original on 12 August 2019. Retrieved12 August 2019.
^GameStar Redaktion (9 April 2001)."Data Becker gegen CDV" [Data Becker versus CDV].GameStar (in German). Webedia.Archived from the original on 25 August 2021. Retrieved14 December 2023.
^Steininger, Stefan (12 June 2001)."Data Becker verstärkt Spiele-Line-up" [Data Becker strengthens games line-up].Gamesmarkt (in German). Archived fromthe original on 12 August 2019. Retrieved14 December 2023.
^Kautz, Paul (22 May 2003)."America 2: Website online".4Players (in German). 4Players GmbH.Archived from the original on 30 November 2021. Retrieved14 December 2023.
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