Looking Glass Studios

Looking Glass Studios, originally known as Blue Sky Productions, was a prominent video game developer founded in 1990 by Paul Neurath. 

One of the studio's most famous series, "Thief: The Dark Project" (1998) and its sequel "Thief II: The Metal Age" (2000), introduced stealth mechanics that were revolutionary at the time. System Shock, released in 1994, was another milestone for the studio. Combining elements of first-person shooters, role-playing games, and horror, it featured the iconic AI antagonist SHODAN and pushed the boundaries of narrative and gameplay integration.

Looking Glass Studios is often credited with pioneering the "immersive sim" genre, which emphasizes player choice, environmental interaction, and non-linear gameplay. Looking Glass Studios closed in May 2000 due to financial difficulties, despite critical acclaim for their titles. Many of its former employees went on to create or contribute to other notable projects, including "Bioshock" by Irrational Games, founded by former Looking Glass developer Ken Levine.