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{{short description|American video game developer}}{{Primary sources|date=October 2024}}{{Infobox company 
| name     = ToeJam & Earl Productions
| logo     = ToeJam_%26_Earl_Productions_companyLogo.jpg
| logo_size = 220px
| type     = 
| successor        = 
| founder          = Mark Voorsanger <br/>[[Greg Johnson (game designer)|Greg Johnson]]
| defunct          ={{End date|2003}}
| fate             = 
| key_people       = 
| industry         = [[Video game industry|Video games]]
| products         = ''[[ToeJam & Earl]]''
| revenue          = 
| operating_income = 
| net_income       =
| num_employees    = 
| parent           = 
| foundation       = 1989
| location_city    = 
| location_country = [[United States]]
| homepage         = 
}}

'''ToeJam & Earl Productions, Inc.''' (1989&ndash;2003) was an American [[video game developer|video game company]] founded by [[Electronic Arts]] developers Mark Voorsanger and [[Greg Johnson (game designer)|Greg Johnson]]. Their best-known titles were ''[[Orly's Draw-A-Story]]'' (1996, Broderbund), and three games in the ''[[ToeJam & Earl]]'' series (1991&ndash;2003, Sega).

== History ==
Initially the company was known simply as '''Johnson Voorsanger Productions''', or just "JVP" as they were credited in the original ''[[ToeJam & Earl]]'' and in its sequel ''[[Panic on Funkotron]]''. After the success of the ToeJam & Earl games, the company was renamed to '''ToeJam & Earl Productions, Inc.'''.

JVP introduced the ''ToeJam & Earl'' series with the original ''ToeJam & Earl'', followed by ''[[Menacer 6-game cartridge|Ready-Aim-Tomatoes]]'' (a mini-game for Sega's light-gun The [[Menacer]]), and the platformer-sequel ''ToeJam & Earl in Panic on Funkotron''. Each was developed exclusively for the [[Sega Genesis|Mega Drive/Genesis]] and published by [[Sega]]. The third title in the series was ''[[ToeJam & Earl III: Mission to Earth]]'' (2003), co-developed by [[Visual Concepts]] for the original [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]].

ToeJam & Earl Productions also created ''[[Orly's Draw-A-Story]]'', a CD-ROM for kids ages five to ten. ''Orly's Draw-A-Story'' was designed for PCs and Macs, and was published by [[Broderbund]].

== Disbandment ==
After poor sales of ''[[ToeJam & Earl III]]'', the company disbanded in 2003.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|url=http://forums.sega.com/showpost.php?p=5288438&postcount=8 |title=SEGA Forum - View Single Post - Toejam and earl fans, unite!! |publisher=Forums.sega.com |date= |accessdate=2010-09-08}}</ref> Mark Voorsanger went on to produce other Electronic Arts games for a few years, and then left the game industry to run a coaching business, Skyward Coaching, out of the same building where ToeJam & Earl Productions was located.

Greg Johnson continued as an independent game design consultant, then started his own video game development studio called [[HumaNature Studios]], and currently owns the ''ToeJam & Earl'' intellectual property rights. His studio has developed and published multiple games, such as 2014's ''[[Doki-Doki Universe]]'', which resembles some elements from the ''ToeJam & Earl'' series.<ref name="autogenerated1"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.skywardcoaching.com/page3.html |title=About Mark Voorsanger |publisher=Skywardcoaching.com |accessdate=2010-09-08 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100205044139/http://www.skywardcoaching.com/page3.html |archivedate=2010-02-05 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.humanaturestudios.com/aboutus.html |title=About Us |publisher= Human Nature Studios |date= |accessdate=2010-09-08}}</ref>

In February 2015, Johnson announced a new title from HumaNature Studios, ''[[ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove]]'', which was developed independently from Sega and [[crowd-funded]] via [[Kickstarter]]. The game revisits the format of the original game, featuring 2D character models on 3D worlds with overhead perspective, and supports both online and local multiplayer. The game exceeded its funding target of US$400,000 in March 2015,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1578116861/toejam-and-earl-back-in-the-groove|title=ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove|website=kickstarter.com |accessdate=February 16, 2019}}</ref> and later attracted additional funding from [[Adult Swim Games]]. It was released on March 1, 2019, for all major current platforms.

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{official website|http://www.tjande.com/}}

{{ToeJam & Earl series}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:ToeJam and Earl Productions}}
[[Category:Video game companies established in 1989]]
[[Category:Video game companies disestablished in 2003]]
[[Category:Defunct video game companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Video game development companies]]

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