Oddworld Inhabitants is an American video game developer founded by Sherry McKenna and Lorne Lanning, famous for creating the Oddworld franchise. The studio debuted with the critically acclaimed 2D platformer Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee (released as Abe a GoGo in Japan) in 1997. They later transitioned to 3D with Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee in 2002 and explored action-adventure gameplay in Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath in 2005.
The studio's early creative output was defined by its "Oddworld Quintology," a planned five-part story arc addressing environmentalism and capitalism. The journey began with the release of
Oddworld Abe's Oddysee (1997), which introduced players to the Mudokon slave Abe. This landmark release was supported by promotional distributions like
Oddworld Abe's Oddysee [Demo] (1997) and achieved commercial success, earning a budget re-release as
Oddworld Abe's Oddysee [Platinum] (1997). In Japan, the game gained a distinct cultural footprint under the title
Abe a GoGo (1997).
As the franchise evolved, the developers shifted from 2D cinematic platforming to 3D environments. This transition materialized in
Oddworld Munch's Oddysee (2002), which introduced a new co-protagonist and later joined the Xbox budget line as
Oddworld Munch's Oddysee [Classics] (2002). The studio further diversified its gameplay mechanics with the western-themed bounty hunter narrative of
Oddworld Stranger's Wrath (2005). Although the developer temporarily stepped away from internal game production after 2005, their legacy was preserved through remastered editions, including the release of
Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath [Collector's Edition] (2011), which brought the title to new audiences and cemented the studio's reputation for unique world-building.