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Activision
Activision   #49


Games developed: 25
Games published: 50
Period: 1983 - 2004

When Activision was founded on October 1, 1979 by four veterans of the video and home entertainment industries, the company made history by becoming the first independent designer and marketer of home video game software. Irked by Atari's lack of respect and recognition given to their game designers and programmers, David Crane, Alan Miller, Bob Whitehead and Larry Kaplan left Atari and formed Activision with the financial help of James Levy (who became President and CEO of the company). They were later joined by other talented designers such as Larry Kitchen, Carol Shaw, Steve Cartwright and Alan Miller.

Beginning in 1981, Activision released a barrage of first-rate VCS titles that captivated the gaming public and made people aware that Atari wasn't the only one that made games for the [Atari] 2600. Activision not only inspired other programmers and entrepreneurs to set up shop as independent publishers but they also forced Atari, at least temporarily, to improve on the quality of its own games.

Activision was quite possibly the most prolific third party videogame publisher in their time, churning out everything from top notch sports games, (Boxing, Skiing, Tennis, Ice Hockey) racers (Grand Prix, Decathlon, Enduro) and even arcade adaptations (Rampage, Kung Fu Master, Commando, Double Dragon). Their original PC games enjoyed less success than Atari 2600 classics such as River Raid and Little Computer People, but did attract a loyal following. Among the most underrated games Activision made for PC are Portal, Ghostbusters, and Alter Ego.

Activision was also innovative in other ways. They credited their designers by mentioning them on the manual of each of their games. (Lord British and Roberta Williams came later). Activision also offered patches to gamers who attained a certain score in their games as an added incentive.

After a period of doldrums in the early 1990s when it failed to make good use of the Infocom brand (which was acquired in 1992), Activision underwent a tremendous reorganization and refocus, and today is enjoying tremendous success as developer and publisher of cutting-edge action and strategy games.

Related companies: Infocom, Atari Games, Dynamix, Gamestar

Related companies: Infocom   Atari Games   Dynamix   Gamestar  

Titles Developed or Published
Genre
Year
Avg. Rating
Hall of Belated Fame InducteeAlter Ego: Female
Simulation
1983
8.66
Hall of Belated Fame InducteeAlter Ego: Male
Simulation
1983
9.01
Apache Strike
Action
1989
6.95
Hall of Belated Fame InducteeBarrage
Action
1998
8.12
Hall of Belated Fame InducteeBlood Omen: Legacy of Kain
RPG
1996
9.12
Borrowed Time
Interactive Fiction
1985
7.92
Hall of Belated Fame InducteeBoxindanga
Sport
2004
8.58
Hall of Belated Fame InducteeDeathTrack
Sport
1990
8.79
Hall of Belated Fame InducteeDeuteros: The Next Millennium
Strategy
1991
9.22
Die Hard
Action
1989
7.5
Hall of Belated Fame InducteeEarthworm Jim
Action
1995
8.88
Hall of Belated Fame InducteeEarthworm Jim 2
Action
1996
8.91
Hall of Belated Fame InducteeF-14 Tomcat
Simulation
1990
8.09
Hall of Belated Fame InducteeFighter Bomber
Simulation
1989
8.91
Grave Yardage
Sport
1989
7.9
Hall of Belated Fame InducteeHacker
Adventure
1985
7.72
Hacker 2: The Doomsday Papers
Adventure
1986
8.01
Hall of Belated Fame InducteeHouse of the Dead 2, The
Action
1999
8.87
Hall of Belated Fame InducteeHyperBlade
Sport
1996
9.03
Hall of Belated Fame InducteeInterstate '76 Arsenal, The
Action
1998
8.88
Laser Surgeon: The Microscopic Mission
Simulation
1987
3.7
Hall of Belated Fame InducteeLast Ninja 2: Back With a Vengeance, The
Action
1989
8.86
Hall of Belated Fame InducteeLast Ninja, The
Action
1988
8.88
Hall of Belated Fame InducteeLittle Big Adventure
Adventure
1996
8.77
Hall of Belated Fame InducteeLittle Big Adventure 2
Adventure
1997
8.82
Hall of Belated Fame InducteeLittle Computer People
Simulation
1987
9
Hall of Belated Fame InducteeMechwarrior
Action
1989
8.86
Hall of Belated Fame InducteeMindshadow
Interactive Fiction
1985
8.09
Hall of Belated Fame InducteeNightmare Creatures
Action
1997
8.92
Nightmare on Elm Street
Action
1988
7.89
Ocean Ranger
Simulation
1989
8.21
Hall of Belated Fame InducteePitfall II: Lost Caverns
Action
2004
7.25
Hall of Belated Fame InducteePitfall: A Mayan Adventure
Action
1996
8.24
Hall of Belated Fame InducteePortal
Adventure
1986
9.08
Hall of Belated Fame InducteePower Drift
Sport
1990
8.57
Prophecy: Fall of Trinadon, The
RPG
1988
8.48
Questmaster 1: Prism of Heheutotol
Interactive Fiction
1988
8.66
Rampage
Action
1988
8.74
Hall of Belated Fame InducteeReturn to Zork
Adventure
1994
8.64
Hall of Belated Fame InducteeRiver Raid Remake
Action
1997
8.66
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