Difference between revisions of "Activision"

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The world's first thirty party software delveloper, American company Activision have been in existence in one form or another since 1979 when ex-[[Atari]] programmers David Crane, Larry Kaplan, Alan Miller and Bob Whitehead joined forces with former music industry executive Jim Levy in creating a new company that would give credit to the programmers for their work, a policy for which [[Atari]] had received a great deal of criticism from its employees over a prolonged period.   
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The world's first thirty party software delveloper, American company '''Activision''' have been in existence in one form or another since 1979 when ex-[[Atari]] programmers David Crane, Larry Kaplan, Alan Miller and Bob Whitehead joined forces with former music industry executive Jim Levy in creating a new company that would give credit to the programmers for their work, a policy for which [[Atari]] had received a great deal of criticism from its employees over a prolonged period.   
  
  
 
After some major successes for the [[Atari 2600]], including Pifall and River Raid, the company began to diversify their output in-line with the changing American home software market and survived the great computer crash thanks primarily to their work on the [[Commodore 64]].  The group continued to grow, acquiring one of the biggest names in text adventures, [[Infocom]] in the process.  In the mid 1980s, the still growing Activision created a UK office to handle their work in Europe with a prime objective to get a foothold in any available markets and behind only the [[ZX Spectrum]] and the already coded Commodore 64 software, the CPC became a core market for the company in Europe and they continued to support the CPC for the duration of the machine's high street shelf life.
 
After some major successes for the [[Atari 2600]], including Pifall and River Raid, the company began to diversify their output in-line with the changing American home software market and survived the great computer crash thanks primarily to their work on the [[Commodore 64]].  The group continued to grow, acquiring one of the biggest names in text adventures, [[Infocom]] in the process.  In the mid 1980s, the still growing Activision created a UK office to handle their work in Europe with a prime objective to get a foothold in any available markets and behind only the [[ZX Spectrum]] and the already coded Commodore 64 software, the CPC became a core market for the company in Europe and they continued to support the CPC for the duration of the machine's high street shelf life.
  
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As well as under their own banner, Activision released a number of games under the '''Electric Dreams''' label a British subsidiary of the company who were tasked with the production of software suitable for the European market, with one eye firmly on what could also be sold in the United States.
  
As well as under their own banner, Activision released a number of games under the [[Electric Dreams]] banner, a subsidary of Activision ran by former [[Quicksilva]] boss Rod Cousens as well as a few titles under the [[Gamestar]] label.
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Activision appointed former [[Argus Press Software|Quicksilva]] boss Rod Cousens to the post of managing director of '''Electric Dreams''' with complete control over their output and he was soon promoted to the head of all of Activision's UK based activities which consisted of arcade conversions, film tie-ins and orginal software.
  
== Releases for CPC (Activision) ==
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A less successful off-shoot was '''Gamestar''' which made only five releases before being wound-up.
  
*[[Afterburner]]
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== Releases for CPC ==
*[[Altered Beast]]  
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=== Activision ===
 +
*[[Afterburner]]  
 +
*[[Altered Beast]]
 
*[[Ballblazer]]
 
*[[Ballblazer]]
*[[Dragon Breed]]
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*[[Dragon Breed]]  
*[[Dynamite Dux]]
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*[[Dynamite Dux]]  
 
*[[The Eidolon]]
 
*[[The Eidolon]]
*[[Enduro Racer]]
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*[[Enduro Racer]]
*[[Fighter Bomber]]
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*[[Le 5eme Axe|Fifth Axis]]  
*[[Fighting Soccer]]
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*[[Fighter Bomber]]  
*[[Galactic Games]]
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*[[Fighting Soccer]]  
*[[Ghostbusters]] (1985)
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*[[Galactic Games]] (1987)
*[[Ghostbusters II]]
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*[[Galaxy Force]]
*[[Guadalcanal]]
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*[[Gee Bee Air Rally]]  
*[[Hacker]]
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*[[Ghostbusters]]  
*[[Hacker II]]
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*[[Ghostbusters II]]  
*[[Hammerfist]]
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*[[Guadalcanal]]  
*[[High Frontier]]
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*[[Hacker]]  
*[[Hot-Rod]]
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*[[Hacker II]]  
 +
*[[Hammerfist]]  
 +
*[[High Frontier]]  
 +
*[[Hot-Rod]]  
 
*[[Howard the Duck]]
 
*[[Howard the Duck]]
*[[Little Computer People]] (1987)
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*[[Knightmare]]
 +
*[[Koronis Rift]]
 +
*[[Little Computer People]]
 +
*[[Master of the Lamps]] (1985)
 +
*[[Mindfighter]]
 
*[[Mindshadow]]
 
*[[Mindshadow]]
 
*[[Ninja Spirit]]
 
*[[Ninja Spirit]]
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*[[Sailing]]
 
*[[Sailing]]
 
*[[SDI]]
 
*[[SDI]]
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*[[Sonic Boom]]
 
*[[Space Shuttle]]
 
*[[Space Shuttle]]
 
*[[Super Wonder Boy]]
 
*[[Super Wonder Boy]]
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*[[Time Scanner]]
 
*[[Time Scanner]]
 
*[[Wonder Boy]]
 
*[[Wonder Boy]]
*[[Xcel]]
 
  
== Releases for CPC (Electric Dreams) ==
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=== Electric Dreams ===
 
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*[[Aliens]]  
 
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*[[Aliens: US Edition]]  
*[[Aliens]]
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*[[Back to the Future]]  
*[[Aliens: US Edition]]
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*[[Big Trouble in Little China]]  
*[[Back to the Future]]
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*[[Championship Sprint]]  
*[[Big Trouble in Little China]]
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*[[Dandy]]  
*[[Championship Sprint]]
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*[[Explorer]]  
*[[Dandy]]
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*[[Firetrap]]  
*[[Explorer]]
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*[[Hijack]]  
*[[Firetrap]]
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*[[Incredible Shrinking Sphere]]  
*[[Hijack]]
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*[[Karnov]]  
*[[Incredible Shrinking Sphere]]
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*[[Mermaid Madness]]  
*[[Karnov]]
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*[[Prodigy]]  
*[[Mermaid Madness]]
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*[[R-Type]]  
*[[Prodigy]]
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*[[Spindizzy]]  
*[[R-Type]]
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*[[Spindizzy]]
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*[[Star Raiders II]]
 
*[[Star Raiders II]]
 
*[[Super Hang-On]]
 
*[[Super Hang-On]]
 
*[[Super Sprint]]
 
*[[Super Sprint]]
 
*[[Tempest]]
 
*[[Tempest]]
*[[Winter Sports]]
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*[[Winter Sports]]  
 
*[[Xarq]]
 
*[[Xarq]]
 
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=== Gamestar ===
 
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*[[Barry McGuigan World Championship Boxing]]
== Releases for CPC (Gamestar) ==
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*[[Championship Baseball]]
 
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*[[GBA Championship Basketball]]  
 
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*[[GFL Championship Football]]
*[[Barry McGuigan World Championship Boxing]] (1986)
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*[[The Sports Pack]]
*[[Championship Baseball]] (1986)
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*[[GBA Championship Basketball]] (1986)
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*[[GFL Championship Football]] (1986)
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*[[The Sports Pack]] (1987)
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[[Category:CPC_related_companies]] [[Category:Computer_and_video_game_companies]]
 
[[Category:CPC_related_companies]] [[Category:Computer_and_video_game_companies]]

Latest revision as of 17:43, 4 June 2010

The world's first thirty party software delveloper, American company Activision have been in existence in one form or another since 1979 when ex-Atari programmers David Crane, Larry Kaplan, Alan Miller and Bob Whitehead joined forces with former music industry executive Jim Levy in creating a new company that would give credit to the programmers for their work, a policy for which Atari had received a great deal of criticism from its employees over a prolonged period.


After some major successes for the Atari 2600, including Pifall and River Raid, the company began to diversify their output in-line with the changing American home software market and survived the great computer crash thanks primarily to their work on the Commodore 64. The group continued to grow, acquiring one of the biggest names in text adventures, Infocom in the process. In the mid 1980s, the still growing Activision created a UK office to handle their work in Europe with a prime objective to get a foothold in any available markets and behind only the ZX Spectrum and the already coded Commodore 64 software, the CPC became a core market for the company in Europe and they continued to support the CPC for the duration of the machine's high street shelf life.

As well as under their own banner, Activision released a number of games under the Electric Dreams label a British subsidiary of the company who were tasked with the production of software suitable for the European market, with one eye firmly on what could also be sold in the United States.

Activision appointed former Quicksilva boss Rod Cousens to the post of managing director of Electric Dreams with complete control over their output and he was soon promoted to the head of all of Activision's UK based activities which consisted of arcade conversions, film tie-ins and orginal software.

A less successful off-shoot was Gamestar which made only five releases before being wound-up.

Releases for CPC

Activision

Electric Dreams

Gamestar