ESOC 210 Ken Williams, by Ryan Hug

By hug44
  • Period: to

    Ken Williams

  • Williams is Born

    in Evansville, Indiana. Source: (Levy, Steven. Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution: 25th Anniversary Edition. OReilly, 2010.)

  • Williams starts college

    He graduated high school a year early, and entered college at 16.
    Source: (Williams, Ken. Sierra Gamers, https://www.sierragamers.com/ken-williams.)

  • Ken marries his high school girlfriend,

    Roberta, five days after turning 18.

  • William's finishes CDI,

    a 9 month programming trade school he dropped out of college to attend.

  • Ken and Roberta have their first child,

    named D.J.
  • On-Line Systems is founded by Ken and his wife

    On-Line Systems is founded by Ken and his wife

    (later renamed to Sierra On-Line)
    Source: (Levy, Steven. Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution: 25th Anniversary Edition. OReilly, 2010.)
  • Mystery House

    Mystery House

    Ken and Roberta's first game, it was priced at $24.95 and made 11,000 dollars in the first month alone. Roberta did all the designing and writing, while Ken programmed it.
    Source: (Levy, Steven. Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution: 25th Anniversary Edition. OReilly, 2010.)

  • Ken quits his last full-time job

    at Financial Decisions in order to devote all of his time to On-Line systems and their next game.
    Source: (Levy, Steven. Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution: 25th Anniversary Edition. OReilly, 2010.)
  • The Wizard and the Princess Releases

    The Wizard and the Princess Releases

    It sold 25,000 copies by 1982 and 60,000 copies in total.
    Source: (Levy, Steven. Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution: 25th Anniversary Edition. OReilly, 2010.)

  • Ken and Roberta opened On-Line's first office

    Source: (Levy, Steven. Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution: 25th Anniversary Edition. OReilly, 2010.)
  • Leisure Suit Larry

    Leisure Suit Larry

    Sierra releases their adult adventure game to critical and commercial success.

  • AT&T purchases the ImagiNation Network

    Sierra's revolutionary concept of a complete virtual game world as a service

  • Sierra is bought by what is now Activision

    for 90% above their trading price
    Source: (Levy, Steven. Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution: 25th Anniversary Edition. OReilly, 2010.)

  • Ken retires as CEO and Chairman of Sierra Online

    This came after the company's acquisition 1996.
    Source: (Williams, Ken. Sierra Gamers, https://www.sierragamers.com/ken-williams.)

  • Williams starts Talkspot

    A short-lived entertainment broadcasting service, but it didn't have a sustainable business model and couldn't sell ads.
    Source: (Williams, Ken. Sierra Gamers, https://www.sierragamers.com/ken-williams.)