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On-line Systems founded
Ken and Roberta Williams found the company to create business software for the Apple II and TRS-80 -
Roberta releases the companies first game (Mystery House)
After playing text-based games, Roberta realizes that the graphics on the Apple II are advanced enough that she can use them to create more immersive game play -
Rebranding: Sierra On-line
The company rebrands and moves to Oakhurst, California -
IBM reaches out
Sierra is contacted by IBM to create a game for their new PCjr -
Videogame crash
Due to oversaturation in the market (among other reasons), the video game sales fell more than 95% -
Kings Quest Released
The first in the Kings Quest Series is released for PCjr -
Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards Released
This game was critically acclaimed receiving the Software Publishers Association's Best Adventure Game award of 1987. This game also likely became popular due to piracy. -
King's Quest V released
King's Quest V is the first Sierra On-line game to reach 500,000 sales -
The first game-only online platform
The Sierra Network is the first (and at this point only) online space reserved specifically for games. It would later be bought by AT&T and used to create the first MMORPG's -
Phantasmagoria released
This game, Roberta's favorite, takes full advantage of the new game engine. It received mediocre reviews was very ambitious -
Sold to CUC International
Sierra on-line is sold to CUC International for $1.06 billion -
Ken and Roberta leave the company
They retire early and the company changes irrevocably -
The downturn
Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude is released to poor reviews -
The end of an era
Sierra officially closes it's doors after holding on for almost 9 years after the founders leave the company. Vivendi Games, which Sierra was part on, was bought by Activision who was not interesting in continuing to fund the company -
The legacy continues
Activision resurrects Sierra and re-releases many of their games to be playable on modern computers