Accolade (company)
Infogrames North America, Inc. (formerly Accolade, Inc.) was an American video game developer and publisher based in San Jose, California. The company was founded as Accolade in November 1984 by Alan Miller and Bob Whitehead, who had previously co-founded Activision in October 1979.
 | |
Formerly | Accolade, Inc. (1984–1999) |
|---|---|
| Subsidiary | |
| Industry | Video games |
| Fate | Merged out, "Accolade" brand name now owned by Billionsoft |
| Founded | November 12, 1984 in Cupertino, California, U.S. |
| Founders | |
| Defunct | September 11, 2000 |
| Headquarters | , |
Area served | North America |
Key people | Jim Barnett (CEO) |
| Products | Hardball series Test Drive series Jack Nicklaus series Elvira series Star Control series Bubsy series |
| Parent | Infogrames (1999–2000) |
In April 1999, Accolade was acquired by French video game company Infogrames Entertainment for a combined sum of US$60 million, US$50 million of which in cash and US$10 million in growth capital, and was renamed Infogrames North America, Inc.[1][2] The company chief executive officer, Jim Barnett, was named head of Infogrames Entertainment's American distribution subsidiary.[3] In December 1999, Infogrames additionally acquired a controlling stake in GT Interactive for a total investment of US$135 million, and renamed it Infogrames, Inc.[4]
On September 11, 2000, Infogrames North America was acquired by Infogrames, Inc. for 28 million market shares transitioned to Infogrames Entertainment, effectively merging Infogrames North America into a newly founded, wholly owned subsidiary of Infogrames, Inc.[5][6][7]
In June 2017, Hong Kong-based holding company Billionsoft announced that they had acquired the "Accolade" label, and announced Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back, in cooperation with developer Black Forest Games and publisher Tommo, to be the first game released under it.
History
Early years
Accolade's revenues grew from $1.5 million in 1985 to $5 million in 1986. It developed for most 1980s-era home computers, including the Commodore 64, Atari 400 & 800, the Amiga, Apple II and the PC. Some of their first titles include Law of the West, Psi-5 Trading Company, The Dam Busters, Mean 18 Golf, Test Drive, and HardBall!. Test Drive and HardBall! went on to become two of Accolade's longest-running franchises.
As the popularity of other systems waned, Accolade focused on PC and console development, including the Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Genesis, Super NES and PlayStation.
All of Accolade's initial titles were developed in-house. But being a publisher as well as a developer, Accolade began to publish titles produced by other developers as well. By the mid-1990s, most of Accolade's game development was done by third-party developers.
In October 1991, Accolade was served with a lawsuit regarding copyright infringement, that eventually led to the concept of reverse engineering for interoperability purposes. Sega wanted to keep a hold on their consoles, and wanted all its games exclusive to Sega. Unwilling to conform to single platform games, Accolade engineers reverse engineered the Genesis console and created their own development systems; until then, game developers had to obtain the systems from Sega in order to develop games for the platform. Sega sued Accolade over the practice and won an initial injunction, forcing Accolade to remove all Genesis product from store shelves. Accolade, however, won on appeal and reached an out of court settlement with Sega that allowed Accolade to continue building their own Genesis cartridges, but as an official licensee.[8]
Demise
The company had marginal successes during the early 1990s. Bubsy for the Genesis and Super NES sold well and was the company's best-selling game until Test Drive 4 came out in 1997. Star Control 2 for the PC (1992, MS-DOS) is still very well regarded and was one of the highest rated games of its time.
During a conference of management and producers, Accolade decided to focus only on sports and action games. Accolade already had several franchises based in these categories. Franchises in the sports genre included HardBall!, Unnecessary Roughness and Jack Nicklaus. In the broad "action" category they had the long-running franchise Test Drive.
Bob Whitehead left Accolade in 1992; Alan Miller left in 1995. Before Miller left, the position of CEO was taken over by Peter Harris, who was placed there by Prudential Investments (Prudential had made a US$10 million investment in the company). Harris was on the board of directors and was formerly the CEO of FAO Schwarz and after Accolade, became the president of the San Francisco 49ers. Harris left the fate of the company in the hands of video game industry neophyte, Jim Barnett. Under Barnett's direction, Accolade was rebuilt around action games and published Test Drive 4, 5 and 6 as well as Test Drive Offroad, all of which sold millions of units and become part of Sony's greatest hits program.
In 1997 Electronic Arts took over the distribution of all of Accolade's games.[9] Accolade was purchased by French publisher Infogrames in 1999, right after publishing their last game Redline. Accolade was the entry point for Infogrames' North America expansion and was merged with Infogrames' other operations and moved to Los Angeles. In 2013, some of Accolade's assets including their trademark and logo were sold to Tommo as part of the Atari bankruptcy sale.[10]
Brand revival
In June 2017, Hong Kong-based holding company Billionsoft announced that they had acquired the "Accolade" branding, and, together with developer Black Forest Games and publisher Tommo, announced the upcoming release of a fifth installment in the Bubsy franchise, Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back.[11]
Gameography
| Game | Release | Developer | Publisher |
|---|---|---|---|
| SunDog: Frozen Legacy | 1984 (Apple II) | FTL Games | Accolade |
| HardBall! | 1985 (Apple II, Atari 8-bit, C64) 1986 (Amstrad CPC, MacOS, ZX Spectrum) 1987 (Amiga, Apple IIGS, Atari ST, DOS, MSX) 1991 (Genesis) |
Accolade | Accolade |
| Fight Night | 1985 (Apple II) 1986 (Atari 8-bit, C64) 1987 (Atari XEGS) 1988 (Atari 7800) |
Sydney Development Corporation | Accolade |
| Law of the West | 1985 (Apple II, C64) 1987 (NES, PC-88, PC-98) |
Accolade | U.S. Gold |
| The Dam Busters | 1985 (Apple II, DOS) | Sydney Development Corporation | Accolade |
| Psi-5 Trading Company | 1986 (C64, DOS) 1987 (Amstrad CPC, Amstrad PCW, ZX Spectrum) |
Accolade | U.S. Gold |
| Mean 18 | 1986 (Amiga, Atari ST, DOS) 1987 (Apple IIGS) 1989 (Atari 7800) |
Microsmiths | Accolade |
| Killed Until Dead | 1986 (C64) 1987 (Apple II) |
Artech Digital Entertainment | Accolade |
| Ace of Aces | 1986 (C64) 1987 (DOS) 1988 (Atari 7800, Atari 8-bit) |
Artech Digital Entertainment | Accolade |
| Accolade Comics | 1987 (Apple II, C64) | Distinctive Software | Accolade |
| The Train: Escape to Normandy | 1987 (Apple II, C64) 1988 (Amstrad CPC, DOS, ZX Spectrum) |
Artech Digital Entertainment | Accolade |
| 4th & Inches | 1987 (C64, Apple II) 1988 (Amiga, Apple IIGS, DOS, MacOS) |
Accolade | Accolade |
| Pinball Wizard | 1987 (DOS) 1988 (Atari ST) |
ERE Informatique | Accolade |
| Mini-Putt | 1987 (C64, DOS) 1988 (Apple IIGS) |
Artech Digital Entertainment | Accolade |
| Apollo 18: Mission to the Moon | 1987 (C64) 1988 (DOS) |
Artech Digital Entertainment | Accolade |
| Power at Sea | 1988 (C64) | Distinctive Software | Accolade |
| Test Drive | 1987 (Amiga, Atari ST, C64, DOS) 1988 (Apple II) |
Distinctive Software | Accolade |
| Rack 'Em | 1988 (DOS) | Artech Digital Entertainment | Accolade |
| Serve & Volley | 1988 (Apple II, Apple IIGS, C64, DOS) | Artech Digital Entertainment | Accolade |
| Fast Break | 1988 (C64, DOS) 1989 (Amiga, Apple IIGS, MacOS) |
Accolade | Accolade |
| Grand Prix Circuit | 1988 (C64, DOS) 1989 (Amiga, Apple IIGS, MacOS) 1990 (Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum) |
Distinctive Software | Accolade |
| Card Sharks | 1988 (C64) | Accolade | Accolade |
| TKO | 1988 (C64) 1989 (DOS) |
Accolade | Electronic Arts |
| Bubble Ghost | 1988 (Amiga, Apple II, Apple IIGS, C64, DOS) | ERE Informatique | Accolade |
| Jack Nicklaus' Greatest 18 Holes of Major Championship Golf | 1988 (C64, DOS) 1989 (Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Apple IIGS, Atari ST) 1990 (MacOS, TG-16) |
Sculptured Software | Accolade |
| Steel Thunder | 1988 (C64, DOS) | Accolade | Accolade |
| Hardball II | 1989 (DOS) 1990 (Amiga, MacOS) |
Distinctive Software | Accolade |
| Test Drive II: The Duel | 1989 (Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Apple IIGS, C64, DOS, MacOS, ZX Spectrum) 1990 (Atari ST) 1992 (Genesis, SNES) |
Distinctive Software | Accolade |
| Blue Angels: Formation Flight Simulation | 1989 (Amiga, Atari ST, DOS) 1990 (C64) |
Artech Digital Entertainment | Accolade |
| Day of the Viper | 1989 (Amiga, Atari ST) 1990 (DOS) |
Accolade | Accolade |
| Test Drive II Car Disk: Musclecars | 1989 (Amiga, C64, DOS) 1990 (Atari ST) |
Distinctive Software | Accolade |
| Test Drive II Car Disk: The Supercars | 1989 (Amiga, Apple IIGS, C64, MacOS) 1990 (Atari ST, DOS) |
Distinctive Software | Accolade |
| Test Drive II Scenery Disk: California Challenge | 1989 (Amiga, Apple IIGS, C64, DOS) 1990 (Atari ST, MacOS) |
Distinctive Software | Accolade |
| Test Drive II Scenery Disk: European Challenge | 1989 (Amiga, C64, DOS) 1990 (Apple IIGS, Atari ST, DOS) |
Distinctive Software | Accolade |
| Don't Go Alone | 1989 (DOS) | Sterling Silver Software | Accolade |
| The Cycles: International Grand Prix Racing | 1989 (Amiga, C64, DOS) 1990 (Amstrad CPC, Mac OS, ZX Spectrum) |
Distinctive Software | Accolade |
| The Third Courier | 1989 (DOS) 1990 (Amiga, Apple IIGS, Atari ST) |
Manley & Associates | Accolade |
| Bar Games | 1989 (DOS) 1990 (Amiga) |
Accolade | Accolade |
| Strike Aces | 1990 (Amiga, DOS) | Vektor Grafix | Accolade |
| Test Drive III: The Passion | 1990 (DOS) | Accolade | Accolade |
| Gunboat | 1990 (Amstrad CPC, DOS, ZX Spectrum) 1991 (Amiga) 1992(TG-16) |
Accolade | Accolade |
| Heat Wave | 1990 (Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, DOS) | Artech Digital Entertainment | Accolade |
| Ishido: The Way of Stones | 1990 (Amiga, DOS, Genesis, MacOS) | Publishing International | Accolade |
| The Game of Harmony | 1990 (Amiga, C64, DOS) 1991 (GB) |
The Assembly Line | Accolade |
| Altered Destiny | 1990 (DOS) 1991 (Amiga) |
Accolade | Accolade |
| Stratego | 1990 (DOS, MacOS) 1991 (Amiga, Atari ST, C64) |
Accolade | Accolade |
| Jack Nicklaus' Unlimited Golf & Course Design | 1990 (Amiga, DOS) | Sculptured Software | Accolade |
| Elvira: Mistress of the Dark | 1990 (Amiga, DOS) 1991 (Atari ST, C64) |
Horror Soft | Accolade |
| Les Manley in: Search for the King | 1990 (DOS) 1991 (Amiga) |
Accolade | Accolade |
| Test Drive II: The Collection | 1990 (Amiga, C64) 1991 (DOS) |
Distinctive Software | Accolade |
| Star Control | 1990 (Amiga, Amstrad CPC, DOS) 1991 (C64, ZX Spectrum) |
Toys for Bob | Accolade |
| The Games: Winter Challenge | 1991 (DOS) | MindSpan | Accolade |
| Les Manley in: Lost in L.A. | 1991 (DOS) | Accolade | Accolade |
| The Cardinal of the Kremlin | 1991 | Capstone Software | Accolade |
| Turrican | 1991 (GB, Genesis, TG-16) | Rainbow Arts | Accolade |
| Elvira II: The Jaws of Cerberus | 1991 (DOS) 1992 (Amiga, Atari ST) |
Horror Soft | Accolade |
| Hoverforce | 1991 (DOS) | Astral Software | Accolade |
| Mike Ditka Power Football | 1991 (DOS, Genesis) | Accolade | Accolade |
| The Games: Summer Challenge | 1992 (DOS) 1993 (Genesis) |
MindSpan | Accolade |
| Jack Nicklaus Golf & Course Design: Signature Edition | 1992 (DOS) | Sculptured Software | Accolade |
| Waxworks | 1992 (Amiga, DOS) 2009 (Windows) 2012 (MacOS) |
Horror Soft | Accolade |
| Snoopy's Game Club | 1992 (DOS) | Accolade | Accolade |
| Universal Soldier | 1992 (GB, Genesis) | The Code Monkeys | Accolade |
| Grand Prix Unlimited | 1992 (DOS) | Accolade | Accolade |
| Zyconix | 1992 (Amiga, DOS) | Miracle Games | Accolade |
| Hardball III | 1992 (DOS) 1993 (Genesis) 1994 (SNES) |
MindSpan | Accolade |
| Star Control II | 1992 (DOS) 1994 (3DO) |
Toys for Bob | Accolade |
| Warp Speed | 1992 (SNES) 1993 (Genesis) |
Accolade | Ballistic |
| Speed Racer in The Challenge of Racer X | 1993 (DOS) | Accolade | Accolade |
| Bubsy in Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind | 1993 (Genesis, SNES) | Accolade | Accolade |
| Pelé! | 1993 (Genesis) | Radical Entertainment | Accolade |
| Unnecessary Roughness | 1993 (DOS) | Accolade | Accolade |
| Unnecessary Roughness '95 | 1994 (DOS, Genesis) | Accolade | Accolade |
| Ballz | 1994 (Genesis, SNES, 3DO) | PF Magic | Accolade |
| Battle Isle 2200 | 1994 (DOS) | Blue Byte | Accolade |
| Bubsy II | 1994 (GB, Genesis, SNES) | Accolade, Images Software (GB) | Accolade |
| Cyclemania | 1994 (DOS) | Compro Games | Accolade |
| Barkley Shut Up and Jam! | 1994 (Genesis, SNES) | Accolade | Accolade |
| Brett Hull Hockey 95 | 1994 (Genesis, SNES) 1995 (DOS) |
Radical Entertainment | Accolade |
| HardBall 4 | 1994 (DOS, Genesis) | MindSpan | Accolade |
| Pelé II: World Tournament Soccer | 1994 (Genesis) | Radical Entertainment | Accolade |
| Zero Tolerance | 1994 (Genesis) | Technopop | Accolade |
| Combat Cars | 1994 (Genesis) | Accolade | Accolade |
| Speed Racer in My Most Dangerous Adventures | 1994 (SNES) | Radical Entertainment | Accolade |
| HardBall 5 | 1995 (DOS, Genesis) 1996 (PS1) |
MindSpan | Accolade |
| Barkley Shut Up and Jam! 2 | 1995 (Genesis) | Accolade | Accolade |
| Unnecessary Roughness '96 | 1995 (DOS) | Accolade | Accolade |
| Star Control 3 | 1996 (DOS) | Legend Entertainment | Accolade |
| Eradicator | 1996 (DOS) 2014 (Linux, MacOS, Windows) |
Accolade | Accolade (DOS), Night Dive Studios |
| Deadlock: Planetary Conquest | 1996 (Windows, Windows 3.x) 1997 (MacOS) |
Accolade | Accolade, MacSoft (MacOS) |
| PO'ed | 1996 (PS1) | Any Channel | Accolade |
| Pitball | 1996 (PS1) | Warner Interactive Entertainment | Accolade |
| Bubsy 3D | 1996 (PS1) | Eidetic | Accolade |
| Test Drive: Off-Road | 1997 (DOS, PS1) | Elite Systems (DOS), Motivetime Ltd. | Accolade |
| Jack Nicklaus 4 | 1997 (Windows) | Cinematronics, LLC | Accolade |
| Jack Nicklaus 5 | 1997 (Windows 3.x) | Eclipse Entertainment | Accolade |
| Test Drive 4 | 1997 (PS1, Windows) | Pitbull Syndicate Limited | Accolade |
| Deadlock II: Shrine Wars | 1998 (Windows) | Cyberlore Studios | Accolade |
| Test Drive 5 | 1998 (PS1, Windows) | Pitbull Syndicate Limited | Accolade |
| Test Drive: Off-Road 2 | 1998 (PS1, Windows) | Accolade | Accolade |
| HardBall 6 | 1998 (Windows) | MindSpan | Accolade |
| Big Air | 1998 (PS1) | Pitbull Syndicate Limited | Accolade |
| HardBall 6 - 2000 Edition | 1999 (Windows) | MindSpan | Accolade |
| Redline | 1999 (Windows) | Beyond Games | Accolade |
| Slave Zero | 1999 (Dreamcast, Windows) | Infogrames North America | Infogrames North America |
| Test Drive 6 | 1999 (Dreamcast, Game Boy Color, PS1, Windows) | Pitbull Syndicate Limited | Infogrames North America |
| Test Drive: Off-Road 3 | 1999 (Windows) | Infogrames North America | Infogrames North America |
References
- Staff, I. G. N. (April 19, 1999). "Infogrames Takes Accolade". ign.com. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
- Mullen, Micheal (April 27, 2000). "Infogrames Buys Accolade". gamespot.com. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
- Staff, I. G. N. (May 10, 1999). "Accolade's Barnett to Head Infogrames US". ign.com. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
- "Infogrames Entertainment Completes Acquisition of Controlling Stake in GT Interactive Software. - Free Online Library". www.thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
- "Infogrames Acquires Infogrames North America". www.vgf.com. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
- Ahmed, Shahed (May 17, 2006). "Infogrames Consolidates North American Operations". gamespot.com. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
- Ahmed, Shahed (May 17, 2006). "Infogrames Completes Merger". gamespot.com. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
- Steven L. Kent (2001). "The Ultimate History Of Video Games Revisited". Three Rivers Press.
- "Inside Scoop". GamePro. No. 105. IDG. June 1997. p. 18.
- "Purchase Agreement between Atari, Inc. and Rebellion Developments, Stardock & Tommo" (PDF). BMC Group. July 22, 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 3, 2016.
- "Accolade brand returns with a new Bubsy game". gamesindustry.biz. Retrieved July 6, 2017.