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{{Short description|Defunct American publisher of video games (1981–2001)}}
'''Kesmai''' was a pioneering [[video game developer|game developer]] and online [[game publisher]], founded in 1981<ref>http://www.mobygames.com/company/kesmai-corporation</ref> by [[Kelton Flinn]] and [[John R. Taylor III|John Taylor]]. The company was best known for the combat [[flight sim]] ''[[Air Warrior]]'' on the [[GEnie]] online service, one of the first graphical [[MMOG]]s, launched in 1987. They also developed an ASCII-based [[MUD]], ''[[Island of Kesmai]]'', which ran on [[CompuServe]].▼
{{Use American English|date=January 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}}
▲'''Kesmai''' was a pioneering [[video game developer|game developer]] and online [[Video game publisher|game publisher]], founded in 1981<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wwwgamestorm.mobygamescom/company/press/1996_09_13.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/19990203200500/http://gamestorm.com/company/kesmaipress/1996_09_13.html|title=News Corp.'S Kesmai Spins Off Publishing Division -corporation- Launches New Ggames Service, Aries Online Games|website=gamestorm.com|archivedate=February 3, 1999|date=September 16, 1996|accessdate=May 1, 2022}}</ref> by [[Kelton Flinn]] and [[John R. Taylor III|John Taylor]]. The company was best known for the combat [[flight sim]] ''[[Air Warrior (video game)|Air Warrior]]'' on the [[GEnie]] online service, one of the first graphical [[MMOG]]s, launched in 1987. They also developed an ASCII-based [[Multi-user dungeon|MUD]], ''[[Island of Kesmai]]'', and [[4X|empire building]] game, ''[[MegaWars III]]'', which ran on [[CompuServe]], and later, [[GEnie]].
 
The company was acquired by [[Rupert Murdoch]]'s [[News Corporation (1980–2013)|News Corp.]] in 1994.<ref>{{cite news | title = NEWS CORP. BUYS KESMAI | work = [[USA Today]] | date = April 27, 1994 | author = Pattie Joy }}</ref><ref name="theage">{{cite news | title = News buys top US online games maker | work = [[The Age]] | date = April 27, 1994 | author = Ben Potter }}</ref> The company continued to develop massively multiplayer games such as ''Air Warrior 2'' and ''[[Legends of Kesmai]]''. They distributed their games through [[AOL]] and eventually a new gaming service formed with three other publishers, [[GameStorm]].<ref>{{cite news | title = GAMERS GANGING UP: Four online companies team in GameStorm | date = November 24, 1997 | author = John Voland | work = [[Daily Variety]] }}</ref>
 
AOL purchased [[CompuServe]] in 1997 and retooled its AOL Games Channel in a way that placed Kesmai unfavorably compared to its own games division, WorldPlay.<ref>{{cite magazine |first=Christian |last=Svensson |title=Joyriding |magazine=[[WordPlayNext Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]. |issue=40|publisher=[[Imagine Media]] |date=April 1998|page=30}}</ref> Kesmai sued AOL for monopolistic practices.<ref>{{cite news | title = Gamer Firm Kesmai Sues America Online | date = September 30, 1997 | author = By Craig Menefee | work = Newsbytes }}</ref> The suit was settled out of court with undisclosed terms.<ref>{{cite news | title = Kesmai, America Online Settle Lawsuit | date = July 7, 1998 | author = Bob Woods | work = Newsbytes }}</ref>
 
In 1999, the company was [[List of acquisitions by Electronic Arts|sold]] to [[Electronic Arts]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Electronic+Arts+Announces+Agreement+to+Acquire+News+Corp.+Online+Game...-a057743298|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402145345/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Electronic+Arts+Announces+Agreement+to+Acquire+News+Corp.+Online+Game...-a057743298|title=Electronic Arts Announces Agreement to Acquire News Corp. Online Game Unit, Kesmai|website=[[Business Wire]]|archivedate=April 2, 2015|date=November 22, 1999|accessdate=September 3, 2021|via=[[The Free Dictionary]]}}</ref> and the company's studios were subsequently closed in 2001. Upon closure a number of the Kesmai staff went to work for [[Lodestone Games]], also located in [[Charlottesville]], [[Virginia]]; while others remained in the former Kesmai offices but became part of [[EA.com]] and later Maxis East.
 
Flinn selected the name ''Kesmai'' from a set of names that were output by a random name generator that he wrote for in-game use.
 
== Games ==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
{{expand-section|date=August 2015}}
|+
* ''Mega Wars III''<ref>http://www.ign.com/articles/2011/07/27/gdc-online-awards-recognize-kesmai-founders-as-legends</ref>
!Year
!Title
!Platform(s)
!Notes
|-
| colspan="4" |''Developed titles''
|-
|1982
|''[[MegaWars]]''
|Terminal
| rowspan="10" |
|-
|1984
|''[[MegaWars III]]''
|Terminal
|-
|1988
| rowspan="5" |''[[Air Warrior (video game)|Air Warrior]]''
|Terminal
|-
|1990
|[[Amiga]]
|-
|1991
|[[Atari ST]]
|-
|1992
|[[Commodore CDTV|CDTV]]
|-
|1992
|[[DOS]]
|-
|1996
|''[[Multiplayer BattleTech: Solaris|MultiPlayer BattleTech: Solaris]]''
|[[Microsoft Windows]]
|-
| rowspan="4" |1997
|''[[Air Warrior II]]''
|[[Microsoft Windows]]
|-
|''[[Air Warrior III]]''
|[[Microsoft Windows]]
|-
|''CatchWord''
|[[Microsoft Windows]]
|Assisted Ant Software
|-
|''Legends of Kesmai''
|[[Microsoft Windows]]
|
|-
|1998
|''[[Aliens Online]]''
|[[Microsoft Windows]]
|Assisted [[Mythic Entertainment]]
|-
| colspan="4" |''Published titles''
|-
|1998
|''Starship Troopers: Battlespace''
|[[Microsoft Windows]]
| rowspan="2" |
|-
|1999
|''[[Fierce Harmony]]''
|[[Microsoft Windows]]
|}
 
==References==
{{Reflist|2}}
 
{{EAElectronic Arts}}
{{MUDs|state}}
{{Authority control}}
 
[[Category:CompaniesDefunct basedvideo ingame Virginiacompanies of the United States]]
[[Category:Companies established in 1981]]▼
[[Category:Defunct video game companies]]▼
[[Category:Electronic Arts]]▼
[[Category:MUD organizations]]
[[Category:Video gameDefunct companies of thebased Unitedin StatesVirginia]]
▲[[Category:CompaniesVideo game companies established in 1981]]
▲[[Category:Defunct videoVideo game companies disestablished in 2001]]
[[Category:1981 establishments in Virginia]]
[[Category:2001 disestablishments in Virginia]]
▲[[Category:Electronic Arts subsidiaries]]
 
 
{{ElectronicArts-stub}}▼
{{US-videogame-company-stub}}
▲{{ElectronicArts-stub}}
{{MUD-stub}}
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