Kesmai: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Defunct American publisher of video games (1981–2001)}} |
{{Short description|Defunct American publisher of video games (1981–2001)}} |
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'''Kesmai''' was a pioneering [[video game developer|game developer]] and online [[Video game publisher|game publisher]], founded in 1981 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]]. |
'''Kesmai''' was a pioneering [[video game developer|game developer]] and online [[Video game publisher|game publisher]], founded in 1981<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gamestorm.com/company/press/1996_09_13.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/19990203200500/http://gamestorm.com/company/press/1996_09_13.html|title=News Corp.'S Kesmai Spins Off Publishing Division -- 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]]'' 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]]. |
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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> |
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> |
Revision as of 17:56, 1 May 2022
Kesmai was a pioneering game developer and online game publisher, founded in 1981[1] by Kelton Flinn and John Taylor. The company was best known for the combat flight sim Air Warrior on the GEnie online service, one of the first graphical MMOGs, launched in 1987. They also developed an ASCII-based MUD, Island of Kesmai, which ran on CompuServe.
The company was acquired by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. in 1994.[2][3] 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.[4]
AOL purchased CompuServe in 1997 and retooled its AOL Games Channel in a way that placed Kesmai unfavorably compared to its own games division, WordPlay. Kesmai sued AOL for monopolistic practices.[5] The suit was settled out of court with undisclosed terms.[6]
In 1999, the company was sold to Electronic Arts,[7] 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
Year | Title | Platform(s) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Developed titles | |||
1982 | MegaWars | Terminal | |
1984 | MegaWars III | Terminal | |
1988 | Air Warrior | Terminal | |
1990 | Amiga | ||
1991 | Atari ST | ||
1992 | CDTV | ||
1992 | DOS | ||
1996 | MultiPlayer BattleTech: Solaris | Microsoft Windows | |
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 |
Published titles | |||
1998 | Starship Troopers: Battlespace | Microsoft Windows | |
2000 | Fierce Harmony | Microsoft Windows |
References
- ^ "News Corp.'S Kesmai Spins Off Publishing Division -- Launches New Ggames Service, Aries Online Games". gamestorm.com. September 16, 1996. Archived from the original on February 3, 1999. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
- ^ Pattie Joy (April 27, 1994). "NEWS CORP. BUYS KESMAI". USA Today.
- ^ Ben Potter (April 27, 1994). "News buys top US online games maker". The Age.
- ^ John Voland (November 24, 1997). "GAMERS GANGING UP: Four online companies team in GameStorm". Daily Variety.
- ^ Craig Menefee (September 30, 1997). "Gamer Firm Kesmai Sues America Online". Newsbytes.
- ^ Bob Woods (July 7, 1998). "Kesmai, America Online Settle Lawsuit". Newsbytes.
- ^ "Electronic Arts Announces Agreement to Acquire News Corp. Online Game Unit, Kesmai". Business Wire. November 22, 1999. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved September 3, 2021 – via The Free Dictionary.
- Defunct video game companies of the United States
- MUD organizations
- Defunct companies based in Virginia
- Video game companies established in 1981
- Video game companies disestablished in 2001
- 1981 establishments in Virginia
- 2001 disestablishments in Virginia
- Electronic Arts
- United States video game company stubs
- Electronic Arts stubs
- MUD stubs