The Birth of Electronic Arts (PCGH Retro, May 28)

…1982: Game developers are assembly line workers. For months they write code, tinker levels, design graphics and create the sounds, often they even play the music themselves – until the game is in the store and the next title is up. But although many a game of this time is developed by just one programmer, nobody appreciates this artistic achievement: unlike musicians or actors, their name does not appear on the cover of the work. That should change when former Apple employee Trip Hawkins founds the publisher Electronic Arts on May 28th (after other names such as “Amazin’ Software” and “Soft Art” were discarded): At EA, the developer names are prominent on the Cover placed, record cover-like designs should make the game developers rock stars – according to Hawkins’ vision, games are after all an art form.

The success proves this strategy right, the first games for home computers like the Apple II sell well, especially the basketball simulation “One on One: Dr. J vs. Larry Bird”: It is one of the first sports games to use a licensed name ; a concept that EA will soon perfect with the “Madden” series and other titles. Over time, EA also turns to the console market and eventually the company becomes not only the largest publisher in the world, but also a developer that incorporates numerous studios. However, Trip Hawkins himself left his company in 1991 to found a new company: 3DO. But this time without success.

In line with the topic of Electronic Arts, we recommend our special 30 Years of EA: Probably the best and most well-known games from Electronic Arts