.: Submitted by nbrid on Wed, 2004-06-23 14:51.
This is a sad day. Vivendi Universal Games, who currently owns Sierra, announced that they were shutting down Sierra's Seattle headquarters in a "restructuring move", and that Sierra would live on in name only.
I was going to title this "Sierra On-line Goes Off-Line", but thought that was too cheesy even for me. Especially for such a serious topic: In an effort to reduce costs, Vivendi Universal has closed the last of Sierra. Much like what has become of "Atari", the "Sierra" name will still be used when publishing games, but that's all it is, a name.
Sierra is most recently known for publishing Valve's Half-Life series, but their portfolio extends far beyond that. In fact, they are probably best known for Roberta Williams's "King's Quest" (who in 1979 co-founded On-Line Systems, which later was renamed to Sierra On-Line, with her husband Ken in Oakhurst, California).
Sierra On-Line never was much for console development, and probably saw their 'heyday' in the 80's and early 1990's. I remember how surprised, and excited, I was when I saw Sierra On-Line listed as a member of N64's "Dream Team." Alas, I don't think they ever made even one game for the system (Red Barron was cancelled).
Personally, I used to be a HUGE Sierra fan, and in many ways still am. I have a box full of old Sierra game boxes I collected over the years, many I can't use since they are on 5.25" floppies (remember those?). Sierra was so big at one point in time that they even published their own magazine (InterAction) much like Nintendo's Nintendo Power. The only game company I think I've played, and owned, more of than Sierra is Nintendo.
Most of Sierra's classic games followed in the vein of "King's Quest", a point-and-click 'quest' adventure. My favorites of which being the original "Gabriel Knight" and "Quest for Glory 4". Of course they did more than just that though, like their RPG classic, "Betrayal at Krondor". They were even more than just developers and were the publishers of many games. If I were to make a list of my favorite games most people had never heard of, Epyx's 1994 Sierra published "Battle Bugs" might be at the very top of that list. Think "Pikmin" with preset armies of bugs that you had to overcome and control. It was an excellent strategy game. If I wanted to, I could go on and on listing great games to come out of Sierra.
However, times have changed in the video game industry. Already in recent years Sierra Interactive has become more and more of a publishing label than a development house. They probably spread themselves too thin by acquiring the likes of Dynamix and Berkeley Systems in the 90's, and were sold to CUC International (Cendant Software) in 1996 who specialized in mail order. What followed was bad management, cooked books, and the ousting of the Williams which basically destroyed the company. (Before Vivendi bought them, Sierra was owned for a short time by Havas Entertainment in 1999.) While the last of Sierra has been closed, the reality is Sierra as a game developer hasn't existed since 1999.
Like I said, Sierra has always been mainly a PC developer, and with consoles becoming more and more the choice of gaming, even for hardcore gamers, this closing comes at no surprise. But that doesn't make it any less disappointing. I just hope they don't make a mockery of the name like Activision has done with Atari. It's bad enough the Sierra development studio is no more.
For those of you solely living in the world dominated by the likes of EA and THQ, here is a list of games Sierra has given us over the years (most games published and developed by Sierra/Sierra On-Line/Sierra Entertainment unless otherwise noted).
1980
Mystery House
The Wizard and the Princess / Adventures in Serenia
Jawbreaker
Skeetshoot
1981
Crossfire
Lunar Leeper
Cranston Manor
Missile Defense
Superscript
Thrilogy
1982
Frogger (Sierra On-Line/Parker Brothers)
Threshold
Ultima II: Revenge of the Enchantress (Lord British)
Cubeit
Dragon's Keep
Laff Pak
Mousekattack
Time Zone
Troll's Tale
Bop-A-Bet
The Dark Crystal
1983
Apple Cider Spider
BC's Quest For Tires
Jawbreaker II
Learning with Leeper
Mine Shaft
Mission Asteroid
Mr. Cool
Oil's Well
Sammy Lightfoot
Ultima 1: The Original (Sigma Micro Systems)
Ultima: Escape from Mount Drash (Keith Zabalaoui)
Aquatron
Stunt Flyer
Wall War
1984
King's Quest: Quest for the Crown
Learning with FuzzyWOMP
Ulysses And The Golden Fleece
Mickey's Space Adventure
1985
King's Quest 2: Romancing the Throne
1986
King's Quest 3: To Heir Is Human
Winnie the Pooh and the Hundred Acre Wood
1987
The Black Cauldron
Leisure Suit Larry: In the Land of the Lounge Lizards
Police Quest: In Pursuit of the Death Angel
Space Quest: The Sarien Encounter
Thexder (Sierra/Game Arts)
1988
King's Quest 4: The Perils of Rosella
Leisure Suit Larry 2: Leisure Suit Larry Goes Looking For Love (In Several Wrong Places)
Manhunter: New York City
Mixed-Up Mother Goose
Police Quest 2: The Vengence
Space Quest 2: Vohaul's Revenge
1989
The Colonel's Bequest
Gold Rush!
Hoyle Book of Games: Volume 1
Leisure Suit Larry 3: Passionate Patty in Pursuit of the Pulsating Pectorals
Manhunter: San Francisco
Hero's Quest/Quest for Glory 1: So You Want To Be A Hero
Silpheed (Sierra/Game Arts)
Space Quest 3: The Pirates of Pestulon
Laffer Utilities
David Wolf Secret Agent
1990
Codename: Iceman
Colonel's Bequest
Conquests of Camelot - The Search for the Grail
Hoyle Book of Games, Volume 2: Solitaire
King's Quest 5: Absence Makes The Heart Go Yonder
Quest for Glory 2: Trial by Fire
Rise of the Dragon (Dynamix)
Sorcerian (Falcom)
Fire Hawk: Thexder - The Second Contact (Game Arts)
1991
Castle of Dr. Brain
Jones in the fast Lane
Leisure Suit Larry 5 - Passionate Patti does a little Undervover Work
Space Quest 4: Roger Wilco and the Time Rippers
Zeliard (Game Arts)
Police Quest III: The Kindred
Red Baron (Dynamix)
1992
Aces of the Pacific (Dynamix)
Eco Quest - The Search for Cetus
Hearth Of China (Dynamix)
King's Quest 6: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow
Laura Bow 2: The Dagger of Amon Ra
Quest for Glory 3: Wages of War
Conquests of the Long Bow: The Adventures of Robin Hood
1993
Aces over Europe (Dynamix)
The Adventures of Willy Beamish (Dynamix)
Betrayal at Krondor (Dynamix)
Eco Quest 2 - Lost Secret of the Rainforest
The Even More Incredible Machine (Dynamix)
Fates of Twinion (Sierra/INN)
Freddy Pharkas: Frontier Pharmacist
Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers
The Incredible Machine (Dynamix)
Leisure Suit Larry 6 - Shape Up or Slip Out
Quest for Glory 4: Shadows of Darkness
Shadow Of Yserbius (Sierra/INN)
Space Quest 5: The Next Mutation
Stellar Fire: Stellar 7 - Part 3 (Dynamix)
Island of Dr. Brain
Ween: The Prophecy
Pepper's Adventures in Time
Police Quest IV: Daryl F. Gates Open Season
Slater and Charlie Go Camping
Quarky and Quaysoo's Turbo Science
Alien Legacy
Crazy Nick's Software Picks Collection
Detroit (Impressions Games)
1994
Battle Bugs (Sierra/Epyx; Dynamix)
Goblins 3 (Coktel Vision)
Incredible Toons (Dynamix)
King's Quest 7: The Princeless Bride
Lode Runner - The Legend Returns (Presage)
Outpost
Sierra Soccer World Challenge Edition
Nova 9
Lost in Time
Aces of the Deep (Dynamix)
Metaltech: EarthSiege (Dynamix)
Space Bucks
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1995
3-D Ultra Pinball
Caesar II (Impressions)
Casino De Luxe (Impressions)
EarthSeige 2
Gabriel Knight 2 - The Beast Within
Phantasmagoria
Shivers
Space Quest 6: Roger Wilco in The Spinal Frontier
The Last Dynasty (Coktel Vision)
Woodruff and the Schnibble of Azimuth (Coktel Vision)
Torin's Passage
Police Quest V - S.W.A.T.
Urban Runner
Battledrome (Dynamix)
1996
NASCAR Racing (Papyrus)
Phantasmagoria 2 - A Puzzle Of Flesh
MissionForce: CyberStorm
Lighthouse
The Realm
Rama
Leisure Suit Larry VII: Love for Sail!
Hunter Hunted
3D Ultra Mini Golf
Cyber Gladiators
Front Page Sports: Ski Racing
Front Page Sports: Football Pro '97
Silent Thunder: A-10 Tank Killer 2
Time Mind of Dr. Brain
Time Warp of Dr. Brain
1997
3D Ultra Pinball - Creep Night
3D Ultra Pinball - The Lost Continent
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Birthright: The Gorgon's Alliance
Betrayal in Antara
Diablo: Hellfire
Red Baron II
Shivers II: Harvest of Souls
Conquest of the New World
Indy Car 2 (Papyrus)
Front Page Sports: Baseball 98
Front Page Sports: Golf
NASCAR Racing 2 (Papyrus)
Outpost 2: Divided Destiny (Dynamix)
Rise and Rule of Ancient Empires
SODA Off Road-Racing
1998
3D Ultra Pinball - Turbo Racing
Baseball Pro 99 (Sierra Sports; Front Page)
Basketball Pro 99 (Sierra Sports; Front Page)
NFL Football Pro 99 (Sierra Sports; Front Page)
Golf Pro 99 (Sierra Sports; Front Page)
Grand Prix Legends (Papyrus)
Half-Life (Valve Software)
Lords Of Magic (Impression)
Quest For Glory V: Dragon Fire
Return to Krondor
S.W.A.T. 2 - Police Quest (Sierra FX)
Ultimate Soccer Manager 98
Viper Racing (Monster Games Inc.)
Leisure Suit Larry's Casino
King's Quest VIII: Mask of Eternity
After Dark Games (Berkeley Systems)
3D Ultra NASCAR Pinball
Cyberstorm 2: Corporate Wars (Dynamix)
EarthSiege 3 (Dynamix)
Front Page Sports: Trophy Rivers
Homeworld (Relic)
NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition (Papyrus)
Pro Pilot '99 (Dynamix)
You Don't Know Jack Volume 4: The Ride (Jellyvision)
1999
3D Ultra Cool Pool
Orcs: Revenge of the Ancient (Sierra Studios; Berkeley Systems)
PGA Championship Golf 1999 Edition (Headgate)
Power Chess 2.0
Starsiege Tribes (Dynamix)
S.W.A.T. 3: Close Quarters Battle (Sierra Northwest)
NASCAR Legends (Papyrus)
NASCAR Racing 3 (Papyrus)
Gabriel Knight: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned
Half-Life: Opposing Force (Gearbox Software)
Desert Fighters (Dynamix)
Field and Stream: Trophy Hunting (Sierra Sports)
Pharaoh (Impressions Games)
Pro Pilot 2000 (Dynamix)
Sierra Sports: Skiing 1999 Edition
Half-Life: Team Fortress Classic (Valve)
Tribes (Dynamix)
2000
Hoyle Casino
Maximum Pool (3D Ultra)
PGA Championship Golf 2000 (Sierra Sports; Headgate Studios)
You Don't Know Jack: Mock 2 (Jellyvision)
Half-Life: Counter Strike (Valve)
Hoyle Card Games (Sandbox Studios)
RC Racers Deluxe: Traxxas Edition (Dynamix)
Return of the Incredible Machine: Contraptions (Dynamix)
2001
Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura (Tioika)
Empire Earth (Stainless Steel Studios)
Empire Earth: The Art of Conquest (Mad Doc Software)
NASCAR Racing 4 (Papyrus)
Half-Life: Blue Shift (Gearbox Software)
Acropolis (Impressions Games)
Aliens vs. Predator 2 (Monolith)
Tribes 2 (Dynamix)
2002
Bomberman Max 2 Blue Advance - Bomberman Version (Hudson/Majesco/Sierra)
Bomberman Max 2 Red Advance - Max Version (Hudson/Majesco/Sierra)
Die Hard: Nakatomi Plaza (Piranha Games)
Emperor: Rise of the Middle Kingdom (BreakAway Games)
NASCAR Racing 2002 Season (Sierra/Vivendi; Papyrus)
No One Lives Forever 2: A Spy in H.A.R.M.'s Way (Sierra/Vivendi; Monolith Productions)
The Operative: No One Lives Forever (Monolith Productions)
Tribes: Aerial Assault (Inevitable Entertainment)
Dark Angel (Radical Entertainment)
Caesar III (Impressions Games)
Casino Empire (Sierra Attractions)
2003
The Hobbit (Inevitable Entertainment)
Lords of the Realm III (Impressions Games)
NASCAR Racing 2003 Season (Papyrus)
Butt-Ugly Martians: Zoom or Doom (Knowledge Adventure)
The Lord of the Rings: War of the Ring (Liquid Entertainment)
Battlestar Galactica (Warthog)
2004
The X-Files: Resist or Serve (Fox Interactive; Black Ops)
Men of Valor: Vietnam (2015 Inc.)
SWAT: Urban Justice
Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude (High Voltage Software)
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(Sources: Sierra Gets Shutdown, Great Gaming Companies: Sierra On-Line, Sierra.com - Game List)