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Time Warner Interactive

{{Short description|Video game developing and publishing division within Time Warner}}

{{More citations needed|date=February 2009}}

{{Infobox company

| name = Time Warner Interactive

| logo = Time-Warner-Inter logo.png

| former_name = Time Warner Interactive Group (1993-1994)

| type = Division

| industry = Video games

| fate = Sold to WMS Industries, later transferred to Midway Games

| foundation = {{start date and age|1993|6|23}} (as Time Warner Consumer Products)

| defunct = {{start date and age|1996|4|12}} {{small|(North America)}}
{{start date and age|1996|11}} {{small|(Europe)}}

{{start date and age|1997|1|17}} {{small|(Japan)}}

| hq_location_city = 2210 West Olive Avenue, Burbank, CA 91506{{cite web|url=http://www.csoon.com/issue7/prage.htm |title=Primal Rage - PC Review |publisher=Coming Soon Magazine |date= 1995|access-date=May 23, 2019}}[https://www.ebay.com/itm/Peter-And-The-Wolf-Chuck-Jones-MAC-1994-Childrens-Interactive-Classic/264330752430?hash=item3d8b5731ae:g:qFgAAOSwwq1awrZL Peter and the Wolf cover of instructions booklet]

| hq_location_country = U.S.

| products = {{ubl|Primal Rage|Rise of the Robots|T-MEK}}

| predecessor = Tengen

| successor =

| parent = Time Warner

| subsid = Atari Games

}}

Time Warner Interactive (TWI) was a video game developing and publishing division within Time Warner. It was formed in 1993 after Time Warner acquired a controlling interest in Atari Games, which was already partly held by Time Warner. It was active until 1996 when WMS Industries, the owners of the Williams, Bally and Midway arcade brands, bought the company.

Time Warner Interactive was responsible for games such as Rise of the Robots, Primal Rage, and T-MEK.

History

Time Warner Interactive was formed in 1984 as Warner New Media, and it was renamed to Time Warner Interactive Group in 1993.{{Cite web |last=Rothman |first=Matt |date=1993-06-03 |title=TW revamps multimedia group |url=https://variety.com/1993/digital/news/tw-revamps-multimedia-group-107436/ |access-date=2023-09-04 |website=Variety |language=en-US}} In 1994, following the full acquisition of Atari Games by Time Warner, TWIG merged with Atari Games and its associated subsidiary Tengen to form Time Warner Interactive, which serve its functions as a video game and multimedia company.{{Cite news |last=Fisher |first=Lawrence M. |date=1994-03-26 |title=COMPANY NEWS; Time Warner Increases Its Stake in Atari |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/26/business/company-news-time-warner-increases-its-stake-in-atari.html |access-date=2023-09-04 |issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web |last=Archives |first=L. A. Times |date=1994-04-12 |title=Technology: Time Inc. said Monday that Cable... |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-04-12-fi-45111-story.html |access-date=2023-09-04 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}} In 1996, WMS Industries purchased it. Time Warner Interactive's home division, which was based in Milpitas, was previously known as Tengen, the consumer division of Atari Games, and it was extended to its existing Japanese division. Atari Games would continue to operate under its own name until March 29, 1996, when both it and Time Warner Interactive were bought by WMS Industries and was subsequently absorbed into Williams Entertainment (later renamed Midway Home Entertainment), while Atari Games became part of Midway, and eventually was renamed Midway Games West in 1999.

Time Warner also bought the UK publisher Renegade Software in 1995 and kept it independent as Warner Interactive Entertainment, before merging with the European arm of TWI in 1996. Both subsidiaries were short-lived; Time Warner Interactive was formed from the Atari Games acquisition in 1993 and sold to WMS Industries on March 29, 1996,{{cite magazine|last=Webb |first=Marcus |title=WMS Acquires Time Warner/Atari Games |magazine=Next Generation|issue=18|publisher=Imagine Media|date=June 1996|page=26}} while Time Warner Interactive Japan dissolved in the same year due to WMS not seeing the merit of having a Japanese division in Japan due to how very costly it is for Midway to have a Japanese video game studio in their hands in Lost Decade situation, and European division of Time Warner Interactive (including Renegade Software) existed only two years before being sold to GT Interactive in November 1996 (GT Interactive are best known for distribution of Doom II, Duke Nukem 3D, and Quake as shareware).[http://www.secinfo.com/dsvr4.86Pa.htm SEC Info - Atari Inc - 10-Q - For 6/30/97] Several titles begin development by TWI, including Wayne Gretzky's 3D Hockey, was eventually released by Williams Entertainment after the acquisition.{{Cite web |date=1995-12-04 |title=Time Warner Interactive plans Nintendo game |url=https://adage.com/article/news/time-warner-interactive-plans-nintendo-game/17412 |access-date=2024-12-26 |website=Ad Age |language=en}}

Time Warner would eventually regain ownership of the library of the former Time Warner Interactive when they acquired the assets of Midway in 2009.

{{Clear}}

List of games

class="wikitable sortable" style="width: 100%;"

! width="5%" align="left" | Release Date

! width="35%" align="left" | Title

! width="60%" align="left" | Platform

! Developer

! Publisher

1994Rise of the RobotsAmiga, Amiga CD32, DOS{{center|{{X mark}}}}
1994The Lawnmower ManSega Genesis, Sega CD{{center|{{X mark}}}}
1994Red ZoneSega Genesis{{center|{{X mark}}}}
1994Generations LostSega Genesis{{center|{{X mark}}}}
1994Sylvester and Tweety in Cagey CapersSega Genesis{{center|{{X mark}}}}
1994Dick Vitale's "Awesome, Baby!" College HoopsSega Genesis{{center|{{X mark}}}}{{center|{{X mark}}}}
1994Mega SWIVSega Genesis{{center|{{X mark}}}}
1994R.B.I. Baseball '94Game Gear{{center|{{X mark}}}}
1994Tama: Adventurous Ball in Giddy LabyrinthSega Saturn, PlayStation{{center|{{X mark}}}}{{center|{{X mark}}}}
1994Kawasaki Superbike ChallengeSega Genesis, Super NES{{center|{{X mark}}}}
1995Super R.B.I. BaseballSuper NES{{center|{{X mark}}}}
1995Cheese Cat-astrophe starring Speedy GonzalezGame Gear, Master System{{center|{{X mark}}}}
1995R.B.I. Baseball '9532X{{center|{{X mark}}}}{{center|{{X mark}}}}
1995Wayne Gretzky and the NHLPA All-StarsSega Genesis, Super NES{{center|{{X mark}}}}{{center|{{X mark}}}}
1995T-MEK32X{{center|{{X mark}}}}
1995Race Drivin'Sega Saturn{{center|{{X mark}}}}{{center|{{X mark}}}}
1995Primal Rage32X, Amiga, Atari Jaguar CD, DOS, Game Boy, Game Gear, PlayStation, Sega Genesis, Sega Saturn, Super NES{{center|{{X mark}}}}
1995Power Drive RallyAtari Jaguar{{center|{{X mark}}}}
1995Virtua RacingSega Saturn{{center|{{X mark}}}}
1995EndorfunWindows{{center|{{X mark}}}}
1996Striker '96PlayStation{{center|{{X mark}}}}
1996PitballPlayStation{{center|{{X mark}}}}{{center|{{X mark}}}}
1997Shinrei Jusatsushi TarōmaruSega Saturn{{center|{{X mark}}}}{{center|{{X mark}}}}

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • [https://www.mobygames.com/company/midway-games-west-inc Midway Games West Inc.] on MobyGames (includes the history as Time Warner Interactive Inc.)
  • [https://www.mobygames.com/company/time-warner-interactive-ltd Time Warner Interactive Inc.] on MobyGames
  • [https://www.mobygames.com/company/warner-interactive-entertainment-ltd Warner Interactive Entertainment Ltd.] on MobyGames

{{Authority control}}

Category:Video game publishers

Category:Video game companies established in 1993

Category:Video game companies disestablished in 1996

Category:Defunct video game companies of the United States

Category:Video game development companies

Category:Former Time Warner subsidiaries