Line #49 Creator/OriginSystems


1	[[quoteright:306:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/origin_systems_logos.png]]
2	[[caption-width-right:306:[[BadassCreed "We Create Worlds"]] [[note]]Above (top to bottom): Origin Systems' logo during the 1980s, the 1990s, and in its final years[[/note]]]]
3
4	Origin Systems was an American video game developer and publisher, best known for creating the legendary ''VideoGame/{{Ultima}}'' and ''VideoGame/WingCommander'' franchises. It was founded in March 1983 by the brothers Richard (a.k.a. "Lord British") and Robert Garriott, their father Owen[[note]]an astronaut who flew both the Skylab and the Space Shuttle[[/note]], and their buddy Chuck Bueche[[note]]who would be immortalized as Chuckles the Jester in ''Ultimas II'' through ''VII''[[/note]], right on the eve of MediaNotes/{{The Great Video Game Crash\|Of1983}}, but the company's first offering, Lord British's 1983 ''VideoGame/UltimaIII: Exodus''[[note]]''VideoGame/UltimaI'' was published by the short-lived California Pacific, and ''VideoGame/UltimaII'', by Creator/{{Sierra}}, with whom Garriott fell out soon thereafter[[/note]], immediately established the newcomers among the top WesternRPG creators, a genre they would soon change forever with ''VideoGame/UltimaIV'' and its successors.
5
6	Over its two decades of existence, many soon-to-be-famous video game developers got their start at Origin Systems, thanks to its culture of visionary game design, pushing the limits of technology, and [[DoingItForTheArt never cutting corners in pursuit of artistic goals]]. Some of these names include [[VideoGame/WingCommander Chris]] [[VideoGame/StarCitizen Roberts]][[note]]the most notable one of the bunch in Origin's heyday as he was the foundation of their ''other'' major franchise[[/note]], Creator/JohnRomero, [[VideoGame/UltimaOnline Raph]] [[VideoGame/StarWarsGalaxies Koster]], [[VideoGame/UltimaUnderworld Paul]] [[VideoGame/UnderworldAscendant Neurath]], Creator/WarrenSpector, [[VideoGame/DeusEx Harvey]] [[Franchise/{{Dishonored}} Smith]], as well as the entire company of Creator/LookingGlassStudios[[note]]whose early breakthrough hits, both ''VideoGame/{{Ultima Underworld}}s'' and ''VideoGame/SystemShock'', had all been published by Origin[[/note]]. However, like many top CRPG developers of TheEighties, Origin was hit hard by the [[MediaNotes/WesternRPG mid-90s crisis of the genre]], and encountered severe financial troubles on the publishing side of its business, despite the massive successes of the early ''{{VideoGame/Wing Commander}}s'' and ''VideoGame/UltimaVII''. Things went downhill from there.
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8	In September 1992, the floundering Origin was bought out by Creator/ElectronicArts, who quickly began curbing the developers' habit of artistic tinkering and prioritized commercial success instead. Infamously, ''VideoGame/UltimaVIII'' was put on such a tight schedule, it shipped in an [[ObviousBeta unfinished and barely playable state]], and although EA originally saw no potential in ''VideoGame/UltimaOnline'', its surprise early success had led them to [[ExecutiveMeddling divert Origin's resources]] away from ''VideoGame/UltimaIX'', resulting in the latter's ''extremely'' TroubledProduction and, ultimately, a [[FranchiseKiller sad end]] for one of gaming's greatest epics.
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10	''Ultima IX: Ascension'', released on November 24, 1999, was the last game Origin had ever finished. The remaining founders resigned in April 2000 to form [[VideoGame/TabulaRasa Destination Games]] and, much later, [[VideoGame/ShroudOfTheAvatar Portalarium]]. Origin Systems finally disbanded in February 2004, joining Creator/{{Bullfrog\|Productions}} and Creator/{{Westwood\|Studios}} as the third in the [[https://www.koveras.net/files/tvtropes/ea_timeline.html long list]] of [[https://heavy.com/games/2017/10/studios-ea-has-killed-visceral-games/ developers EA had acquired and shut down]]. In a darkly ironic twist, the "Origin" trademark got a second life in 2011, when Electronic Arts appropriated it as the name of its new digital games distribution platform. For more information on the [[https://www.filfre.net/2013/05/origin-systems/ birth]], [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/issues/issue_14/87-The-Conquest-of-Origin fall]], and [[https://techraptor.net/content/35th-anniversary-origin-systems-ultima legacy]] of Origin Systems, see the respective link.
11	----
12	!!Games developed and/or published by Origin Systems:
13
14	!!!Before Creator/ElectronicArts buyout
15	[[index]]
16	* ''VideoGame/UltimaI: The First Age of Darkness'' (1981), originally published by California Pacific Computer Company, then bought out and re-released by Sierra, then again by Origin when the trademark rights reverted to Garriott again.
17	* ''VideoGame/UltimaII: The Revenge of the Enchantress'' (1982), originally published by Sierra, then re-released by Origin after the trademark reverted.
18	* ''VideoGame/UltimaIII: Exodus'' (1983), first major game developed and published by Origin
19	* ''Caverns of Callisto'' (1983), developed by Chuck Bueche simultaneously with Garriott's ''Ultima III''
20	* ''VideoGame/UltimaIV: Quest of the Avatar'' (1985)
21	* ''Autoduel'' (1985)
22	* ''Moebius: The Orb of Celestial Harmony'' (1985)
23	* ''Ogre'' (1986)
24	* ''Ring Quest'' (1986)
25	* ''2400 A.D.'' (1987)
26	* ''VideoGame/UltimaV: Warriors of Destiny'' (1988)
27	* ''Times of Lore'' (1988)
28	* ''Knights of Legend'' (1989)
29	* ''Omega'' (1989)
30	* ''Tangled Tales: The Misadventures of a Wizard's Apprentice'' (1989)
31	* ''Space Rogue'' (1989)
32	* ''Windwalker'' (1989), a sequel to ''Moebius''
33	* ''VideoGame/UltimaVI: The False Prophet'' (1990)
34	* ''VideoGame/WorldsOfUltimaTheSavageEmpire'' (1990)
35	* ''[[VideoGame/WingCommanderTheKilrathiSaga Wing Commander]]'' (1990)
36	* ''Bad Blood'' (1990)
37	* ''VideoGame/UltimaWorldsOfAdventure2MartianDreams'' (1991)
38	* ''Wing Commander II: Vengeance of the Kilrathi'' (1991)
39	* ''VideoGame/UltimaUnderworld: The Stygian Abyss'' (1992, as publisher), developed by [[Creator/LookingGlassStudios Blue Sky Productions]]
40	* ''VideoGame/UltimaVII: The Black Gate'' (1992)
41	[[/index]]
42
43	!!!Post-Creator/ElectronicArts
44	[[index]]
45	* ''Ultima Underworld II: Labyrinth of Worlds'' (1993, as publisher), developed by Looking Glass
46	* ''VideoGame/UltimaVIIPartII: Serpent Isle'' (1993)
47	* ''VideoGame/WingCommanderPrivateer'' (1993)
48	* ''Wing Commander Academy'' (1993)
49	* ''VideoGame/ShadowCaster'' (1993, as publisher), developed by Creator/RavenSoftware
50	* ''VideoGame/StrikeCommander'' (1993)
51	* ''VideoGame/UltimaVIII: Pagan'' (1994)
52	* ''Wing Commander III: Heart of the Tiger'' (1994)
53	* ''Wing Commander: Armada'' (1994)
54	* ''VideoGame/SystemShock'' (1994, as publisher), developed by Looking Glass
55	* ''Pacific Strike'' (1994)
56	* ''VideoGame/WingsOfGlory'' (1994)
57	* ''VideoGame/{{Bioforge}}'' (1995)
58	* ''VideoGame/{{Crusader}}: No Remorse'' (1995)
59	* ''VideoGame/CyberMage: Darklight Awakening'' (1995)
60	* ''VideoGame/WingCommanderIVThePriceOfFreedom'' (1996)
61	* ''Privateer 2: The Darkening'' (1996)
62	* ''VideoGame/{{Abuse}}'' (1996, as publisher), developed by Crack dot Com
63	* ''Crusader: No Regret'' (1996)
64	* ''Jane's AH-64D Longbow'' (1996)
65	* ''Transland'' (1996)
66	* ''VideoGame/UltimaOnline'' (1997), remains playable as of 2018
67	* ''Wing Commander: Prophecy'' (1997)
68	* ''Jane's Longbow 2'' (1997)
69	* ''VideoGame/UltimaIX: Ascension'' (1999)
70	[[/index]]
71
72	!!!CanceledVideoGames
73
74	* ''Ultima'':
75	** ''Worlds of Ultima: Arthurian Legends''
76	** ''Ultima Worlds Online: Origin'', a.k.a. ''Ultima Online 2''
77	** ''Ultima X: Odyssey'' (canceled in 2004)
78	* ''Wing Commander'':
79	** ''Privateer 3'' / "''Privateer Online''" (or variously "''Wing Commander Online''")
80	** ''Strike Team''
81	** ''Wing Commander VI''
82	* ''Crusader 3: No Escape / Crusader: No Mercy / Crusader II''
83	* ''Harry Potter Online''

Context Creator / OriginSystems