Universal Interactive Studios
 Universal Interactive logo
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| Subsidiary | |
| Industry | Video games |
| Fate | Merged into Vivendi Universal Games |
| Founded | 1993 |
| Founder | Skip Paul |
| Defunct | 2007 |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
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Key people
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| Owner |
MCA Inc. (1993–1996) Universal Studios (1996–2000) Vivendi (2000–2007) |
| Parent | Universal Studios (1993–2000) Vivendi Universal Games (2000–2007) |
Universal Interactive (founded as Universal Interactive Studios) was a video game developer and publisher. It was a division of Universal Studios before being bought by Vivendi. Universal Interactive was known for publishing and distributing the Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon games, along with games based on films from Universal Pictures.
Before Universal Interactive was founded, MCA/Universal solely licensed games as merchandise. Among the games published this way was the notorious E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial in 1982.
The purchase of Universal to Matsushita Electric (operating as Panasonic) in 1990 was conducted in part by Skip Paul, who was an executive at Atari during the E.T. deal. Matsushita soon became the primary hardware licensee for the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer, leading a corporate push for MCA to provide entertainment software for the platform.
The division was officially launched by Paul in 1993 with the announcement of its first title, Jurassic Park Interactive. It was intended to be released as a launch title for the 3DO, but it was delayed until 1994.
That same year, Universal Interactive made three-game contracts with upstart developers Insomniac Games and Naughty Dog, who respectively pitched Disruptor and Way of the Warrior. Vice president Mark Cerny oversaw the development of the Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon series under these deals. Cerny would quit his position in 1998 to become an independent consultant for the two developers as they eventually moved out of Universal.
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Wikipedia