Sierra

Sierra
Type	Brand name owned by Microsoft
Founded	1979 (On-Line Systems) 1982 (Sierra On-Line) 1994 (Yosemite Entertainment) 2002 (Sierra Entertainment)
Headquarters	Bellvue, Washington, U.S.
Key people
Industry	Video games
Products
Number of people
Website	http://www.sierragames.com/

Sierra is a brand and publishing label owned by Microsoft.

On-Line Systems

Sierra was founded in 1979 as On-Line Systems Simi Valley, California, by the husband and wife team of Ken Williams and Roberta Williams. They initially formed the company to develop and distribute graphic adventure games that were designed by Roberta and programmed by Ken.

Sierra On-Line

In 1982, the company was incorporated in Oakhurst, California as Sierra On-Line. It was named after the Sierra Nevada mountain range in the western United States. Roberta and Ken continued to make games, which were so successful that the company expanded to a point where, by the early 1990s, it became one of the largest publishers of computer games.

Yosemite Entertainment

Due to company growth, beginning in August 1993 and continuing into 1994, the key staff of Sierra On-Line moved to a larger building in Bellvue, Washington.

The staff that remained at the Oakhurst building became Yosemite Entertainment. In 1998, this division published games under the Sierra FX label.

Acquisition of Sierra On-Line by CUC International/Cedant Corporation

Sierra On-Line was sold to CUC International in 1996. In December 1997, CUC International merged with HFS Incorporated to become the Cendant Corporation.

Closure of Yosemite Entertainment

On April 16, 1998, it was revealed that CUC International fraudulently inflated its worth by $500 million USD in its 1996 and 1997 records. As a result of the accounting scandal, many divisions of Sierra On-Line, including Yosemite Entertainment, closed in 1999.

In September 1999, Codemasters established a North American division in Oakhurst, California. It moved into the former Yosemite Entertainment building and hired much of its staff.

Sierra On-Line becomes a division of Vivendi Universal

Cendant Corporation was sold to Havas S.A. in 1998. Later that year, Havas S.A. was acquired by Vivendi.

In June 2000, Vivendi, Seagram, and Canal Plus merged to become Vivendi Universal. Havas S.A. was renamed Vivendi Universal Publishing. This made Sierra On-Line a division of Vivendi Universal.

Sierra Entertainment

Sierra On-Line was renamed Sierra Entertainment in 2002 and the company was unincorporated in August 2004. However, it continued to operate as a division within Vivendi Universal.

Closure

Vivendi merged with Activision, forming Activision-Blizzard in 2008. After the merger, the entire Sierra Entertainment staff was laid off, and the Bellvue office was closed. In 2009, the Sierra label was retired.

Return of the Sierra label

Activision, which became an independent company in 2013 after they purchased Vivendi's share of the Activision Blizzard stock, brought the Sierra label back on August 7, 2014. The Sierra label was re-established to publish games developed by independent game developers, for both original games and games developed based on the Sierra game licenses.

Video games developed by On-Line Systems (1979-1982) owned by the WEC Museum

Title	System	Released	Added to Museum	Notes
Mystery House	Apple II	1980	March 22, 2018	ADL adventure game.
Ulysses and the Golden Fleece	Apple II	1980	December 25, 1981	ADL adventure game.
Wizard and the Princess	Apple II	1980	December 25, 1980	ADL adventure game.

Video games published by On-Line Systems (1979-1982) owned by the WEC Museum

Title	Developer	System	Published	Added to Museum	Notes
Softporn Adventure	Blue Sky Software	DOS	1981	March 7, 2018	The WEC Mueum owns the 1997 Z-code port by Patrick Kellum. This text adventure was remade into Leisure Suit Larry.

Video games developed by Sierra On-Line (1982-2002) owned by the WEC Museum

Title	System	Released	Added to Museum	Notes
The Dark Crystal	Apple II	1983	December 25, 1983	ADL adventure game.
Ultima II: The Revenge of the Enchantress	DOS	1983	December 25, 2014	Port of Ultima game to DOS.
Donald Duck's Playground	TRS-80 CoCo	1984	December 25, 1984	AGI adventure game.
King's Quest	DOS	1984	December 17, 2012	AGI adventure game.
King's Quest II: Romancing the Throne	DOS	1985	December 17, 2012	AGI adventure game.
King's Quest III: To Heir is Human	DOS	1986	December 17, 2012	AGI adventure game.
Season's Greetings from Tandy	DOS	1986	July 10, 2021	AGI Christmas card.
Space Quest	DOS	1986	December 17, 2012	AGI adventure game.
Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards	DOS	1987	December 17, 2012	AGI adventure game.
Police Quest: In Pursuit of the Death Angel	DOS	1987	December 17, 2012	SCI adventure game.
Space Quest II: Vohaul's Revenge	DOS	1987	December 17, 2012	SCI adventure game.
Christmas Card	DOS	1988	December 17, 2012	SCI Christmas card.
King's Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella	DOS	1988	December 17, 2012	SCI adventure game.
Leisure Suit Larry Goes Looking for Love (in Several Wrong Places)	DOS	1988	December 17, 2012	SCI adventure game.
Space Quest III: The Pirates of Pestulon	DOS	1988	December 17, 2012	SCI adventure game.
Astro Chicken	DOS	1988	May 14, 2019	SCI shooting game.
Quest for Glory: So You Want to Be a Hero	DOS	1989	May 10, 2012	SCI adventure role-playing game.
Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards	DOS	1987	December 17, 2012	SCI adventure game.
Police Quest II: The Vengeance	DOS	1989	December 17, 2012	SCI adventure game.
Leisure Suit Larry 3: Passionate Patti in Pursuit of the Pulsating Pectorals	DOS	1989	December 17, 2012	SCI adventure game.
Laura Bow: The Colonel's Bequest	DOS	1989	June 5, 2018	SCI adventure game.
Codename: ICEMAN	DOS	1989	December 15, 2018	SCI adventure game.
Christmas Card	DOS	1990	July 10, 2021	SCI Christmas card.
Conquests of Camelot: The Search for the Grail	DOS	1990	December 17, 2012	SCI adventure game.
King's Quest I: Quest for the Crown	DOS	1990	December 17, 2012	SCI remake of the AGI adventure game.
Quest for Glory II: Trial By Fire	DOS	1990	May 10, 2012	SCI adventure role-playing game.
King's Quest V: Absence Makes the Heart Go Yonder!	DOS	1990	December 17, 2012	SCI adventure game.
Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards	DOS	1991	December 17, 2012	SCI remake of the AGI adventure game.
Leisure Suit Larry 5: Passionate Patti Does a Little Undercover Work	DOS	1991	December 17, 2012	SCI adventure game.
Police Quest III: The Kindred	DOS	1991	December 17, 2012	SCI adventure game.
Space Quest: Chapter I - The Sarien Encounter	DOS	1991	December 17, 2012	SCI remake of the AGI adventure game.
Space Quest IV: Roger Wilco and the Time Rippers	DOS	1991	December 17, 2012	SCI adventure game.
Fun-Seeker's Guide to Eastern Madera County	DOS	1991	August 7, 2015	Humorous SCI travel guide.
Leisure Suit Larry 1: In the Land of the Lounge Lizards	DOS	1991	December 17, 2012	SCI remake of the AGI adventure game.
Ms. Astro Chicken	DOS	1991	March 22, 2018	SCI adventure game.
King's Quest I: Quest for the Crown	DOS	1990	December 17, 2012	SCI remake of the AGI adventure game.
Space Quest: Chapter I - The Sarien Encounter	DOS	1991	December 17, 2012	SCI remake of the AGI adventure game.
Police Quest: In Pursuit of the Death Angel	DOS	1992	December 17, 2012	SCI remake of the AGI adventure game.
Conquests of the Longbow: The Legend of Robin Hood	DOS	1992	June 5, 2018	SCI adventure game.
Christmas Card	DOS	1992	July 10, 2021	SCI Christmas card.
King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow	DOS	1992	December 17, 2012	SCI adventure game.
Laura Bow: The Dagger of Amon Ra	DOS	1992	June 5, 2018	SCI adventure game.
Police Quest: In Pursuit of the Death Angel	DOS	1992	December 17, 2012	SCI remake of the AGI adventure game.
Quest for Glory III: Wages of War	DOS	1992	May 10, 2012	SCI adventure role-playing game.
Freddy Pharkas: Frontier Pharmacist	DOS	1993	June 5, 2018	SCI adventure game.
Leisure Suit Larry 6: Shape Up or Slip Out!	DOS	1993	December 17, 2012	SCI adventure game.
Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers	DOS	1993	February 16, 2010	SCI adventure game.
Police Quest IV: Open Season	DOS	1993	December 17, 2012	SCI adventure game.
Quest for Glory IV: Wages of War	DOS	1993	May 10, 2012	SCI adventure role-playing game.
King's Quest VII: The Princeless Bride	DOS	1994	December 12, 2012	SCI adventure game.
Inside the Chest	DOS	1994	May 23, 2020	SCI press-clipping viewer.
Behind the Developers' Shield	DOS	1994	May 23, 2020	SCI art and document viewer.
King's Questions	DOS	1994	December 17, 2012	SCI quiz game.
Phantasmagoria	DOS	1995	October 28, 2011	SCI adventure game.
The Beast Within: A Gabriel Knight Mystery	DOS	1995	October 28, 2011	SCI adventure game.
Shivers	DOS	1995	December 15, 2018	SCI adventure game.
Space Quest 6: The Spinal Frontier	DOS	1995	December 17, 2012	SCI adventure game.
Torin's Passage	DOS	1995	December 29, 2012	SCI adventure game.
Police Quest: SWAT	DOS	1995	December 17, 2012	SCI adventure game.
Leisure Suit Larry: Love for Sail!	DOS	1996	December 17, 2012	SCI adventure game.
Lighthouse	DOS	1996	June 5, 2018	SCI adventure game.
Phantasmagoria: A Puzzle of Flesh	DOS	1996	October 28, 2011	SCI adventure game.
King's Quest: Mask of Eternity	Windows	1998	December 17, 2012	3D adventure game.
Police Quest: SWAT 2	Windows	1998	December 17, 2012	3D real-time tactics game.
Quest for Glory V: Dragon Fire	Windows	1998	December 17, 2012	3D adventure role-playing game.
Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned	Windows	1999	October 28, 2011	3D adventure game.
SWAT 3: Close Quarters Battle	Windows	1999	December 17, 2012	3D tactical shooter game.
SWAT 3: Close Quarters Battle	Windows	1999	January 24, 2017	3D real-time tactics game.
SWAT 3: Close Quarters Battle	Windows	1999	January 24, 2017	3D real-time tactics game.

Video games published by Sierra On-Line (1982-2002) owned by the WEC Museum

Title	Developer	System	Released	Added to Museum	Notes
The Adventures of Willy Beamish	Dynamix	DOS	1991	June 5, 2018	DGDS adventure game
Gold Rush!	MacNeill Computer Company	DOS	1988	October 4, 2014	AGI adventure game
Red Baron	Dynamix	DOS	1990	April 1, 2022	Air combat simulation game
Rise of the Dragon	Dynamix	DOS	1990	April 1, 2022	DGDS Action-adventure game.
Gobliiins	Coktel Vision	DOS	1991	February 16, 2010	DEV puzzle game
Heart of China	Dynamix	DOS	1991	April 1, 2022	DGDS adventure game
Gobliins 2	Coktel Vision	DOS	1992	February 16, 2010	DEV puzzle game
Red Baron: Mission Builder	Dynamix	DOS	1992	April 1, 2022	Expansion pack for Red Baron.
Goblins Quest 3	Coktel Vision	DOS	1993	February 16, 2010	DEV puzzle game
Betrayal at Krondor	Dynamix	DOS	1993	April 1, 2022	Role-playing game
Space Quest V: The Next Mutation	Dynamix	DOS	1993	December 17, 2012	AGI adventure game
The Incredible Machine Version 3.0	Jeff Tunnell Productions	Windows	1995	February 25, 2013	Puzzle game
MissionForce: CyberStorm	Dynamix	Windows	1996	April 1, 2022	Turn-based tactics game
Betrayal at Antara	Dynamix	Windows	1997	April 1, 2022	Role-playing game
Half-Life	Valve Software	Windows	1998	December 26, 2012	3D first-person shooter.
Red Baron 3D	Dynamix	Windows	1992	April 1, 2022	Red Baron II with 3D acceleration.
Return of the Incredible Machine: Contraptions	Dynamix	Windows	2000	February 25, 2013	Puzzle game
The Incredible Machine: Even More Contraptions	Dynamix	Windows	2001	February 25, 2013	Puzzle game

Video games published by Sierra FX (1998)

Title	System	Published	Added to Museum	Notes
Police Quest: SWAT 2	Windows	1998	December 17, 2012	3D real-time tactics game.
Quest for Glory V: Dragon Fire	Windows	1998	December 17, 2012	3D adventure role-playing game.

Video games published by Sierra Entertainment (2002-2009)

Title	Developer	System	Published	Added to Museum	Notes
Half-Life 2	Valve Software	Windows	2004	December 13, 2010	3D first-person shooter.
SWAT 4	Irrational Games	Windows	2005	December 15, 2018	3D real-time tactics game.

Video games published by Sierra (2014-present)

Title	Developer	System	Published	Added to Museum	Notes
Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions Evolved	Lucid Games	Xbox One	2014	January 7, 2017	Shoot 'em up video game.
Shiftlings	Rock Pocket Games	Xbox One	2015	January 7, 2017	Puzzle platform game.
Velocity 2X	FuturLab	Xbox One	2015	January 7, 2017	Puzzle platform game.
King's Quest: The Complete Collection (digital) King's Quest: Adventures of Graham (retail)	The Odd Gentlemen	Windows Xbox One	2015-2016	Windows: July 28, 2016 Xbox One: January 6, 2017 Windows (retail): June 16, 2017	3D episodic adventure game.