Access Software
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | November 1982 |
| Founder | Bruce Carver, Chris Jones |
| Defunct | May 2006 |
| Fate | Acquired by Microsoft in 1999; renamed Indie Built and sold to Take-Two Interactive in 2004; shut down in 2006 |
| Successor | Indie Built |
| Headquarters | Salt Lake City , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Bruce Carver, Chris Jones |
| Products | Beach Head, Links, Tex Murphy, Raid over Moscow |
| Parent | Microsoft (1999–2004), Take-Two Interactive (2004–2006) |
Access Software, Inc. was a United States-based video game developer located in Salt Lake City, Utah. Established in November 1982 by Bruce Carver and Chris Jones, the company produced well-known franchises including Beach Head, Links, and Tex Murphy, as well as the title Raid over Moscow. In April 1999, it was acquired by Microsoft, after which it experienced two rebrandings before being sold to Take-Two Interactive in October 2004 and renamed Indie Built. By January 2005, it was incorporated into Take-Two's 2K label. Due to unsatisfactory financial results under Take-Two’s management, Indie Built was shut down in May 2006.
A significant spin-off, TruGolf, which specialized in indoor golf simulators utilizing technology derived from the Links series, separated during the Microsoft acquisition. Following Indie Built's closure, numerous former employees transitioned to TruGolf. Additionally, co-founder Chris Jones founded Big Finish Games to continue developing the Tex Murphy series.
Access Software Era (1982–1999)
In 1982, engineer Bruce Carver created a sprite-editing tool named Spritemaster while employed at Redd Engineering in Salt Lake City. Partnering with Steve Witzel of Computers Plus retail store, Carver enhanced the software and began marketing it under the brand "Access Software." Later that year, Carver and Chris Jones officially formed Access Software with an initial investment of , initially operating out of Carver’s basement.
Among Access Software’s most significant accomplishments was the development of the innovative Links golf games. Departing from conventional top-down golf visuals, Bruce Carver envisioned a viewpoint positioned behind the golfer. The development team crafted sprites by meticulously tracing VHS footage of Roger Carver’s golf swing frame-by-frame, creating a distinctive visual style that set a precedent for future golf simulation games. This method debuted with Leader Board, recognized as the first installment in the Links franchise. To leverage this technology commercially, Access founded TruGolf as a subsidiary dedicated to indoor golf simulators, with Roger Carver overseeing its operations.
Transition to Salt Lake Games Studio and Indie Games (1999–2003)
In April 1999, Microsoft acquired Access Software to enhance its gaming portfolio with the successful Links golf series, which had surpassed Microsoft’s own Microsoft Golf in popularity. Microsoft’s strategy involved positioning the premium Links brand for high-end golf titles while maintaining Microsoft Golf as an entry-level option. Access retained its Salt Lake City base following the acquisition. After establishing Microsoft Game Studios in 2000, Access was renamed Salt Lake Games Studio and shifted focus toward developing Xbox versions of Links, alongside sports titles such as Amped: Freestyle Snowboarding and Top Spin, coinciding with the Xbox console release in 2002.
In 2003, Microsoft rebranded the studio once again as Indie Games. That same year saw the departure of founder Bruce Carver, who went on to create Carver Homes in 2004 before his passing in 2005.
Indie Built Era (2004–2006)
In 2004, Microsoft withdrew from the sports gaming sector due to intense rivalry with EA Sports. Subsequently, it divested Indie Games to Take-Two Interactive, which rebranded the studio as Indie Built. With the objective of competing against EA Sports' market leadership, Take-Two invested roughly $80 million to acquire various studios, including Indie Built. Early in 2005, Take-Two introduced the 2K label to manage its sports-focused development teams.
During its tenure under Take-Two, Indie Built produced follow-ups to Amped and Top Spin, though these titles did not attain notable commercial success. This performance, combined with Take-Two's challenging fiscal year in 2006—characterized by SEC inquiries and the controversy surrounding the Hot Coffee modification—led to the closure of Indie Built in May 2006 as part of a broader corporate restructuring.
After the studio's shutdown, numerous former staff members transitioned to TruGolf to contribute to advancements in golf simulation technology. Furthermore, executives Jones and Conners established Big Finish Games in 2007 to pursue narrative-driven projects such as the Tex Murphy series.
Developed Titles
Links LS ClassicLinks 2001| Year | Title | |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Neutral Zone | |
| Beach Head | ||
| 1984 | The Scrolls of Abadon | |
| Ollie's Follies | ||
| Raid over Moscow | ||
| 1985 | Beach Head II: The Dictator Strikes Back | |
| 1986 | Leader Board | |
| Leader Board: Executive Edition | ||
| 10th Frame | ||
| 1987 | Leaderboard Tournament | |
| World Class Leader Board | ||
| Echelon | ||
| 1988 | Heavy Metal | |
| 1989 | Mean Streets | |
| 1990 | Crime Wave | |
| Countdown | ||
| Links: The Challenge of Golf | ||
| 1991 | Martian Memorandum | |
| 1992 | Amazon: Guardians of Eden | |
| Links 386 Pro | ||
| Microsoft Golf | ||
| 1993 | Microsoft Golf: Multimedia Edition | |
| 1994 | Under a Killing Moon | |
| 1995 | Links 386 CD | |
| Microsoft Golf 2.0 | ||
| 1996 | Links LS 1997 | |
| The Pandora Directive | ||
| Microsoft Golf 3.0 | ||
| 1997 | Tex Murphy: Overseer | |
| Links LS 1998 | ||
| 1998 | Links LS 1999 | |
| 1999 | Links Extreme | |
| Links LS 2000 | ||
| 2000 | Microsoft Golf 2001 | |
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| Links 2004 | |
| Inside Pitch 2003 | |
| Amped 2 | |
| Top Spin (video game)|Top Spin |
External links
- Archived official website of Access Software (October 23, 1996)
- Archived official website of Indie Built (February 27, 2005)