Imagic
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | 1981 |
| Founder | Bill Grubb, Bob Smith, Rob Fulop, Denis Koble, Jim Goldberger, Dave Durran, Brian Dougherty, Pat Ransil, Gary Kato |
| Defunct | 1986 |
| Fate | Dissolved after video game crash of 1983 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco Bay Area , United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Bill Grubb (VP Sales and Marketing) |
| Products | Video games for Atari 2600, Intellivision, ColecoVision, Atari 8-bit computers, TI-99/4A, IBM PCjr, VIC-20, Commodore 64, TRS-80 Color Computer, Magnavox Odyssey² |
Number of employees | 170 (at peak) (1983) |
Imagic () was a United States-based video game developer and video game publisher recognized primarily for producing titles originally for the Atari 2600. Established in 1981 by former staff from Atari, Inc. and Mattel, its most successful games included Atlantis, Cosmic Ark, and Demon Attack. Imagic broadened its range to cover systems such as Intellivision, ColecoVision, Atari 8-bit computers, TI-99/4A, IBM PCjr, VIC-20, Commodore 64, TRS-80 Color Computer, and Magnavox Odyssey². Notably, the Odyssey² versions of Demon Attack and Atlantis were unique as the only third-party titles released for that console in the United States. The company was dissolved in 1986 after failing to recover from the effects of the video game crash of 1983.
History
Imagic became the second independent publisher for the Atari 2600, following the lead of Activision. Its founders included Bill Grubb, Bob Smith, Rob Fulop, and Denis Koble—all formerly of Atari, Inc.—alongside Jim Goldberger, Dave Durran, and Brian Dougherty from Mattel, as well as Pat Ransil and Gary Kato.
Bill Grubb had held the position of vice president of sales and marketing at Atari for a year and a half and previously worked in marketing at Black and Decker for over a decade. His objective was to take Imagic public and surpass Activision as the foremost third-party video game publisher. Fulop, an ex-programmer at Atari, joined Imagic due to dissatisfaction with Atari’s payment policies.
Atari initiated legal action against Imagic concerning Demon Attack because of its resemblance to Phoenix, a title for which Atari owned exclusive rights to produce home versions; this dispute was resolved through an out-of-court settlement.
Although Imagic initially enjoyed strong sales that exceeded expectations, plans for an initial public offering were thwarted when video game stocks plummeted in late 1982, which eventually led to the company’s closure.
Fan club
During its height, Imagic managed the Numb Thumb Club fan organization, which issued an annual newsletter. However, only two editions were published before the company’s decline began in late 1983.
Decline
The swift early expansion experienced by Imagic was significantly disrupted by the 1983 crash in the video game industry. Prior to shutting down operations by 1986—though the precise date remains uncertain—the company had released a total of 24 titles. In 1983, Imagic reduced its workforce by laying off 40 employees out of 170 but still participated in the 1984 Consumer Electronics Show, showcasing plans for four IBM PCjr games. Since the late 1980s, Activision has acquired rights to Imagic’s most renowned games and has reissued them on multiple occasions.
Games
Imagic's Atari 2600 cartridges were distinguished by a prominent extended ridge on their tops, while their packaging featured reflective silver material with a tapered, ridged edge designed for easy handling. The years indicated represent original release dates only.
| Title | Release Year | Platforms |
|---|---|---|
| Atlantis | 1982 | Atari 2600, Intellivision, Vic-20 (1983), Atari 8-bit (1983), Odyssey 2 (1983) |
| Cosmic Ark | 1982 | Atari 2600 |
| Demon Attack | 1982 | Atari 2600, Intellivision, Atari 8-bit (1983), Odyssey 2 (1983), Vic-20 (1983), TI-99/4A (1983), IBM PC (1984), TRS-80 CoCo (1984), Commodore 64 (1984) |
| Dragonfire | 1982 | Atari 2600, Intellivision, Vic-20 (1983), ZX Spectrum (1984), TRS-80 CoCo (1984), Colecovision (1984), Commodore 64 (1984), Apple II (1984) |
| Fire Fighter | 1982 | Atari 2600 |
| Beauty & the Beast | 1982 | Intellivision |
| Microsurgeon | 1982 | Intellivision, IBM PC (1984), TI-99/4A (1984) |
| Riddle of the Sphinx | 1982 | Atari 2600 |
| Swords & Serpents | 1982 | Intellivision |
| Star Voyager | 1982 | Atari 2600 |
| Trick Shot | 1982 | Atari 2600 |
| Dracula | 1983 | Intellivision |
| Fathom | 1983 | Atari 2600, Intellivision |
| Ice Trek | 1983 | Intellivision |
| Laser Gates | 1983 | Atari 2600 |
| Moonsweeper | 1983 | Atari 2600, Colecovision, ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, MSX, TI-99/4A |
| No Escape! | 1983 | Atari 2600 |
| Nova Blast | 1983 | Intellivision, Colecovision, Commodore 64 (1984) |
| Quick Step | 1983 | Atari 2600 |
| Safecracker | 1983 | Intellivision |
| Shootin' Gallery | 1983 | Atari 2600 |
| Solar Storm | 1983 | Atari 2600 |
| Subterranea | 1983 | Atari 2600 |
| 'Tropical Trouble' | '83' | 'Intellivision' |
| 'Truckin | '83' | 'Intellivision' |
| 'White Water!' | '83' | 'Intellivision' |
| 'Wing War' | '83' | 'Atari 2600, Colecovision (84), TI-99/4A (84)' |
| 'Chopper Hunt', initially titled 'Buried Bucks' | '84' | 'Atari 8-bit, Commodore 64' |
| 'Injured Engine' | '84' | 'Commodore 64, Apple II' |
| 'Touchdown Football' | '84' | 'IBM PC, Atari 8-bit, Commodore 64, Atari 7800' |
| 'Tournament Tennis' | '84' | 'Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, Colecovision, MS-DOS (85), Atari ST (85), Amstrad CPC (85), Sinclair QL (85), Thompson TO (85)' |