A group from MIT's computer science lab. After writing Zork for fun, they founded the company in 1979 and sold it in instalments so it would fit in home computers' memory.
What did they invent?
The Z-machine, a virtual machine. They wrote each game once and only ported the interpreter to each computer. They also packed "feelies" in the boxes: maps, coins and physical clues.
What happened to them?
They bet on a database program that flopped. Activision bought them in 1986 and closed the studio in 1989. Their games are still cult classics.
It began as Lucasfilm Games, the games division of George Lucas's company, and became LucasArts in 1990.
Its big contribution?
SCUMM, on-screen verbs and a philosophy of not punishing the player: no sudden deaths, no dead ends. Plus the adaptive music system iMUSE.
Who worked there?
Ron Gilbert, Tim Schafer, Dave Grossman, Hal Barwood, Noah Falstein, Brian Moriarty, Sean Clark, Larry Ahern... A team that went on to found half the indie scene.
Yes, from Madrid. Ramón Hernáez, Rafael Latiegui, Felipe Gómez and Miguel Ángel Ramos debuted with Igor: Objetivo Uikokahonia in 1994.
Their biggest hit?
Runaway (2001) succeeded all over Europe just as people said the genre was dead. Before that, Hollywood Monsters was a smash in Spain.
And now?
They still make narrative adventures such as Yesterday (2012) and Blacksad: Under the Skin (2019). One of the longest-running adventure studios in the world.
