Interactive Magic

Interactive Magic was founded in the United States in 1995 by Bill Stealey, a co-founder and former chief executive of MicroProse Software. Its creation placed the company within the generation of independent PC-game publishers that emerged around technically ambitious computer entertainment, particularly simulation software. Interactive Magic's principal identity was built around games that modeled aircraft, armored vehicles, military operations, and historical conflict, although its catalogue was not limited to those subjects. The company developed and published a substantial range of computer games. Its military and simulation releases included Air Warrior II, Air Warrior III, Apache, Hind, iPanzer '44, iF-16, iF-22, iF/A-18E Carrier Strike Fighter, iM1A2 Abrams, and the WarBirds series. These products covered air combat, helicopters, armored warfare, and other military settings. Interactive Magic also published strategy and management products such as Capitalism, Industry Giant, Seven Kingdoms, and Knights and Merchants: The Shattered Kingdom. Historical and war-themed releases included American Civil War: From Sumter to Appomattox, North vs. South: The Great American Civil War, The Great Battles series, Liberation Day, and War Inc. The catalogue further extended into titles such as Destiny: World Domination from Stone Age to Space Age, Fallen Haven, Spearhead, Star Rangers, Thunder Brigade, and Vangers. Interactive Magic was noted for hiring many people from outside the established game industry, including skilled software engineers with no previous experience making games. This recruitment pattern was an important part of the company's historical profile: it suggested a development culture that valued technical capability and subject-matter or engineering expertise, particularly for simulation projects, over conventional game-industry pedigrees. In 1998, Interactive Magic went public. The public-company phase was relatively brief. In 1999, the business was sold to a venture capitalist, and Stealey left the company. The organization later operated under the names iMagic and iMagiconline and became known as IEntertainment Network. Stealey returned in the early 2000s, but the available reference does not specify the exact year of his return or provide a complete account of the company's subsequent corporate development. The historical record therefore presents Interactive Magic as both a brand and an earlier corporate identity of IEntertainment Network. Its best-defined period was the 1990s, when it built recognition through PC simulations and a broad catalogue of military, historical, strategy, and economic games. The available sources do not establish a current website, definitive present-day ownership, or a precise date on which the Interactive Magic name ceased to be used, so the brand's current status remains unknown.

• 1999

  Sale to a venture capitalist

  [1]IEntertainment Networken.wikipedia.org

  The company is sold to a venture capitalist, and founder Bill Stealey leaves the business.

• 1998

  The company goes public

  [1]IEntertainment Networken.wikipedia.org

  Interactive Magic becomes a publicly traded company.

• 1995

  Interactive Magic is founded

  [1]IEntertainment Networken.wikipedia.org

  Bill Stealey establishes Interactive Magic in the United States as a developer and publisher focused chiefly on simulation computer games.

• Later identity as IEntertainment Network

  [1]IEntertainment Networken.wikipedia.org

  The organization subsequently uses the names iMagic and iMagiconline and becomes known as IEntertainment Network.

• Bill Stealey returns

  [1]IEntertainment Networken.wikipedia.org

  Stealey returns to the company during the early 2000s; the available source does not give an exact year.

A technically oriented PC-game developer and publisher centered on military and vehicle simulations, with additional strength in strategy, historical, and economic games.

• Flight simulation

  Air Warrior II and Air Warrior III

  A pair of combat-flight simulation titles in Interactive Magic's catalogue. Their inclusion reflects the company's emphasis on technically oriented aviation and military software.

• Military flight simulation

  Apache

  A helicopter-focused military simulation published by Interactive Magic. It belongs to the company's broader group of vehicle and combat simulations.

• Military flight simulation

  Hind

  A military helicopter simulation listed among Interactive Magic's published games, reinforcing the publisher's association with aviation and combat-oriented PC software.

• Combat flight simulation

  iF-16, iF-22 and iF/A-18E Carrier Strike Fighter

  A group of modern fighter-aircraft simulation titles covering the F-16, F-22, and carrier-based F/A-18E. Together they represent one of Interactive Magic's clearest product concentrations.

• Armored-vehicle simulation

  iPanzer '44 and iM1A2 Abrams

  Simulation products centered on armored warfare and military vehicles. They broadened Interactive Magic's military catalogue beyond aircraft.

• Economic simulation

  Capitalism

  A business and economic simulation published by Interactive Magic. Its presence demonstrates that the company also operated in management and strategy software rather than concentrating exclusively on military subjects.

• Business strategy simulation

  Industry Giant

  A strategy and management title in the company's catalogue, extending its interest in systems-driven gameplay into industrial and economic themes.

• Flight simulation series

  WarBirds

  A flight-simulation series published by Interactive Magic and associated with the company's aviation and military-game portfolio.

• Historical strategy series

  The Great Battles

  A historical strategy series published by Interactive Magic, representing the company's interest in games based on major military conflicts and historical settings.

• Real-time strategy

  Seven Kingdoms

  A strategy game published by Interactive Magic. It illustrates the breadth of the company's catalogue beyond simulations of real-world military hardware.

• 1999

  Sale to a venture capitalistM&A

  Background

  After going public in 1998, Interactive Magic was sold in 1999.

  Action taken

  The company was transferred to a venture capitalist, and Bill Stealey left the business.

  Aftermath

  The organization later used the names iMagic and iMagiconline and became known as IEntertainment Network. Stealey returned during the early 2000s.

  Source

1. 1IEntertainment Networken.wikipedia.org
2. 2Interactive Magic archived websiteweb.archive.org