ICOM Simulations

ICOM Simulations (later known as Rabid Entertainment) was a software company based in Wheeling, Illinois. It is best known for creating the MacVenture series of adventure games including Shadowgate.

ICOM Simulations, Inc.[1]
TypePrivate (defunct)
IndustrySoftware
FateDissolved
FoundedMarch 4, 1981 (1981-03-04)[2]
FounderTod Zipnick
DefunctFebruary 14, 1998 (1998-02-14)[3]
HeadquartersWheeling, Illinois
Key people
  • Tod Zipnick (President)[1]
  • Rick Maningas (Vice President)[4]
  • Dennis Defensor (President)
  • Darin Adler (Primary Developer)[5]
ProductsMacVenture
Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective
Beavis and Butt-Head in Virtual Stupidity
Number of employees
  • 25[1] (1989)
  • 45 (1991)
WebsiteN/A

Following the foundation in 1981 a number of game titles for the Panasonic JR-200 were produced. Later products for the Apple Macintosh included the debugger TMON and an application launching utility called OnCue.

History

ICOM Simulations was formed as TMQ Software[6] on March 4, 1981 by Tod Zipnick. With the MacVenture series, ICOM pioneered the point-and-click adventure interface and later multiplatform CD-ROM development with Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective. Zipnick died of Hodgkin's disease in 1991[7] just as the company was beginning to take off.

In the early-to-mid 1990s, ICOM Simulations was a major third party developer for the TurboGrafx-16 platform in the US. They produced many games for the console, including the TG-16 exclusive Shadowgate sequel, Beyond Shadowgate.

The company was acquired in 1993 by Viacom New Media which closed its operations in 1997.[8] Renamed to Rabid Entertainment, VNM/ICOM was dismantled in 1998.

The rights to ICOM's game portfolio were held by the company Infinite Ventures, but they are now owned by David Marsh who obtained most of the rights in January, 2012.[9] On March 5, 2012, Dave Marsh and Karl Roelofs, both former developers at ICOM Simulations, formed a new game development company called Zojoi, LLC, and have begun releasing upgraded versions of previous ICOM Simulations titles, starting with Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective for iOS Tablets.[10]

Games
TitleRelease DateCredited AsPublished ByPlatform
Déjà Vu: A Nightmare Comes True19850719850710July 10, 1985 (NA)[11] ICOM SimulationsMindscapeMacintosh, Apple IIGS, Commodore 64
Uninvited19860319860301March 1, 1986 (NA)[12] ICOM SimulationsMindscapeMacintosh, Apple IIGS
Shadowgate19870719870730July 30, 1987 (NA)[13] ICOM SimulationsMindscapeMacintosh, Apple IIGS
Déjà Vu II: Lost in Las Vegas1988ICOM SimulationsMindscapeMacintosh, Apple IIGS
Addams Family, The1991ICOM SimulationsNEC TechnologiesTurboGrafx-CD
Yo' Bro1991ICOM SimulationsNEC TechnologiesTurboGrafx-16
Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective1991ICOM SimulationsICOM SimulationsPC
Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective Vol. II1992ICOM SimulationsICOM SimulationsPC
Road Runner's Death Valley Rally1992ICOM SimulationsSunsoftSNES
Ghost Manor1992ICOM SimulationsTurbo Technologies Inc.TurboGrafx-16
Shape Shifter19921019921001October 1, 1992 (NA)[14] ICOM SimulationsTurbo Technologies Inc.TurboGrafx-CD
Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective Vol. III1993ICOM SimulationsICOM SimulationsPC
Beyond Shadowgate1993ICOM SimulationsTurbo Technologies Inc.TurboGrafx-CD
Camp California1993ICOM SimulationsTurbo Technologies Inc.TurboGrafx-CD
Daffy Duck: The Marvin Missions1993ICOM SimulationsSunsoftSNES
Dracula Unleashed19931019931024October 24, 1993 (NA)[15]ICOM SimulationsViacom New MediaPC
Bugs Bunny Rabbit Rampage1994Viacom New MediaSunsoftSNES
Nickelodeon GUTS1994Viacom New MediaViacom New MediaSNES
MTV: Club Dead1994Viacom New MediaViacom New MediaMacintosh, PC
Rocko's Modern Life: Spunky's Dangerous Day1994Viacom New MediaViacom New MediaSNES
Phantom 20401995Viacom New MediaViacom New MediaSNES
Beavis and Butt-head in Virtual Stupidity1995Viacom New MediaViacom New MediaPlayStation, PC
Beavis and Butt-head in Little Thingies1996Viacom New MediaViacom New MediaPC
Beavis and Butt-head in Wiener Takes All1996Viacom New MediaViacom New MediaPC
Beavis and Butt-head in Calling All Dorks1996Viacom New MediaViacom New MediaPC
MTV: Slamscape1996Viacom New MediaViacom New MediaPlayStation
Beavis and Butt-head in Screen Wreckers1997Viacom New MediaViacom New MediaMacintosh, PC

See also

References
  1. "Office Computer Games Can Be Waste Of Time Or Good Training". Chicago Tribune. Scripps Howard News Service. July 16, 1989. Retrieved October 3, 2012.
  2. Corporation File Detail Report: TMQ Software, Inc. Springfield, Illinois: Illinois Secretary of State. 1 August 1991. Incorporation Date (Domestic). File No. 52314178. Retrieved 2012-10-09.
  3. Trademark Principal Register Rabid Entertainment. Alexandria, Virginia: United States Patent and Trademark Office. 29 March 1998. Date Abandoned. U.S. Trademark 75,172,722. Retrieved 2012-10-10.
  4. Writer's Digest Books (30 January 2006) [1983]. Brad M. McGehee (ed.). 1984 Programmer's Market. Writer's Digest Books. p. 184. ISBN 9780898791242. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
  5. Adler, Darin (February 2, 2002). "Darin Adler (resume)". bentspoon.com. Retrieved October 3, 2012.
  6. Adler, Darin. "Monologue". pp. 1986–1987: Macintosh community. Retrieved December 28, 2007.
  7. "Tod Zipnick, Innovator In Video-game Industry". July 9, 1991. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
  8. "Viacom buys interactive video-game company". UPI. Retrieved 2020-01-28.
  9. Lucard, Alex (March 29, 2012). "Interview with David Marsh About His Sherlock Holmes, Consulting Detective Kickstarter Project". Diehard GameFan. Retrieved October 3, 2012.
  10. "Zojoi FaceBook Page". June 4, 2012. Retrieved October 3, 2012.
  11. Trademark Principal Register Déjà Vu. Alexandria, Virginia: United States Patent and Trademark Office. 26 July 1994. First Use. U.S. Trademark 74,456,226; Registration No. 1,858,715. Retrieved 2012-10-09.
  12. Trademark Principal Register Uninvited. Alexandria, Virginia: United States Patent and Trademark Office. 20 September 1994. First Use. U.S. Trademark 74,456,244; Registration No. 1,867,092. Retrieved 2012-10-09.
  13. Trademark Principal Register Shadowgate. Alexandria, Virginia: United States Patent and Trademark Office. 9 February 1993. First Use. U.S. Trademark 74,317,464; Registration No. 1,768,768. Retrieved 2012-10-09.
  14. Trademark Principal Register Shapeshifter. Alexandria, Virginia: United States Patent and Trademark Office. 2 February 1993. First Use. U.S. Trademark 74,317,474; Registration No. 1,860,448. Retrieved 2012-10-09.
  15. Trademark Principal Register Dracula Unleashed. Alexandria, Virginia: United States Patent and Trademark Office. 27 December 1994. First Use. U.S. Trademark 74,497,207; Registration No. 1,913,485. Retrieved 2012-10-09.
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