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GameTek

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
GameTek
FormerlyI.J.E., Inc. (1977-1993)
Gabco, Inc. (1987-1993)
TypePrivate
IndustryVideo games
Founded1977; 49 years ago (1977) (as I.J.E. Distributing, Inc.)
1987; 39 years ago (1987) (as Gabco, Inc.)
FounderIrwin H. Schwartz
Defunct1998 (1998)
FateFiled for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, assets split into Philips and Take-Two Interactive
Headquarters
North Miami Beach, Florida
,
United States
DivisionsGameTek (FL), Inc.
CyberSoft

GameTek was an American video game publisher based in North Miami Beach, Florida,[1] known for publishing video game adaptations of game shows in the late 1980s and early 1990s. GameTek was a trade name for IJE, the owner of electronic publishing rights to Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune.[2]

History

[edit]

Origins

[edit]

I.J.E. was initially established in 1977 by Jerry Weiner and Irwin H. Schwartz of Disneyland Records under the name I.J.E. Distributing, Inc. to distribute pre-recorded children's entertainment products under the trade name "Kid Stuff." From 1977 to 1985 I.J.E. and its affiliated acquired a number of licenses to develop entertainment products based upon certain television shows, sports entities and name brand children's products.[3][4][5]

Expansion into video gaming

[edit]

In 1983, the company entered the video game business, when I.J.E. founded a video game company The Great Game Company, to adapt television game shows for the home video game market, with the first seven games being Family Feud, Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy!, The Price is Right, Password, The Joker's Wild and Tic-Tac-Dough, with a eighth, The $25,000 Pyramid being added later on.[6][7][8] The video game label eventually collapsed before releasing any games due to the 1983 video game crash.[9][10]

I.J.E.'s original founder Irwin H. Schwartz sold I.J.E. to an unaffiliated third party in 1985 and then formed Gabco, Inc. in 1987 to reacquire I.J.E. GameTek was founded as a result to exploit these licenses in the software market.[4][5]

Originally, IJE licensed these titles to ShareData of Chandler, Arizona for major game show titles like Wheel of Fortune, Classic Concentration and Jeopardy! and Box Office of St. Paul, Minnesota for lesser-known titles like The $100,000 Pyramid and High Rollers;[11] however, when IJE saw ShareData's success with the titles, IJE decided to publish the titles themselves, resulting in the founding of GameTek.[12]

The company was award a Nintendo license in late 1987, and granted the license to five titles Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy!, Hollywood Squares, The Price is Right and Password.[13] In 1988, when it was clear that the company was delaying its game show titles, the company introduced the KidTek label, was used for Milton Bradley Company game licenses and acquiring the rights to the game show Double Dare.[11] The company then acquired the rights to Fisher-Price titles to go beyond its game show licenses.[14][15]

Further expansion

[edit]

After establishing distribution for the game show titles, GameTek expanded by licensing European titles for the North American market, including Frontier: Elite II and The Humans. In 1991, it attempted to launch the InfoGenius Systems franchise for the Game Boy.[16][17] The company expanded into the UK market in 1993.[18] Also in 1993, the company entered into a publishing partnership with Konami, in order that GameTek handled distribution of Konami's PC titles.[19]

In October 1993 the company changed its name to GameTek (FL), Inc. and Gabco, Inc. became GameTek, Inc.[4][5] In 1994, the company launched a new label, Cybersoft, used to circumvent game limits on Nintendo publishing.[20] In July 1994, the company partnered with upstart Take-Two Interactive Software to publish five titles worldwide.[21][22] The company then regrouped its development studios in London and Miami into Alternative Reality Technologies. In February 1995, after the success, the company acquired a stake in Take-Two Interactive Software, aligning it with its in-house Alternative Reality Technologies.[23]

On March 9, 1995, the company acquired Imagexcel and reformed the Canadian studio as a unit of its in-house development studio Alternative Reality Technologies. Kevin Hoare, Ed Zolnieryk, Greg Bick, and Ray Larabie, both Imagexcel members formed the core of GameTek's Canadian development operations.[24][25] After the acquisition, the former Imagexcel studio was also referred to as GameTek Canada.[26] In 1995, the company, through Alternative Reality Technologies, made a deal to purchase game developer Malibu Interactive from Malibu Comics and renamed to Padded Cell Studios.[27][28][29][30]

Downfall and closure

[edit]

In 1996, GameTek scaled down its publishing activities, turning most of that aspect of its business over to Philips.[31] Philips' interactive unit subsequently went defunct in 1997, leaving the company's future in limbo.[32] GameTek filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on December 3, 1997,[33][34][35] citing development delays and disappointing sales;[36] mainly from the title Robotech: Crystal Dreams,[37][38] the publisher went out of business in July 1998.

Most of the company's assets, including the Alternative Reality Technologies studios, were acquired by Take-Two Interactive in 1997.[39][40] Also, the Padded Cell Studios studio was sold to Interplay, who acquired publishing rights to Jimmy Johnson Football,[41] and it was named V.R.T.O. before going under in 1998.[42][43][44]

Cybersoft

[edit]
Cybersoft, Inc.
IndustryVideo games
HeadquartersUnited States
OwnerGameTek

Cybersoft, Inc. was an American video game publisher, which was a subsidiary of GameTek. It was designed to publish games for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.[45] The GameTek name would be used on Sega Genesis titles, in a similar structure to THQ, with Malibu Games, and Acclaim Entertainment with their LJN label.[46]

The label was first used in Winter CES 1994 by GameTek, with the technological 3D title Spectre was its debut title.[47][48] The label was only used on North American releases for the SNES.[48] The company followed it up with Adventures of Yogi Bear for the SNES, which was based on the cartoon Yogi Bear by Hanna-Barbera Productions.[49] The company then moved to the racing game genre with Full Throttle: All-American Racing (originally developed as Full Out Racing).[50]

These games were released by Cybersoft:

Games

[edit]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1994-06-11.
  2. ↑ "Hollywood Squares Game Manual" (PDF). thegameisafootarcade.com. February 2017. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  3. ↑ "Weiner, Schwartz Launch New Labels" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 90, no. 14. April 8, 1978. p. 80. Retrieved July 20, 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 "The Game Files: GameTek". Amiga Computing. October 1993. p. 125. Retrieved July 20, 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 "Summer Dreams". Super Pro. December 1993. p. 7. Retrieved July 20, 2026.
  6. ↑ "Atari". The Video Game Update. Vol. 1, no. 12. March 1983. p. 7. Retrieved July 20, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Eye On". Videogaming Illustrated. February 1983. p. 7. Retrieved July 20, 2026.
  8. ↑ "Game Shows on the Atari 2600?". www.gameshowforum.org. Retrieved 2026-07-20.
  9. ↑ "New Waves". Joystik Magazine. Vol. 2, no. 1. September 1983. p. 7. Retrieved July 20, 2026.
  10. ↑ "We get questions..." Computer Entertainer. Vol. 2, no. 7. October 1983. p. 1. Retrieved July 20, 2026.
  11. 1 2 "Game Show Titles Delayed". Computer Entertainer. Vol. 6, no. 12. March 1988. p. 10. Retrieved July 20, 2026.
  12. ↑ "Nes Book Master PDF | PDF | Video Game Consoles | Nintendo". Scribd. Retrieved 2023-05-04.
  13. ↑ "New Nintendo Licensee: GameTek". Computer Entertainer. Vol. 6, no. 9. December 1987. p. 10. Retrieved July 20, 2026.
  14. ↑ "Activity at Nintendo's CES "Mega-Booth"". Computer Entertainer. Vol. 7, no. 3. June 1988. p. 12. Retrieved July 20, 2026.
  15. ↑ "GameTek Announces Fisher Price Changes". Computer Entertainer. Vol. 7, no. 7. October 1988. p. 12. Retrieved July 20, 2026.
  16. ↑ "Nintendo Power". Retrieved 20 May 2023 – via Internet Archive.
  17. ↑ Shapiro, Eben (1991-01-12). "Philips Offers Its Challenge To Sony Digital Tape Player". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-07-20.
  18. ↑ "Kelly Sumner quits". Amiga Computing. June 1993. p. 12. Retrieved July 20, 2026.
  19. ↑ "GameTek and Konami Form Publishing Partnership". Game Players. Vol. 6, no. 7. July 1993. p. 18. Retrieved July 20, 2026.
  20. ↑ "Winter C.E.S. '94". Nintendo Power. No. 58. March 1994. p. 28. Retrieved July 20, 2026.
  21. ↑ "Partnership announced". South Florida Sun Sentinel. July 1, 1994. Archived from the original on October 3, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ↑ Wood Shapiro, Lisa (October 9, 2019). "Ripper—the Inside Story of the Egregiously Bad Videogame". Wired. Archived from the original on January 23, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  23. ↑ "More Breaking News". Nintendo Power. Vol. 69. Nintendo of America. February 1995. p. 113. Retrieved October 3, 2021 – via Internet Archive.
  24. ↑ "GameTek's Alternative Reality Technology division acquires Imagexcel, opens Canadian office" (Press release). GameTek. 9 March 1995. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 20 January 2018 – via The Free Library.
  25. ↑ McCash, Vicki (10 March 1995). "Chief financial officer resigns at GameTek". South Florida Sun Sentinel. p. 1D. Archived from the original on 8 September 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ↑ "GameTek". Consoles + (in French). No. 41. March 1995. p. 52. Retrieved 3 October 2021 – via Internet Archive.
  27. ↑ "Michael Heilemann Joins Fox Interactive". DMN Newswire. May 24, 2001.
  28. ↑ "Electronic Gaming Monthly, Volume 8, Number 5, Issue 70". Video Game History Foundation Library – Digital Archive. Retrieved 2026-06-20.
  29. ↑ "Michael Heilemann Joins Fox Interactive". dmnnewswire.digitalmedianet.com. Archived from the original on 2014-08-28. Retrieved 2026-06-20.
  30. ↑ "New Robotech?". groups.google.com. Retrieved 2026-06-20.
  31. ↑ Svensson, Christian (November 1996). "Small Publishers Feel Pinch". Next Generation. No. 23. Imagine Media. p. 26.
  32. ↑ Staff, I. G. N. (1997-03-22). "Gametek Makes a Transition". IGN. Retrieved 2026-07-20.
  33. ↑ "Form 8-K: Bankruptcy or Receivership". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. SEC. 1997-12-04. Retrieved 2025-02-15.
  34. ↑ Jebens, Harley (December 4, 1997). "GameTek Files for Chapter 11 Protection". GameSpot. Archived from the original on January 19, 1998. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  35. ↑ "Tidbits..." Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 103. Ziff Davis. February 1998. p. 26.
  36. ↑ "Unhappy Holidays". Next Generation. No. 38. Imagine Media. February 1998. p. 26.
  37. ↑ Staff, I. G. N. (1997-09-20). "Robotech May Never See Light Of Day". IGN. Retrieved 2026-07-20.
  38. ↑ Staff, I. G. N. (1997-12-19). "Robotech Still Kicking". IGN. Retrieved 2026-07-20.
  39. ↑ "Report from the Securities and Exchange Commission". Retrieved 24 March 2025.
  40. ↑ Johnston, Chris (31 July 1997). "GameTek Assets Sold to Take 2". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 1 December 1998.
  41. ↑ "Jimmy Johnson Goes VR" (PDF). Game Informer. August 1997. p. 31. Retrieved June 24, 2026.
  42. ↑ "V.R.T.O., Inc". California Secretary of State. Retrieved June 24, 2026.
  43. ↑ "Bernard Whang - LinkedIn". Retrieved June 20, 2026.
  44. ↑ "Garrett Jost". LinkedIn. Retrieved June 24, 2026.
  45. ↑ "GameTek, Inc. (Company)". Giant Bomb. Retrieved 2021-12-01.
  46. ↑ Jonathan. "Gaming Ads: Cwest, Cyberdreams, and Cybersoft". Retrieved 2021-12-01.
  47. 1 2 "Winter C.E.S. '94". Nintendo Power. No. 58. March 1994. p. 28. Retrieved July 20, 2026.
  48. 1 2 3 Mallo (2023-09-23). "Spectre, Super Nintendo". The King of Grabs. Retrieved 2026-07-21.
  49. 1 2 "Yogi Bear". Nintendo Power. No. 65. October 1994. p. 105. Retrieved July 21, 2026.
  50. ↑ "Full Out Racing". Nintendo Power. No. 69. February 1995. p. 57. Retrieved July 21, 2026.
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