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	Title (INSIDE THE INDUSTRY) Rumored Activision/Infocom Rift Unfounded
	Source: Computer Gaming World, v8(4)
	Date: April 1988
	Transcription by Steve Derby
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At press time, a plethora of rumors concerning the relationship between
**Infocom** and its parent company, **Activision**, garnered the attention
of CGW. **Rumor:** There was considerable innuendo that the Infocom
division had become a dumping ground for unwanted Activision
projects. As a case in point, the move of *Infocomics* from Activision's
provenance to that of Infocom's supervision was cited. The suggestion was
made that there were problems between Tom Snyder and Activision which
lead to the move. **Response:** A contract was originally signed between Activision,
under then president James Levy, and Tom Snyder Productions for the two companies
to develop the product which has become Infocomics. However, a product
development decision was made to move *all* story-telling projects
to Infocom, early on in Bruce Davis' administration. Tom Snyder, whose company
is geographically located less than a mile from Infocom's headquarters,
was delighted with the change. He noted that the only
problems they had in working with Activision
were logistic problems in that the companies were located a continent
apart. He further stated, "Our relationship with Infocom is the best
we've ever had with any publisher." Bruce Davis, Activision President,
stated unequivocally that "Nothing was shunted off on anybody" and
responded to the charge that Infocom was being forced to work on secondary
projects by insisting "Infocom is an A+ line, not a B line!"

**Rumor:** It was suggested to CGW that Activision felt that Infocomics were
not good enough from a technical standpoint and that the parent company
was not pleased with the product. **Fact:** Activision's president has personally
boosted Infocomics more than any other products in recent appearances.
**Rumor:** An assertion that Infocomics had not been tested adequately
came to CGW's attention. **Response:** Infocom realized early on
that the broad base of testers used to playtest their interactive fiction games
would not be useful in testing this new genre. This was because these testers
had little in common with the target audience on the new product. Therefore,
the company had to build a new base of testers. Nevertheless, Infocom
President Joel Berez insists that the products were "extensively tested." This
is confirmed by Tom Snyder who notes that "We had to *learn* how to test a
product of this nature."

**Rumor:** CGW was presented with an allegation that Infocom was told that
they needed to sell 50,000 units of Infocomics prior to March 31, 1988 (end
of Activision's fourth fiscal quarter) in order for the company to break even.
**Response:** Knowing that publicly held Activision must be very concerned
about its financial image during this fiscal year of turn around, this charge
had to be addressed. Bruce Davis responded to CGW's query with a
chuckle. He suggested that the company would make less than $6.00 on
each Infocomic unit sold and dismissed any suggestion that less than
$300,000 worth of business would make the difference in a given fiscal
quarter. "If less than $300,000 makes that much of a difference, we're in real
trouble," scoffed Davis. Joel Berez was more serious and emphatically denied
that Infocom needed to sell 50,000 units to make or break their division's
financial outlook for the fourth quarter. Loretta Stagnitto of Activision suggested
that four other divisions would have a greater impact on the bottom
line for the fourth quarter. These would be: a) Activision's Nintendo
products, b) Activision's Hypercard line, c) British Telcom's **Firebird** products,
and d) the success of Triton Products (the mail order merchandising
division). If all four of these areas meet expectations, the financial outlook for
Activision could be exceptional.

**Rumor:** CGW was told that Activision was forcing Infocom to produce a *Wizardry*
clone. **Response:** Neither Berez nor Davis will talk to CGW about unannounced
products. However, Berez waxed philosophical in response to this question, explaining
"Infocom's role in life is to become the master storyteller and that includes
products begun on the West Coast." In fact, Berez noted that Infocom has recently
hired their first producer to acquire outside products. This is consistent with
Davis' presentation at the Activision Press Conference in Las Vegas where
he divided the corporation's entertainment emphases into three basic areas
with Infocom's responsibilities being in the area of storytelling.

**Rumor:** Several sources have indicated that there are projects currently
underway to put graphics in Infocom's traditional interactive fiction games.
**Response:** Infocom is attempting to find appropriate ways to use graphics
in all their new products. Berez contends that this is not an attempt to
"colorize" the classic Infocom games with graphics, but an attempt in the
new products " . . . to renew excitement in the field of interactive fiction
and introduce new consumers to the games." Recognizing that some purists
will resent these changes, Berez suggested that there would possibly be an
option to toggle the graphics off. He also admitted, "This is where it gets
really hard, because we have to make sure when we add in the new elements
that everything that used to be there is still there."