Editing Sierra Entertainment

{{Short description|American video game company}}
{{For|the time-sharing On-Line Systems, Inc|Embarq#History}}
{{Use American English|date=August 2018}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2018}}
{{more citation needed|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Sierra Entertainment, Inc.
| logo = Sierra former logo.svg
| former_name = {{Unbulleted list|On-Line Systems|(1979–1982)|Sierra On-Line, Inc.|(1982–2002)}}
| type = [[Division (business)|Division]]
| industry = [[Video game industry|Video games]]
| fate = [[Dissolution (law)|Dissolved]]
| founded = {{Start date and age|1979}} in [[Oakhurst, California]]
| founders = {{Unbulleted list|[[Ken Williams (game developer)|Ken Williams]]|[[Roberta Williams]]}}
| defunct = {{End date and age|2008}}
| hq_location_city = [[Los Angeles]]
| hq_location_country = US
| products = [[List of Sierra Entertainment video games|List of games]]
| parent = {{Unbulleted list|[[Vivendi Games]]|(1996–2008)|[[Activision]]|(2008)}}
| website = {{URL|sierragames.com/}}
}}
'''Sierra Entertainment, Inc.''' (formerly '''On-Line Systems''' and '''Sierra On-Line, Inc.''') was an American [[video game developer]] and [[Video game publisher|publisher]] founded in 1979 by [[Ken Williams (game developer)|Ken]] and [[Roberta Williams]]. The company is known for pioneering the [[graphic adventure game]] genre, including the first such game, ''[[Mystery House]]''. It is known for its graphical adventure game series ''[[King's Quest]]'', ''[[Space Quest]]'', ''[[Police Quest]]'', ''[[Gabriel Knight]]'', ''[[Leisure Suit Larry]]'', and ''[[Quest for Glory]]'', and as the original publisher of [[Valve Corporation|Valve]]'s ''[[Half-Life (series)|Half-Life]]'' series.

After seventeen years as an independent company, Sierra was acquired by [[CUC International]] in February 1996 to become part of [[CUC Software]]. However, CUC International was caught in an accounting scandal in 1998, and many of the original founders of Sierra including the Williamses left the company. Sierra remained as part of CUC Software as it was sold and renamed several times over the next few years. Sierra was formally disestablished as a company and reformed as a [[Division (business)|division]] of this group in August 2004. The former CUC Software group was acquired by [[Vivendi]] and branded as [[Vivendi Games]] in 2006. The Sierra division continued to operate through Vivendi Games's merger with [[Activision]] to form [[Activision Blizzard]] on July 10, 2008, but was shut down later that year. The Sierra brand was revived by Activision in 2014 to re-release former Sierra games and some independently developed games.

Currently, the Sierra brand is under [[Microsoft]]'s ownership through its [[Microsoft Gaming|gaming division]], following the [[Acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft|acquisition of Activision Blizzard]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Potvin |first=James |title=10 Classic Video Games Microsoft Now Surprisingly Has The Rights To |url=https://screenrant.com/classic-video-games-microsoft-now-has-rights-to-activision-blizzard/ |website=ScreenRant |date=2022-02-09 |access-date=March 23, 2024}}</ref>

== History ==
=== Founding as On-Line Systems (1979–1982) ===
[[File:Sierra (On-Line Systems) logo.png|thumb|Original On-Line Systems logo]]

Sierra Entertainment was founded in 1979 as On-Line Systems in [[Simi Valley, California]], by the husband-and-wife duo [[Ken Williams (game developer)|Ken]] and [[Roberta Williams]]. Ken, a programmer for [[IBM]], had planned to use the company to create business software for the [[TRS-80]] and [[Apple II]].<ref name="Wolf 2012 573">{{cite book |editor-last=Wolf |editor-first=Mark J. P. |title=Encyclopedia of Video Games: The Culture, Technology, and Art of Gaming, Volume 2 |publisher=Greenwood |page=573 |year=2012 |isbn=978-0313379369}}</ref><ref name="amjplay"/> Ken had brought a [[Teleprinter|teletype terminal]] home one day in 1979 and, while looking through the host system's software catalog, discovered the [[text adventure]] ''[[Colossal Cave Adventure]]''.<ref name="OUPAC">{{cite book |title=Once Upon a Point and Click |last=Craddock |first=David L. |date=2017-09-17 |chapter=1: Interactive Page-Turners}}</ref> He encouraged Roberta to join him in playing it, and she was enthralled by the game. After Ken had brought an Apple II to their home, she played through other text adventures such as those by [[Scott Adams (game designer)|Scott Adams]] and [[Softape]] to study them.<ref name="amjplay"/>  Dissatisfied with the text-only format, she realized that the graphics display capability of the Apple II could enhance the adventure gaming experience. With Ken's help in some of the programming, Roberta designed ''[[Mystery House]]'', inspired by the novel ''[[And Then There Were None]]'' and the board game ''[[Cluedo|Clue]]'', using text commands and printout combined with rudimentary graphics depicting the current setting.<ref name="amjplay">{{cite journal | first = Laine | last = Nooney | title = Let's Begin Again: Sierra On-Line and the Origins of the Graphical Adventure Game | journal = American Journal of Play | volume = 10 | issue = 1 | date = 2017 | pages = 71–98 }}</ref>

[[File:Online Systems Ponderosa Printing.jpg|thumb|On-Line Systems' first office was a small space leased at the back of Ponderosa Printing.]]
''Mystery House'' was released through mail-order in May 1980. It was an instant hit with about 15,000 copies sold, earning {{US$|167,000|1980|round=-3}}. It is the first computer adventure game to have graphics, although made with crude, static, monochrome, line drawings. The two shifted the focus to developing more graphical adventure games. ''Mystery House'' became the first in the ''Hi-Res Adventure'' series.<ref name="amjplay"/><ref name="Mystery House, Part 1">{{cite web | title=Mystery House, Part 1 | first=Jimmy | last=Maher | work=The Digital Antiquarian | url=https://www.filfre.net/2011/10/mystery-house-part-1/ | access-date=September 5, 2019}}</ref> The ''Hi-Res Adventure'' series continued with ''[[Mission Asteroid]]'', which was released as ''Hi-Res Adventure #0'' though being the second release. The next release, ''[[Wizard and the Princess]]'', also known as ''Adventure in Serenia'', is considered a prelude to the later ''King's Quest'' series in both story and concept.<ref>Interaction Magazine, Fall 1994</ref> Through 1981 and 1982, more games were released in the series including ''[[Cranston Manor]]'', ''[[Ulysses and the Golden Fleece]]'', ''[[Time Zone (video game)|Time Zone]]'', and ''[[The Dark Crystal (video game)|The Dark Crystal]]''. A simplified version of ''The Dark Crystal'', intended for a younger audience, was written by [[Al Lowe]] and released as ''Gelfling Adventure''.

=== Rebranding to Sierra On-Line (1982–1988) ===
[[File:Jim-Henson-and-Ken-Williams.jpg|thumb|[[Jim Henson]] with [[Ken Williams (game developer)|Ken Williams]], promoting ''[[The Dark Crystal (video game)|The Dark Crystal]]'' game, inspired by Henson's 1982 fantasy film.]]

On-Line Systems was renamed Sierra On-Line in 1982, and moved to [[Oakhurst, California]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Levy |first=Stephen |title=[[Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution]] |publisher=[[Doubleday (publisher)|Doubleday]] |year=1984 |isbn=0-385-19195-2}}</ref> The "Sierra" name was taken from the [[Sierra Nevada]] mountain range that Oakhurst was near, and its new logo incorporated the imagery of [[Half Dome]] mountain.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespy.com/articles/697/697083p17.html |title=GameSpy Retro: Developer Origins, Page 17 of 19 |first=John |last=Keefer |date=March 31, 2006 |website=[[GameSpy]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070609133112/http://www.gamespy.com/articles/697/697083p17.html |archive-date=June 9, 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> By early 1984, ''InfoWorld'' estimated that Sierra was the world's 12th-largest microcomputer software company, with {{US$|12.5 million|long=no}} in 1983 sales.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kC4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA80 |title=Company Strategies Boomerang |magazine=[[InfoWorld]] |date=April 2, 1984 |volume=6 |issue=14 |access-date=February 10, 2015 |last=Caruso |first=Denise |pages=80–83 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150316090408/https://books.google.com/books?id=kC4EAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA80&pg=PA80 |archive-date=March 16, 2015}}</ref>

The company weathered the [[video game crash of 1983]] with only a 20% increase in sales, after analysts in 1982 had predicted a doubling in 1983 of the entire software market. The company had spent much of 1983 developing for a Commodore machine and the [[TI-99/4A]] which were both obsolete by the end of the year. Ken Williams was reportedly described as "bewildered by the pace at which computers come into and fall out of favor", and Williams said, "I've learned my lesson. I'm not moving until I understand the market better."<ref name="nyt19831210">{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/12/10/business/under-1983-christmas-tree-expect-the-home-computer.html |title=Under 1983 Christmas Tree, Expect the Home Computer |date=1983-12-10 |work=The New York Times |access-date=2017-07-02 |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331 |url-access=limited}}</ref>

Many of Sierra's best known series began in the 1980s. In 1983, Sierra On-Line was contacted by IBM to create a game for the new [[IBM PCjr|PCjr]].<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/22/business/the-heady-world-of-ibm-suppliers.html | title = The Heady World Of I.B.M. Suppliers | first = David | last = Sanger | date = April 22, 1984 | access-date = October 31, 2020 | work = [[The New York Times]] |url-access=limited}}</ref> IBM offered to fund the entire development and marketing of the game, paying royalties. Ken and Roberta Williams accepted and started on the project. Roberta Williams created a story featuring classic fairy-tale elements. Her game concept includes animated color graphics, a pseudo 3D-perspective where the main character is visible on the screen, a more competent text parser that understands advanced commands from the player, and music playing in the background through the PCjr sound hardware. For the game, a complete development system called [[Adventure Game Interpreter]] (AGI) was developed. In mid-1984, ''[[King's Quest: Quest for the Crown]]'' was released to much acclaim, beginning the ''[[King's Quest]]'' series.

[[File:Sierra Online Headquarters.jpg|thumb|Sierra On-Line expanded into a larger headquarters in the early 1980s.]]

While finishing ''[[The Black Cauldron (video game)|The Black Cauldron]]'', programmers [[Mark Crowe]] and [[Scott Murphy (video game designer)|Scott Murphy]] began to plan for an adventure game of their own. After a simple demonstration to Ken Williams, he allowed them to start working on the full game, which was named ''[[Space Quest: The Sarien Encounter]]''. The game was released in October 1986 as an instant success, spawning many sequels in the ''[[Space Quest]]'' series in the following years.

[[Al Lowe]], who had been working at Sierra On-Line for many years, was asked by Ken Williams to write a modern version of [[Chuck Benton]]'s ''[[Softporn Adventure]]'' from 1981, the only pure text adventure that the company had ever released. ''[[Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards]]'' was a great hit and won the [[Software Publishers Association]]'s Best Adventure Game award of 1987. It can be deduced that the game first became famous as an early example of software piracy, as Sierra sold many more hintbooks than actual copies of the game. A series of ''[[Leisure Suit Larry]]'' games followed.

Ken Williams befriended a retired highway patrol officer named [[Jim Walls]] and asked him to produce an adventure series based on a police theme. Walls proceeded to create ''[[Police Quest: In Pursuit of the Death Angel]]'', which was released in 1987. Several sequels followed, and [[Police Quest and SWAT|the series]] was touted for adherence to police protocol (relevant parts of which were explained in the games' manuals), and presenting some real-life situations encountered by Walls during his career as an officer.

''[[Quest for Glory]]'' is a series of hybrid adventure/role-playing video games designed by Corey and [[Lori Ann Cole]]. The first game in the series, ''[[Quest for Glory: So You Want to Be a Hero]]'', was released in 1989. The series combines humor, puzzle elements, themes and characters borrowed from various legends, puns, and memorable characters, creating a five-part series of the Sierra stable. Although the series was originally titled ''Hero's Quest'', Sierra failed to trademark the name. Milton Bradley successfully trademarked an electronic version of their unrelated joint Games Workshop board game, ''[[HeroQuest]],'' which forced Sierra to change the series' title to ''Quest for Glory''. This decision caused all future games in the series, newer releases of ''Hero's Quest I'', to switch to the new name.

In 1987, Sierra On-Line started to publish its own gaming magazine, about its upcoming games and interviews with the developers. The magazine was initially named ''The Sierra Newsletter'', ''The Sierra News Magazine'', and ''The Sierra/Dynamix Newsmagazine''. However, since [[Sierra Club]] already published a magazine called ''Sierra Magazine'', the name of the magazine published by Sierra On-Line was changed to ''InterAction'' in 1991. It was discontinued in 1999.

Sierra's Adventure Game Interpreter engine, introduced with ''King's Quest'', was replaced in 1988<ref>{{cite web |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2011/01/history-of-graphic-adventures/ |title=A truly graphic adventure: The 25-year rise and fall of a beloved genre |first=Richard |last=Moss |website=Ars Technica |date=January 27, 2011 |access-date=November 10, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151102012924/http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2011/01/history-of-graphic-adventures/ |archive-date=November 2, 2015}}</ref> with Sierra's Creative Interpreter in ''King's Quest IV''. The game was released under both engines, so those who had newer computers could use the new engine and better rendering technology.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2011/01/history-of-graphic-adventures/3/ |title=A truly graphic adventure: The 25-year rise and fall of a beloved genre - page 3 |first=Richard |last=Moss |website=Ars Technica |date=January 27, 2011 |access-date=June 15, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220123206/http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2011/01/history-of-graphic-adventures/3/ |archive-date=December 20, 2016}}</ref>

=== Going public (1989–1995) ===
[[File:Interaction-Magazine-1989-Volume2.jpg|thumb|During the 1980s, the company emphasized developing and expanding popular franchises like [[King's Quest]], [[Leisure Suit Larry]], and [[Police Quest]].]]

Sierra became a [[public company]] in 1989, trading on the [[NASDAQ]] under the stock ticker "SIER". Additional public investment allowed the company to engage in further acquisitions over the next several years.<ref name="vice fall">{{cite web| url = https://www.vice.com/en/article/z3vem8/inside-story-sierra-online-death-cuc-cendant-fraud | title = How Sierra Was Captured, Then Killed, by a Massive Accounting Fraud | first=  Duncan | last = Fyfe | date = October 29, 2020 | access-date = October 30, 2020 | work = [[Vice (magazine)|Vice]] }}</ref>

In 1990, Sierra released ''[[King's Quest V]]'', the first Sierra On-Line game ever to have more than 500,000 copies sold and the highest selling game for five years. It won several awards, such as the Best Adventure Game of the Year from both the [[Software Publishers Association]] and ''[[Computer Gaming World]]'' magazine.

[[The Sierra Network]] was launched on May 6, 1991, as the first game-only online environment.<ref name="NGen11">{{cite magazine |title=75 Power Players: The Next Generation? |magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]] |issue=11 |publisher=[[Imagine Media]] |date=November 1995 |page=75 |url=https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_11/page/n75/mode/2up}}</ref> Development of the network began in 1989, as Ken Williams was inspired by the launch of the [[Prodigy (online service)|Prodigy]] service in 1988 to create something similar for Sierra's games.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.filfre.net/2018/02/the-sierra-network/ | title= The Sierra Network | first= Jimmy | last = Maher | date = February 2, 2018 | access-date = October 31, 2020 | publisher = The Internet Historian }}</ref> As a free service other than access use charges, the network provided a "land-based" precursor to MMORPGs and internet chat rooms, each land theme for the type of content provided multi-player gaming and category based bulletin boards and chat rooms throughout the continental United States.<ref>{{cite magazine | title = The Sierra Network: On-Line Game World Where It's Never Too Late To Play | first = Don | last = Trivette | magazine = [[PC Magazine]] | date = December 31, 1991 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fb-NRK57wIAC&pg=PT476 | pages = 472–473 | issn=0888-8507 | volume =10 | issue = 22 }}</ref> By July 1993, having reached about 40,000 subscribers, [[AT&T]] announced a plan to invest {{US$|5 million|long=no}} into the network and add more games, gaining partial control as part of its expansion into the growing online services.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1993/07/29/business/at-t-sees-the-future-in-games.html | title = A.T.& T. Sees the Future in Games | first = Edmund L. | last = Andrews | date = July 23, 1993 | access-date = October 31, 2020 | work = [[The New York Times]] | url-access=limited}}</ref> AT&T later took sole possession of the network on November 15, 1994, so the name was changed to the ImagiNation Network.<ref name="NGen11" /> The network failed to find a mass audience, and was sold to [[AOL|America On-Line]] in 1996.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Traditional Online Services |magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]] |issue=19 |publisher=[[Imagine Media]] |date=July 1996 |pages=30–31 |url=https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_19/page/n31/mode/2up}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/97820/Playing_CatchUp_Sierra_Founder_Ken_Williams.php | title = Playing Catch-Up: Sierra Founder Ken Williams | first = Simon | last = Carless | date = October 17, 2005 | access-date = October 31, 2020 | work = [[Gamasutra]] }}</ref>

In 1991, Sierra released the first game in the ''[[Dr. Brain]]'' series, ''[[Castle of Dr. Brain]]'', a hybrid puzzle adventure education game, which has several sequels. In 1993, ''[[Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers]]'' was released, beginning the ''[[Gabriel Knight]]'' series. The game and subsequent sequels were critically acclaimed in the mainstream press at the time.

Sierra and [[Broderbund]] started merger discussions in March 1991,<ref>{{cite magazine|date=May 1991|title=Inside the Industry|pages=58|magazine=Computer Gaming World|issue=82|url=https://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1991&pub=2&id=82|url-status=live|access-date=May 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510174905/http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1991&pub=2&id=82|archive-date=May 10, 2013}}</ref> but the idea was discontinued later that month.<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=Inside the Industry|page=62|magazine=Computer Gaming World|issue=83|publication-date=June 1991|url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1991&pub=2&id=83|url-status=live|access-date=May 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203004050/http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1991&pub=2&id=83|archive-date=December 3, 2013}}</ref>

[[File:The Yosemite Entertainment headquarters in Oakhurst, California.jpg|thumb|The Yosemite Entertainment headquarters in Oakhurst, California]]
Sierra needed a new building due to growth, and moved its headquarters and much of its key staff to [[Bellevue, Washington]]. Sierra's original location in Oakhurst was later renamed '''Yosemite Entertainment''', and continued under that name until closing in early 1999.<ref name="MandelRIP">{{cite web| title=R.I.P. Sierra| last=Mandel| first=Josh| work=[[Just Adventure]]| date=February 25, 1999| url=https://www.justadventure.com/articles/RIP_Sierra/RIP_Sierra.asp| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20001119170300/https://www.justadventure.com/articles/RIP_Sierra/RIP_Sierra.asp| archive-date=2000-11-19| access-date=2021-07-24}}</ref>

The company was now made up of five separate and largely autonomous development divisions: Sierra Publishing, Sierra Northwest, [[Dynamix]], [[Bright Star Technology]], and [[Coktel Vision]], with each group working separately on product development but sharing manufacturing, distribution, and sales resources.

1995 was a successful year for the company. Sierra was the market-share leader in PC games for the year.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Sierra Merges with CUC |magazine=[[GamePro]] |issue=92 |publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG]] |date=May 1996 |page=20}}</ref> With $83.4 million in sales from software-publishing, earnings improved by 19 percent, and a net income of $11.9 million. In June, Sierra and [[Pioneer Corporation|Pioneer Electric Corp.]] signed an agreement to create a joint venture that would develop, publish, manufacture, and market entertainment software for the Japanese software market. This joint venture created a new company called '''Sierra Venture'''. With Sierra and Pioneer investing over $12 million, the new company immediately manufactured and shipped over twenty of Sierra's most popular products to Japan and created new titles for the Japanese market.{{citation needed|date=December 2016}} 1995 also saw Sierra acquiring a number of development companies, both small home developers and larger companies.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Sherman |first=Christopher |title=Movers & Shakers |magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]] |issue=14 |publisher=[[Imagine Media]] |date=February 1996 |page=25 |url=https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_14/page/n26/mode/1up }}</ref>

''[[Phantasmagoria (video game)|Phantasmagoria]]'' was by far the largest project ever undertaken by Sierra. The anticipation for the game was high at release in late 1995. Although nearly one million copies were sold when the game was first released in August 1995, Sierra's bestselling adventure game created, the game received mixed reviews from industry critics.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/redirectcritic?p=pc&g=phantasmagoria |title=Phantasmagoria (pc:1995) |website=[[Metacritic]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080923083043/http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/phantasmagoria |archive-date=September 23, 2008}}</ref>

=== Sale to CUC International (1996–1998) ===
In February 1996, early e-commerce pioneer [[CUC International]], seeking to expand into interactive entertainment, offered to buy Sierra at a price of about {{US$|1.5 billion|long=no}}.<ref name="vice fall"/> [[Walter Forbes]], the CEO of CUC International, and a member of Sierra's own Board of Directors since 1991, surprised Ken Williams with the deal after a board meeting. At this time, Sierra had modest revenues of about {{USD|158 million|long=no}} in the current fiscal year, so the sum surprised Ken. Forbes had posited the idea to Ken that this would be the start of a large company eventually to bring in [[LucasArts Entertainment]], [[Broderbund]], and [[Davidson & Associates]] (which at the time owned [[Blizzard Entertainment]]) under one entity and be a major publisher in the video game industry, as a great boon to the Williams and to Sierra's shareholders. Roberta had expressed her concerns about the offer to Ken and to executive officers, but he remained interested in the potential that Forbes offered.<ref name="vice fall"/> Ken accepted the offer, believing it was in the best interest for Sierra's future and stockholders, and CUC announced by the end of February 1996 the beginning of closing the acquisition of both Sierra and Davidson for {{USD|1.06 billion|long=no}} and {{USD|1.14 billion|long=no}} in CUC stock, respectively. The deal to obtain LucasArts and Broderbund failed.<ref name="vice fall"/>

Sierra's acquisition closed on July 24, 1996.<ref name="vice fall"/> The terms included naming Ken Williams a vice-chairman of CUC International, a Member of the Office of the President of CUC, and that he would remain responsible for Sierra's R&D and remain Sierra's CEO.<ref>https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/723612/0000950112-96-002113.txt {{Bare URL plain text|date=March 2022}}</ref> He also requested creation of a "software board" consisting of him, Michael Brochu (Sierra's President and COO), Bob Davidson (founder and CEO of [[Davidson & Associates]]), and Forbes. It functioned as a governing body of what would become CUC Software, regulating major decisions and product lines.

In September 1996, CUC announced consolidation of some functions of its game companies into a single company called CUC Software Inc., headquartered in [[Torrance, California]]. Bob Davidson, founder and CEO of Davidson & Associates became the CEO for the publishing body. CUC Software consolidated manufacturing, distribution, and sales resources of all of divisions including what was to become Sierra, Davidson, Blizzard, Knowledge Adventure, and Gryphon Software.

CUC Software utilized its various labels' market specialties. For example, in October 1996, Sierra published ''[[Stay Tooned! (video game)|Stay Tooned!]]'', an adventure game developed by Funnybone Interactive (a subsidiary of Davidson & Associates) as Sierra was more known as an adventure game publisher than Davidson.

In November 1996, Ken Williams met with the founders of [[Valve Corporation|Valve]] and negotiated Sierra's exclusive rights to publish [[Half-Life (video game)|''Half-Life'']],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamespot.com/features/halflife_final/part24.html/ |title=GameSpot |date=December 11, 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041211055313/https://www.gamespot.com/features/halflife_final/part24.html/ |archive-date=December 11, 2004 }}</ref> which Ken Williams debuted at [[E3]] in May 1997. In December 1996, Sierra released ''[[The Realm Online]]'', an online fantasy role-playing game.

After the sale, Ken Williams remained within the software division so that he could provide strategic guidance to Sierra, although he began to grow disillusioned as he soon found that his new titles at CUC meant very little and the software board met only once. He began disputes with Davidson over Davidson's conservative management style and his disdain for Sierra's more risque product lines such as ''[[Phantasmagoria (video game)|Phantasmagoria]]'' and ''[[Leisure Suit Larry]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sierragamers.com/ken-williams/ |title=Ken Williams |website=www.sierragamers.com}}</ref>

In January 1997, Davidson stepped down as CEO of CUC Software, and CUC Executive Chris MacLeod was named as his replacement.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ir.avisbudgetgroup.com/node/16171/html |title=Avis Budget Group :: SEC Filing |website=ir.avisbudgetgroup.com}}</ref> After this, Ken Williams shifted his focus work on CUC's online product distributor, [[NetMarket]] while remaining as CEO of Sierra in name only. In November, Ken Williams departed from CUC International, while Roberta Williams remained with Sierra until the release of ''[[King's Quest: Mask of Eternity]]'' in December 1998. Brochu, who had been hired in 1995 by Ken Williams, to handle the daily business affairs of Sierra, replaced Ken Williams and remained as President of Sierra until October 1997, when he too departed the company.

In April 1997, to further expand upon their role in the edutainment business, Sierra purchased Books That Work and [[CUC International]] purchased [[Berkeley Systems]] and transferred management of the studio to Sierra as an internal developer.<ref name="articles.latimes.com">{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-04-10-fi-47219-story.html |title=CUC Agrees to Acquire Berkeley Systems Inc. |first=GREG |last=MILLER |date=April 10, 1997 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |url-access=subscription}}</ref> In December 1997, in order to secure the rights to ''[[Return to Krondor]]'', Sierra purchased PyroTechnix, who were developing the game.

On November 5, 1997, after the departure of Brochu in October, Sierra was split into three business units, all of which reported directly to MacLeod.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sierra-on-line-reorg/1100-2468023/ |title=Sierra On-line Reorg |author=Gamespot Staff |date=April 26, 2000 |website=gamespot.com}}</ref>

In 1998, Sierra divided into 5 sub-brands and corporate divisions:<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sierra-plans-for-the-future/1100-2463775/ |title=Sierra Plans for the Future |first=Alan |last=Dunkin |date=April 28, 2000 |website=gamespot.com}}</ref>
* Sierra Attractions (for casual games such as poker) - composed of Berkeley Systems
* Sierra Home (for home/lifestyle software) - composed of Sierra's gardening, home design, and cooking software divisions
* Sierra Sports (For sports games) - composed of Dynamix's Sports Titles, Synergistic Software, and Papyrus
* Sierra Studios (general publishing division) - Composed of Sierra Northwest/Bellevue, Pyrotechnix, and Impressions Software<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sierra-studios-formed/1100-2463544/ |title=Sierra Studios Formed |first=Harley |last=Jebens |date=April 28, 2000 |website=gamespot.com}}</ref>
* Sierra FX (adventure games and online multiplayer games) - Based at Sierra's old headquarters in Oakhurst, which was publicly referred to as Yosemite Entertainment.

On November 24, 1997, Sierra published ''[[Diablo: Hellfire]]'', the official expansion pack for the widely popular game ''[[Diablo (video game)|Diablo]]'' developed by [[Synergistic Software]], a division of Sierra.

On November 19, 1998, Sierra published [[Half-Life (video game)|''Half-Life'']] for the PC, developed by [[Valve Corporation|Valve]], which became a huge success.

During these events, CUC merged with [[Henry Silverman]]'s [[HFS Incorporated]] in December 1997 and became the [[Cendant Corporation]]. The merger did not immediately affect operations of Sierra.<ref name="vice fall"/> However, Silverman, who served as CEO of Cendant, had become more involved with the bookkeeping of the merged companies and noticed irregularities from CUC's past bookkeeping, leading to the discovery of [[Cendant#Accounting Scandal|massive accounting fraud at CUC]] in March 1998. Forbes was later convicted on three charges related to fraud by the [[Security and Exchange Commission]] in 2007.<ref name="vice fall"/> With the news, Cendant announced intention to sell the computer entertainment division, and on November 20, 1998, announced the sale of the consumer software division to [[Paris]]-based [[Havas|Havas S.A]]. Sierra became a part of Havas Interactive, the interactive entertainment division of the company.

=== Fallout from CUC's acquisition (1999–2003) ===
On February 22, 1999, Sierra announced a major reorganization of the company, resulting in the shutdown of several of their development studios, cutbacks on others and the relocation of key projects, and employees from those studios, to Bellevue. About 250 people in total lost their jobs. Development groups within Sierra such as PyroTechnix were shut down. Others such as Books That Work were relocated to Bellevue. Also shut down was Yosemite Entertainment, the division occupying the original headquarters of Sierra On-Line. The company sold the rights of [[Headgate Studios]] back to the original owner.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.headgatestudios.com/company.html |title=Headgate Studios: About |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070915034531/http://www.headgatestudios.com/company.html |archive-date=September 15, 2007 |publisher=Headgate Studios |access-date=August 25, 2009}}</ref> With the exception of the warehouse and distribution department, the entire studio was shut down. Game designers [[Al Lowe]] and [[Scott Murphy (video game designer)|Scott Murphy]] were laid off. Lowe had just started work on ''Leisure Suit Larry 8''. Murphy was involved in a ''Space Quest 7'' project at the time. Layoffs continued on March 1, when Sierra terminated 30 employees at the previously unaffected Dynamix, or 15 percent of their workforce.

Despite the layoffs, Sierra continued to publish games for smaller development houses. In September 1999, they released ''[[Homeworld]]'', a real-time space-combat strategy game developed by [[Relic Entertainment]]. The game design was revolutionary for the genre,{{citation needed|date=November 2022}} and the game received great critical acclaim and many awards.

UK-based game developer and publisher [[Codemasters]], in an effort to establish themselves in the United States, announced the launch of a new development studio in Oakhurst, using the abandoned Sierra facilities and hiring much of the Yosemite Entertainment's laid-off staff in mid-September 1999. In early October, the company announced plans to take over management and maintenance of the online RPG [[The Realm Online|''The Realm'']] and acquiring the complete yet previously canceled ''Navy SEALs''. The company also reported they obtained the rights to continue using the name Yosemite Entertainment for the development house.

Meanwhile, Sierra announced another reorganization, this time into three business units: Core Games, Casual Entertainment, and Home Productivity. This reorganization resulted in even more layoffs, eliminating 105 additional jobs and a number of games in production. After 1999, Sierra almost entirely ceased to be a [[video game publisher|developer]] of games and, as time went on, instead became a [[video game publisher|publisher]] of games by independent developers.

At the end of June 2000, a strategic business alliance between [[Vivendi]], [[Seagram]], and [[Canal+ (French TV channel)|Canal+]] was announced, and [[Vivendi Universal]], a leading global media and communications company, was formed after the merger with [[Seagram]] (the parent company of [[Universal Studios]]). Havas S.A. was renamed Vivendi Universal Publishing and became the publishing division of the new group, divided into five groups: games, education, literature, health, and information. The merger was followed by many more layoffs of Sierra employees.

In August 2001, Sierra announced a major reorganization, which included the closure of [[Dynamix]] as well as the layoffs of 148 employees located at the company headquarters in Bellevue.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stomped.com/published/redwood997819940_1_1.html |title=STOMPED - True Gaming |date=December 15, 2001 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011215113350/http://www.stomped.com/published/redwood997819940_1_1.html |archive-date=December 15, 2001 }}</ref>

On February 19, 2002, Sierra On-Line officially announced the name change to Sierra Entertainment, Inc.

In 2002, Sierra, working with High Voltage Software, announced the development of a new chapter in the Leisure Suit Larry franchise, titled ''[[Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude]]''. Released to mostly mixed to negative reviews; Larry's creator, Lowe, was not involved with the project.

The newly renamed Sierra Entertainment continued to develop mostly unsuccessful interactive entertainment products. However, hit ''[[Homeworld 2]]'' once again cemented Sierra's reputation as a respectable publisher.

In 2003, Sierra Entertainment released the second video game adaptation of ''[[The Hobbit (2003 video game)|The Hobbit]]'', as well as ''[[NASCAR Racing 2003 Season]]''.

=== Acquisition and absorption under Vivendi Games (2004–2008) ===
[[File:Vivendi Universal Games Headquarters.jpg|thumb|Headquarters of Vivendi Universal Games, located at 6060 Center Dr., Los Angeles.]]
In early 2004, cost-cutting measures were taken at Sierra's parent company [[Vivendi Universal Games]] due to financial troubles and because of Sierra's lack of profitability as a working developer. Sierra's last owned studios [[Impressions Games]] and the [[Papyrus Design Group]] were both shut down in early 2004, laying off 50 people; 180 Sierra-related positions were eliminated at Vivendi's Los Angeles offices; and by June 2004, Vivendi had completely shut down Sierra's Bellevue location, laid off more than 100 employees, dispersed Sierra's work to other VU Games divisions, and re-located the remains of Sierra's assets to Vivendi's corporate headquarters in [[Fresno, California]]. In total, 350 people were laid off. Some assets were retired in the process, including [[Print Artist]], and some like the ''Hoyle'' franchise were sold to other publishers or developers. Sierra was simply a publishing label and brand name for Vivendi assets, being used in tandem with its own name for publishing. As a company, Sierra was disestablished on August 24, 2004.<ref name="rg">{{cite magazine |title=Developer Lookback: Sierra Online |magazine=[[Retro Gamer]] |issue=31 |publisher=[[Imagine Publishing]] |pages=44–51}}</ref> The business continued to operate as a division of Vivendi Games.<ref name="arst">{{cite web |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2008/03/activision-vivendi-merger-not-quite-as-rosy-as-it-seemed/ |title=Activision-Vivendi merger leads to problems for Sierra Games |first=Frank |last=Caron |date=March 21, 2008 |website=Ars Technica}}</ref>

In late 2005, the Sierra brand was re-launched from Los Angeles. A new subsidiary called Sierra Online (no-relation to Sierra's former name Sierra On-Line) was also founded within this time, which focused on downloadable and online-only games.

Throughout 2005 and 2006, Vivendi acquired several game development studios including [[Massive Entertainment]], [[High Moon Studios]], [[Radical Entertainment]], Secret Lair Studios / Studio Ch'in (based in Seattle and Shanghai) and [[Swordfish Studios]] and integrated them into Sierra, alongside the creative licenses from other Vivendi divisions and from companies partnered with Vivendi and the copyrights of several notable [[Intellectual property|intellectual properties]], such as ''[[Crash Bandicoot]]'', ''[[Spyro|Spyro the Dragon]]'', ''[[50 Cent: Bulletproof]]'' and ''[[Scarface: The World Is Yours|Scarface]]''. Vivendi also ceased publishing under their own name by this point after their name change, with all major releases being under the Sierra brand name.

''[[Caesar IV]]'' was published September 26, 2006, in North America, in partnership with [[Tilted Mill Entertainment]].

In mid 2007, Sierra Online began launching Xbox Live Arcade games for the Xbox 360. One of the first releases is the conversion of the successful "German-style" board game ''[[Carcassonne (video game)|Carcassonne]]'', which had been in development at Secret Lair Studios.

In late 2007, Sierra released games like the [[first-person shooter]] game ''[[TimeShift]]'' (which was originally going to be published by [[Atari, Inc. (1993–present)|Atari]] but was delayed various times during development) and the [[real-time tactics|real-time tactical]] video game ''[[World in Conflict]]''.

=== Closure and sale of properties (2008–2009) ===
In 2008, Sierra Entertainment's parent company Vivendi Games merged with video game publisher [[Activision]] to form the [[Activision Blizzard]] holding company. Vivendi Games was absorbed into Activision after the merger and the ownership of Sierra properties went to Activision. Later that year, Sierra was closed down for possible future sale. Leading up to the merger, Activision's management was confident that Sierra would cease operations post-merger.<ref name="arst" />

On July 29, 2008, Activision announced a long-term strategy for its library of Sierra games and announced that they would only publish five titles: ''[[Crash: Mind Over Mutant]]'', ''[[The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon]]'', ''[[Prototype (video game)|Prototype]]'', and ''[[Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (video game)|Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs]]'', and an unannounced new property. The rest of the properties, including the Sierra Online division, were deemed by the company to be "non-strategic" with its then-current business practices.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2008/07/29/activision-drops-several-vivendi-games |title=Activision Drops Several Vivendi Games |first=Narayan |last=Pattison |date=July 29, 2008 |website=ign.com}}</ref> A selection of earlier sales and reversions followed:
* July 30, 2008 - The video game rights to the [[Robert Ludlum]]/''[[Bourne (franchise)|Bourne]]'' franchise reverted back to Robert Ludlum's estate through their Ludlum Entertainment subsidiary. Ludlum subsequently licensed these rights to [[Electronic Arts]] in February 2009.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bourne game rights forget Vivendi, return to Ludlum Entertainment|url=https://www.engadget.com/2008-07-30-bourne-game-rights-forget-vivendi-return-to-ludlum-entertainmen.html|access-date=2022-01-05|website=Engadget|date=July 30, 2008 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Ludlum Entertainment Grants EA the Exclusive Video Game License for the Works of Robert Ludlum|url=https://ir.ea.com/press-releases/press-release-details/2009/Ludlum-Entertainment-Grants-EA-the-Exclusive-Video-Game-License-for-the-Works-of-Robert-Ludlum/default.aspx|access-date=2022-01-05|website=ir.ea.com|language=en-US}}</ref>
* August 6, 2008 - Activision announces that they have put [[Massive Entertainment]] up for sale, citifying their disregard of owning a European strategy developer, and that they were likely to sell ''[[World in Conflict]]'' and it's dropped expansion pack ''[[World in Conflict: Soviet Assault|Soviet Assault]]'' separately.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pc.ign.com/articles/896/896876p1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080813051304/http://pc.ign.com/articles/896/896876p1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 13, 2008 |title=Massive Sell Off |date=2008-08-06 |author=Jason Ocampo |publisher=IGN }}</ref> [[Swordfish Studios]] was also put up for sale.
* August 13, 2008 - The video game licensing rights to ''[[Scarface (1983 film)|Scarface]]'', including a planned sequel to ''[[Scarface: The World is Yours]]'', reverted back to [[Universal Pictures]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Universal gets back Scarface 2 rights without a fight|url=https://www.engadget.com/2008-08-13-universal-gets-back-scarface-2-rights-without-a-fight.html|access-date=2022-01-05|website=Engadget|date=August 14, 2008 |language=en-US}}</ref>
* September 8, 2008 - [[Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment]] acquired the ''[[F.E.A.R.]]'' trademark as well as the original title, consisting of the [[F.E.A.R. (video game)|base game]] and its outsourced expansion packs ''[[F.E.A.R. Extraction Point|Extraction Point]]'' and ''[[F.E.A.R. Perseus Mandate|Perseus Mandate]]''. The purchase of the trademark allowed [[Monolith Productions]], who developed the original game, to rename its upcoming sequel ''[[F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin|Project Origin]]'' as ''F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin''.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2008/09/08/project-origin-is-now-fear-2 | title=''Project Origin'' is Now ''F.E.A.R. 2'' | last=Ocampo | first=Jason | date=September 8, 2008 | website=[[IGN]] | access-date=August 17, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210817014933/https://www.ign.com/articles/2008/09/08/project-origin-is-now-fear-2 | archive-date=August 17, 2021 | url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efKPDngDaSQ| title=''F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin'' Interview | date= September 8, 2008 | via=[[YouTube]] | access-date=March 2, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220302040605/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efKPDngDaSQ | archive-date=March 2, 2022 | url-status=live}}</ref>
* October 8, 2008 - Activision announces the closure of the online servers of several older Sierra games on November 1.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/sierra-closing-21-game-servers |title=Sierra closing 21 game servers |first=Robert |last=Purchese |date=October 8, 2008 |website=eurogamer.net}}</ref> The Sierra Online division was also closed within that period despite the fact that two more games would be published under that name in 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/exactly-how-many-studios-has-activision-closed-generation-exactly-many/ |title=Exactly how many studios has Activision actually closed this generation? THIS many |first=David |last=Houghton |website=gamesradar|date=July 5, 2012 }}</ref>
* October 13, 2008 - [[THQ]] picked up the rights to ''[[50 Cent: Blood on the Sand]]''.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.eurogamer.net/thq-picks-up-50-cent-blood-on-the-sand | title=THQ picks up 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand | newspaper=Eurogamer.net | date=October 13, 2008 }}</ref>
* October 30, 2008 - [[Infogrames]], the parent company of [[Atari SA|Atari]], purchases publishing rights to ''[[Ghostbusters: The Video Game]]'' and ''[[The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena]]'', and secures licensing rights from Sony and Universal respectively for future titles using both licenses.<ref name="kotaku-atari">{{cite web|url=https://kotaku.com/ghostbusters-gets-publisher-release-window-5070757|title=Atari Picks Up Riddick |date=October 31, 2008|publisher=Kotaku|access-date=October 31, 2008}}</ref>
* November 11, 2008 - [[Ubisoft]] purchases [[Massive Entertainment]], in addition to purchasing the rights to ''[[World in Conflict]]'' .<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.eurogamer.net/ubisoft-snaps-up-world-in-conflict | title=Ubisoft snaps up World in Conflict | newspaper=Eurogamer.net | date=November 11, 2008 }}</ref>
* November 12, 2008 - Monumental Games purchases Swordfish Studios' Manchester development studio.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/monumental-acquires-swordfish-manchester|title = Monumental acquires Swordfish Manchester| date=November 12, 2008 }}</ref>
* November 15, 2008 - [[Codemasters]] purchases Swordfish Studios' remaining studio in Birmingham.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/codemasters-acquires-swordfish-studios |title=Codemasters Acquires Swordfish Studios<!-- Bot generated title --> |date=November 14, 2008 |access-date=2014-07-06 |archive-date=2014-07-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714173407/http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/codemasters-acquires-swordfish-studios |url-status=live }}</ref>
* December 12, 2008 - [[Electronic Arts]] purchases publishing rights to ''[[Brütal Legend]]''.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.eurogamer.net/ea-to-publish-brutal-legend-in-2009 | title=EA to publish Brutal Legend in 2009 | newspaper=Eurogamer.net | date=December 12, 2008 }}</ref>
* February 2009 - [[Codemasters]] purchases the ''[[Leisure Suit Larry]]'' IP and the publishing rights to ''[[Leisure Suit Larry: Box Office Bust]]''.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/leisure-suit-larry-loungin-with-codemasters/1100-6205151/ | title=Leisure Suit Larry loungin' with Codemasters }}</ref>
* April 27, 2009 - [[Bethesda Softworks]] purchases the publishing rights to ''[[WET (video game)|WET]]''.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.videogamer.com/news/bethesda-confirmed-as-wet-publisher/ | title=Bethesda confirmed as WET publisher | date=April 27, 2009 }}</ref>
* July 14, 2009 - [[Rebellion Developments]] acquires several Sierra titles - ''[[Evil Genius (video game)|Evil Genius]]'', ''[[Ground Control (video game)|Ground Control]]'', ''[[Empire Earth]]'', ''[[Lords of Magic]]'' and ''[[Lords of the Realm]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/pc/rebellion-acquires-vivendi-licenses-considers-new-franchise-titles|title=Rebellion Acquires Vivendi Licenses, Considers New Franchise Titles|date=July 14, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Rebellion acquires Vivendi properties, details future plans|url=https://www.engadget.com/2009-07-14-rebellion-acquires-vivendi-properties-details-future-plans.html|access-date=2022-01-05|website=Engadget|date=July 14, 2009 |language=en-US}}</ref>
* October 1, 2009 - [[Jeff Tunnell]] acquires ''[[The Incredible Machine]]'' through his company PushButton Labs.<ref name="Shacknews 2009-10-01">{{cite news|last=Breckon|first=Nick|date=1 October 2009|title=PushButton Labs Acquires The Incredible Machine IP, Pushes Series onto GOG|url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/60702/pushbutton-labs-acquires-the-incredible|newspaper=[[Shacknews]]|access-date=18 October 2014}}</ref>

=== Brand name revival under Activision (2014–2016) ===
[[File:Sierra Logo, 2014.png|The Sierra logo was used by Activision as a publishing label and brand name.|thumb]]
On August 7, 2014, the website for Sierra, which previously redirected to Activision's website, was updated to showcase a new logo, teasing: "More to be revealed at [[Gamescom]] 2014." Activision confirmed that the Sierra label would re-release some  of its older games,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.polygon.com/2014/8/12/5994833/activision-reviving-sierra-label-new-kings-quest-geometry-wars |title=Geometry Wars and King's Quest return with revived Sierra label |author=Alexa Ray Corriea |work=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |date=August 12, 2014 |access-date=August 12, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140815020916/http://www.polygon.com/2014/8/12/5994833/activision-reviving-sierra-label-new-kings-quest-geometry-wars |archive-date=August 15, 2014}}</ref> re-imagine its older franchises, and collaborate with indie studios to create new "innovative, edgy and graphically unique" projects.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/geometry-wars-3-new-kings-quest-from-sierra-announ/1100-6421666/ |title=Geometry Wars 3, New King's Quest From Sierra Announced at Gamescom 2014 |author=Chris Pereira |work=[[GameSpot]] |date=August 17, 2014 |access-date=August 17, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140815015710/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/geometry-wars-3-new-kings-quest-from-sierra-announ/1100-6421666/ |archive-date=August 15, 2014}}</ref> Sierra plans to focus on publishing downloadable games through PlayStation Network, Steam, and Xbox Live.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.giantbomb.com/articles/sierras-coming-back-with-kings-quest-geometry-wars/1100-4988/ |title=Sierra's Coming Back With King's Quest, Geometry Wars |author=Patrick Klepek |work=[[Giant Bomb]] |date=August 17, 2014 |access-date=August 17, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140828194216/http://www.giantbomb.com/articles/sierras-coming-back-with-kings-quest-geometry-wars/1100-4988/ |archive-date=August 28, 2014}}</ref> Ken Williams said, "We're very proud of what we created all those years ago with Sierra On-Line, and today's news about carrying Sierra forward as an indie-specific brand is very encouraging. We look forward to seeing Sierra's independent spirit live on."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-08-12-sierra-online-is-back-and-so-is-geometry-wars-and-kings-quest |title=Sierra is back – and so are Geometry Wars and King's Quest |author=Martin Robinson |work=[[Eurogamer]] |date=August 17, 2014 |access-date=August 17, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140815013843/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-08-12-sierra-online-is-back-and-so-is-geometry-wars-and-kings-quest |archive-date=August 15, 2014}}</ref> That day, ''[[King's Quest (2015 video game)|King's Quest]]'' and ''[[Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions]]'' were announced as the first two games published under the revived Sierra brand.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.destructoid.com/sierra-is-back-new-king-s-quest-and-uh-geometry-wars-coming-279458.phtml |title=Sierra is back! New King's Quest and, uh, Geometry Wars coming |author=Hamza Aziz |work=[[Destructoid]] |date=August 17, 2014 |access-date=August 17, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140815024108/http://www.destructoid.com/sierra-is-back-new-king-s-quest-and-uh-geometry-wars-coming-279458.phtml |archive-date=August 15, 2014}}</ref> On December 5, 2014, the company was awarded with the "Industry Icon" award during the 2014 [[The Game Awards]], and it introduced the first footage of the reboot of ''King's Quest''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://hardcoregamer.com/2014/12/05/the-game-awards-2014-full-list-of-winners-revealed/121171/ |title=The Game Awards 2014 Full List Of Winners Revealed |author=Kevin Dunsmore |work=Hardcore Gamer |date=December 5, 2014 |access-date=December 5, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150106214644/http://www.hardcoregamer.com/2014/12/05/the-game-awards-2014-full-list-of-winners-revealed/121171/ |archive-date=January 6, 2015}}</ref>

In August 2018, [[TJX Companies]] acquired the domain sierra.com from Activision, subsequently shortening the name of its Sierra Trading Post subsidiary to [[Sierra (retailer)|Sierra]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dotweekly.com/tjx-acquires-sierra-com-from-activision-for-sierra-trading-post/|title=TJX Acquires Sierra.com From Activision For Sierra Trading Post|date=August 14, 2018}}</ref>

== Subsidiaries ==
=== Development ===
* Books That Work was acquired in April 1997, folded into Sierra in February 1999.<ref name="Sierra Shuts Down Studios">{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/02/23/sierra-shuts-down-studios |title=Sierra Shuts Down Studios |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=February 22, 1999 |website=ign.com}}</ref>
* [[Bright Star Technology]] in [[Bellevue, Washington]] was founded in 1980 and acquired in 1992.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/11/24/science/peripherals-when-children-play.html |title=PERIPHERALS; When Children Play |first=L. R. |last=Shannon |newspaper=The New York Times |date=November 24, 1992 |url-access=limited}}</ref>
* [[Berkeley Systems]] was purchased by CUC International in April 1997 and integrated into Sierra as an internal studio.<ref name="articles.latimes.com"/>
* [[Coktel Vision]] in [[Paris]] was founded in 1984 and acquired in October 1993.<ref>https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/724991/0000891020-95-000357.txt {{Bare URL plain text|date=March 2022}}</ref>
* Arion Software was acquired in 1995 and absorbed into Sierra On-Line.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://sierrachest.com/mst48/index.php?a=news&pid=467 | title=The Sierra Chest - news: Sierra acquires Arion Software Inc }}</ref>
* The Pixellite Group was founded in 1983, acquired in May 1995, and absorbed into Sierra On-Line.<ref>https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/724991/0000891020-96-000721.txt {{Bare URL plain text|date=March 2022}}</ref>
* [[Sublogic]], based in Champaign, Illinois, was acquired in 1995 and absorbed into Sierra On-Line.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/nextgen-issue-014/page/n25/mode/2up |last=Sherman |first=Christopher |title=Movers & Shakers|magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]|issue=14 |publisher=[[Imagine Media]] |date=February 1996|page=25}}</ref>
* [[Dynamix]] in [[Eugene, Oregon]] was founded in 1984, acquired in August 1990, and shut down in August 2001.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/08/13/sierra-shuts-down-dynamix |title=Sierra Shuts Down Dynamix |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=August 13, 2001 |website=ign.com}}</ref>
* Green Thumb Software in [[Boulder, Colorado]] was acquired and absorbed in July 1995.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19950718&slug=2131953 |title=Business - Sierra On-Line Acquires Green Thumb Of Colorado - Seattle Times Newspaper |website=community.seattletimes.nwsource.com}}</ref>
* [[Headgate Studios]] in [[Bountiful, Utah]] was founded in 1992, acquired in April 1996,<ref name="The End Game">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/130449/the_end_game_how_top_developers_.php |title=The End Game: How Top Developers Sold Their Studios - Part One |website=www.gamasutra.com|date=March 3, 2004 }}</ref> and sold to the original owner in 1999.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/118350/EA_Expanding_Salt_Lake_City_Studio_With_Former_Sims_Devs.php |title=EA Expanding Salt Lake City Studio With Former Sims Devs |first=Chris |last=Remo |website=www.gamasutra.com|date=February 25, 2010 }}</ref>
* [[Impressions Games]] in [[Cambridge, Massachusetts]] was founded in 1989, acquired in 1995,<ref name="The End Game" /> and closed in May 2004.<ref name="axes">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/sierra-hard-hit-as-vu-games-axes-350-jobs |title=Sierra hard-hit as VU Games axes 350 jobs |website=GamesIndustry.biz|date=June 22, 2004 }}</ref>
* [[Synergistic Software]] was founded in 1978, acquired in 1996, and folded into Sierra in February 1999.<ref name="Sierra Shuts Down Studios" />
* [[Papyrus Design Group]] in [[Watertown, Massachusetts]] was founded in 1987, acquired in 1995,<ref name="The End Game" /> and closed in May 2004.<ref name="axes" />
* PyroTechnix was founded as Computer Presentation, acquired December 1997, and folded into Sierra in February 1999.<ref name="Sierra Shuts Down Studios" />
* Yosemite Entertainment in [[Oakhurst, California]] was formed in 1998, and folded into Sierra in February 1999.<ref name="Sierra Shuts Down Studios" />

=== Publishing ===
* Sierra Attractions; 1998–2001
* Sierra FX; 1998
* Sierra Home; 1996–2004
* Sierra Sports; February 1998<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.com/1998/02/sierra-gears-up-with-new-sports-brand/ |title=Sierra Gears Up With New Sports Brand |first=Marc |last=Saltzman |magazine=Wired |date=February 20, 1998 |via=www.wired.com}}</ref>–2000
* Sierra Studios; 1998–2001

== Games ==
{{main|List of Sierra Entertainment video games}}
Sierra both developed its own games and published several games from its divisions and from third-party developers. As a developer, Sierra launched the video game series ''[[King's Quest]]'', ''[[Space Quest]]'', ''[[Police Quest]]'', ''[[Gabriel Knight]]'', ''[[Leisure Suit Larry]]'', and ''[[Quest for Glory]]''.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Commons category-inline}}

{{Sierra Adventure Games}}
{{Activision}}
{{Portal bar|Video games|1980s|1990s}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Sierra Entertainment| ]]
[[Category:1979 establishments in California]]
[[Category:2008 disestablishments in California]]
[[Category:Companies based in Fresno, California]]
[[Category:Companies based in Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Defunct Activision subsidiaries]]
[[Category:Defunct companies based in California]]
[[Category:Defunct video game companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Former Vivendi subsidiaries]]
[[Category:Software companies based in California]]
[[Category:Video game companies based in California]]
[[Category:Video game companies disestablished in 2008]]
[[Category:Video game companies established in 1979]]
[[Category:Video game development companies]]