Gamestar
Gamestar was originally a company based in Santa Barbara, California, that specialized in sports games. It was founded by self-proclaimed "big sports fan" Scott Orr, who previously ran the short-lived company Arcade Plus. Arcade Plus folded after Atari threatened a lawsuit over Ghost Hunter, a Pac-Man clone for Atari 8-bit computers. The other games Arcade Plus had in development were moved over to Gamestar. (Retro Gamer 144)
In 1983 (or June 1984 [1]), Gamestar signed a distribution deal with Activision. (Retro Gamer 144) Activision then acquired Gamestar in 1986 [2]; subsequently, Gamestar became a division of Activision. [3] Activision would eventually close the operation in Santa Barbara. (Retro Gamer 144)
Gamestar, Inc. was incorporated on September 13, 1982. The name was changed to Orr Ugrin, Inc. (as in Scott Orr and VP Dan Ugrin) on January 22, 1986.
Scott Orr left Gamestar in 1988 and became an independent consultant [4], designing games under the name Season Ticket Productions. [5] Director of Product Development Ed Ringler later started DesignStar Consultants ("SportTime" brand) and Ringler Studios. [6] Programmer Troy Lyndon went on to found Pacific Dataworks International and Park Place Productions.
There seems to be a connection between Gamestar and a company called Sportsware or Sportsware Productions. Sportsware was supposed to publish Championship Golf at Pebble Beach for the Commodore 64, which was not released; Championship Golf: The Great Courses of the World - Volume One: Pebble Beach was later released by Gamestar for Amiga and DOS. [7] The name "Sporrtsware Productions Inc" appears on the title screen of the Commodore 64 version of Star Rank Boxing; "Sporrtsware" is spelled with two Rs and the letters "ORR" are in red [8], which suggests Scott Orr's involvement.
Research Methods: Actual mentions, online resources, shared staff
Amiga
- Championship Baseball
- Developer: Dynamix
- Championship Golf: The Great Courses of the World - Volume One: Pebble Beach
- Developer: Interplay
- GBA Championship Basketball: Two-on-Two
- Developer: Dynamix
- GFL Championship Football
- Developer: Dynamix
Apple II
- Championship Baseball
- Developer: Synergistic Software
- GBA Championship Basketball: Two-on-Two
- GFL Championship Football
- Programmed by David Bunch. Was he an employee or a contractor?
- Howard the Duck
- Developer: SofTalent
- Star League Baseball
- Star Rank Boxing II
- Developer: The Softworks Factory
- Top Fuel Eliminator
Apple IIgs
- GBA Championship Basketball: Two-on-Two
- Developer: SofTalent
- GFL Championship Football (unreleased?)
- Developer: Softalent
Atari 8-bit
- Baja Buggies
- Started out as Night Rally by Arcade Plus
- On-Track: Computer Model Car Racing
- Starbowl Football
- Started out as Arcade Pro Football by Arcade Plus
- Star League Baseball
Atari ST
- Championship Baseball
- Developer: Dynamix
- GBA Championship Basketball: Two-on-Two
- Developer: Dynamix
- GFL Championship Football
- Developer: Dynamix
CoCo
- GFL Championship Football II
- Developer: ZCT Systems Group
Commodore 64
- Championship Baseball
- Developer: Synergistic Software
- FaceOff!
- Developer: MindSpan
- GBA Championship Basketball: Two-on-Two
- GFL Championship Football
- Howard the Duck [9]
- On-Court Tennis
- On-Field Football
- On-Track: Computer Model Car Racing
- Star League Baseball
- Star Rank Boxing / Barry McGuigan World Championship Boxing
- Star Rank Boxing II
- Developer: The Softworks Factory
- Take Down
- Developer: Alien Technology Group
- Top Fuel Eliminator
DOS
- Championship Baseball
- Developer: Synergistic Software
- Championship Golf: The Great Courses of the World - Volume One: Pebble Beach
- Developed by Jerry Shurman & Henry Perkins
- FaceOff!
- Developer: MindSpan
- GBA Championship Basketball: Two-on-Two
- Programmed by Michael Knox. Orr acknowledged his involvement in this interview. [10]
- GFL Championship Football
- Developer: The Softworks Factory; Graphics: Waterman Design
- Motocross
- Developer: Dynamix
- Pete Rose Pennant Fever
- Developer: Dynamix
- Star Rank Boxing II
- Developer: The Softworks Factory
- Take Down
- Developer: Alien Technology Group
