Editing PF.Magic (section)

{{Short description|American video game developer}}
'''PF.Magic, Inc.''' was a [[video game developer]] founded in 1991 and located in [[San Francisco, California]], United States. Though it developed other types of [[video game]]s, it was best known for its [[virtual pet]] games, such as ''[[Dogz]]'' and ''[[Petz|Catz]]''. The company was able to make extra revenue by selling plush toys under the Petz trademark.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.pfmagic.com/toy.htm|title=Plush Toy Petz|date=October 11, 1997|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19971011045522/http://www.pfmagic.com/toy.htm |archive-date=1997-10-11}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.allbusiness.com/manufacturing/miscellaneous-mfg-doll-toy-games-games/6873052-1.html |title=Dogz and Catz Dash Past 1.5 Million Mark;PF.Magic's Virtual Petz Brand Established as Leader... - BusinessWire 1998 |access-date=2009-07-29 |archive-date=2010-03-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100322233053/http://www.allbusiness.com/manufacturing/miscellaneous-mfg-doll-toy-games-games/6873052-1.html |url-status=live}}</ref> It was bought out in 1998 by [[Mindscape Group|Mindscape, Inc.]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.petz.com/pfm/index.htm|title=Petz.com|date=May 8, 1999|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990508062902/http://www.petz.com/pfm/index.htm |archive-date=1999-05-08}}</ref> After changing hands a few more times, [[Ubisoft]] now owns the [[copyright]] on its ''[[Petz]]'', ''[[Oddballz]]'' and ''[[Babyz]]'' titles.

One of PF.Magic's earliest efforts was the 1994 video game ''[[Ballz]]'', [[video game publisher|published]] by [[Accolade, Inc.|Accolade]]. The innovative game featured main characters composed completely of [[sphere]]s. This early game failed in the marketplace, though it would inspire many of their following games, such as ''Petz''.

PF.Magic's designer and programmer, Andrew Stern, created an experimental project with Michael Mateas and others for five years. The project became ''[[Façade (interactive story)|Façade]]'', a freeware game in which the player interacts with a couple whose ten-year marriage is in trouble.