Editing Infocom (section)

===Foundation and Zork===
Infocom began as a collaboration between [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] (MIT) faculty and alumni, some of whom had previously worked a [[Interactive fiction|text-based adventure]] game called ''[[Zork]]''.<ref name="Globe1984">{{cite news |last=Dyer |first=Richard |date=May 6, 1984 |title=Masters of the Game |newspaper=[[The Boston Globe]] |url=http://www.csd.uwo.ca/Infocom/Articles/globe84.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970607204921/http://www.csd.uwo.ca/Infocom/Articles/globe84.html |archive-date=June 7, 1997}}</ref> Development of ''Zork'' began in 1977 at the MIT [[Project MAC|Laboratory for Computer Science]], with an initial team including [[Tim Anderson (programmer)|Tim Anderson]], [[Marc Blank]], and [[Dave Lebling]], as well as [[Bruce Daniels]].<ref name="GDCTalk">{{cite AV media |url=https://www.gdcvault.com/play/1020612/Classic-Game-Postmortem |title=Classic Game Postmortem: Zork |date=March 2014 |last=Lebling |first=Dave |type=conference presentation |author-link=Dave Lebling |access-date=August 17, 2022 |via=[[Game Developers Conference]]}}</ref> Inspired by ''[[Colossal Cave Adventure]]'',<ref name="smith">{{cite book |last1=Smith |first1=Alexander |title=They Create Worlds: The Story of the People and Companies That Shaped the Video Game Industry, Vol. I: 1971-1982 |date=2019 |publisher=[[CRC Press]] |isbn=978-0-429-75261-2}}</ref> the developers aspired to improve on the formula with a more robust [[text parser]] and more logical puzzles.<ref name="History1">{{cite magazine |last=Anderson |first=Tim |author-link=Tim Anderson (programmer) |date=Winter 1985 |title=The History of Zork – First in a series |url=https://archive.org/details/New_Zork_Times_The_Vol._IV_No._1_1985-03_Infocom_US/page/n5/mode/2up |magazine=The New Zork Times |volume=4 |issue=1 |pages=6–7, 11}}</ref> They did not announce their game while it was in development, but a lack of security on the MIT systems meant that anyone who could access the [[PDP-10]] computer over the [[ARPANET]] could see what programs were being run. As a result, a small community of people discovered the new "Zork" adventure game and spread word of it under that name.<ref name="GDCTalk" /><ref name="History2">{{cite magazine |last=Anderson |first=Tim |author-link=Tim Anderson (programmer) |date=Spring 1985 |title=The History of Zork – Second in a series |url=https://archive.org/details/New_Zork_Times_The_Vol._4_No._2_1985-06_Infocom_US/page/n1/mode/2up |magazine=The New Zork Times |volume=4 |issue=2 |pages=3–5}}</ref> This community interacted with the developers as they created the game, playtesting additions and submitting [[Software bug|bug]] reports.<ref name="History2" /><ref name="Retro77">{{cite magazine |date=May 2010 |title=The Making of Zork |magazine=[[Retro Gamer]] |issue=77 |pages=36–39 |issn=1742-3155}}</ref> 

Infocom was officially founded as a [[software company]] on June 22, 1979, with founding members Tim Anderson, Joel Berez, Marc Blank, Mike Broos, Scott Cutler, Stu Galley, Dave Lebling, [[J. C. R. Licklider]], Chris Reeve, and [[Al Vezza]].<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Williams |first=Wayne |title=The Next Dimension |magazine=[[Retro Gamer]] |publisher=[[Imagine Publishing]] |issue=10 |pages=30–41}}</ref> By the end of the year, the core ''Zork'' game was complete, and Berez was elected the company's president.<ref name="History3">{{cite magazine |last=Galley |first=Stu |date=Summer 1985 |title=The History of Zork – Third in a series |url=https://archive.org/details/New_Zork_Times_The_Vol._IV_No._3_1985-09_Infocom_US/page/n3/mode/2up |magazine=The New Zork Times |volume=4 |issue=3 |pages=4–5}}</ref> The studio began seeking a professional publisher with store and distributor connections. After [[Microsoft]] passed on the project due to competition with their own ''[[Microsoft Adventure]]'' (1979), Infocom negotiated a publishing agreement with [[VisiCorp|Personal Software]], one of the first professional software publishing companies.<ref name="History3" /><ref name="USG2015">{{cite web |last1=Rignall |first1=Jaz |author-link1=Julian Rignall |last2=Parish |first2=Jeremy |date=December 25, 2015 |title=Dave Lebling on the Genesis of the Adventure Game – and the Creation of Zork |url=http://www.usgamer.net/articles/dave-lebling-interview |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220730040255/https://www.usgamer.net/articles/dave-lebling-interview |archive-date=July 30, 2022 |access-date=August 5, 2022 |website=[[Gamer Network|USGamer]]}}</ref> However, Infocom grew wary of the publisher's lack of advertising for ''Zork I'', and lack of enthusiasm for additional episodes and games. The developer decided to self-publish their games from that moment forward, buying out Personal Software's remaining inventory of ''Zork'' games.<ref name="History3" />

Following its 1980 release, ''Zork I'' became a [[bestseller]] from 1983 through 1985.<ref name="Inc19832">{{cite magazine |last=Solomon |first=Abby |date=October 1983 |title=Games Businesspeople Play |url=https://www.inc.com/magazine/19831001/5758.html |url-status=live |magazine=[[Inc. (magazine)|Inc.]] |issn=0162-8968 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407063306/https://www.inc.com/magazine/19831001/5758.html |archive-date=April 7, 2022 |access-date=August 8, 2022}}</ref><ref name="IW19842">{{cite magazine |last=Mace |first=Scott |date=April 2, 1984 |title=Games with windows |magazine=[[InfoWorld]] |page=56 |issn=0199-6649}}</ref><ref name="Video12">{{cite magazine |last1=Ditlea |first1=Steve |last2=Onosco |first2=Tim |last3=Kunkel |first3=Bill |author-link3=Bill Kunkel (gaming) |date=February 1985 |title=Random Access: Best Sellers/Recreation |magazine=[[Video (magazine)|Video]] |volume=8 |issue=11 |page=35 |issn=0147-8907}}</ref><ref name="Video22">{{cite magazine |last1=Onosco |first1=Tim |last2=Kohl |first2=Louise |last3=Kunkel |first3=Bill |author-link3=Bill Kunkel (gaming) |last4=Garr |first4=Doug |date=March 1985 |title=Random Access: Best Sellers/Recreation |magazine=[[Video (magazine)|Video]] |volume=8 |issue=12 |page=43 |issn=0147-8907}}</ref><ref name="IIC19852">{{cite magazine |last=Ciraolo |first=Michael |date=October 1985 |title=Top Software / A List of Favorites |url=https://archive.org/stream/II_Computing_Vol_1_No_1_Oct_Nov_85_Premiere#page/n51/mode/2up |magazine=II Computing |volume=1 |issue=1 |pages=51 |issn=0889-9134}}</ref> By 1986, the game had sold 380,000 copies, with 680,000 sales for the trilogy overall, comprising one-third of Infocom's two million game sales.<ref name="GSW2008">{{cite web |last=Carless |first=Simon |author-link=Simon Carless |date=September 20, 2008 |title=Great Scott: Infocom's All-Time Sales Numbers Revealed |url=http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2008/09/great_scott_infocoms_alltime_s.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080924074642/http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2008/09/great_scott_infocoms_alltime_s.php |archive-date=September 24, 2008 |access-date=September 23, 2008 |work=[[Game Developer (website)#GameSetWatch|GameSetWatch]]}}</ref> Reviewers hailed ''Zork'' as the best adventure game to date,<ref name="CM1983">{{cite magazine |date=November 1983 |title=Zork |magazine=Commodore Magazine |volume=3 |issue=6 |pages=8–11 |issn=0814-5741}}</ref><ref name="FC1983">{{cite magazine |last=Grevstad |first=Eric |date=September 1983 |title=Zork I (Adventure) |url=https://archive.org/details/family-computing-01/page/n97/mode/2up |magazine=[[Family Computing]] |volume=1 |issue=1 |page=98 |issn=0899-7373}}</ref> with later critics regarding it as [[List of video games considered the best|one of the greatest games of all time]].<ref name="GreatestGames2">{{cite book |last1=Gutman |first1=Dan |title=The Greatest Games: The 93 Best Computer Games of All Time |last2=Addams |first2=Shay |publisher=[[Compute!]] Publications, Inc. |year=1985 |isbn=0-942386-95-7}}</ref><ref name="Gamecenter2">{{cite web |date=January 5, 2000 |title=The Top 40 Games of the Millennium |url=http://www.gamecenter.com/Features/Exclusives/Top40games/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000617031446/http://www.gamecenter.com/Features/Exclusives/Top40games/ss14.html |archive-date=June 17, 2000 |access-date=August 23, 2022 |website=[[CNET#Gamecenter|Gamecenter]]}}</ref><ref name="GameSpy2">{{cite web |year=2001 |title=GameSpy's Top 50 Games of All Time |url=http://archive.gamespy.com/articles/july01/top50index/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040604135802/http://archive.gamespy.com/articles/july01/top50index/ |archive-date=June 4, 2004 |access-date=April 22, 2022 |website=[[GameSpy]]}}</ref><ref name="SMH2">{{cite news |last=Hollingworth |first=David |date=June 6, 2002 |title=Top 50 video games of all time |website=[[Sydney Morning Herald]] |type=Published in print, with additional preface, as part of the ''Herald'''s monthly ''e)mag'' supplement. |url=https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/top-50-video-games-of-all-time-20020606-gdfcdk.html |url-status=live |access-date=May 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126020406/https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/top-50-video-games-of-all-time-20020606-gdfcdk.html |archive-date=January 26, 2021}}</ref><ref name="GI20092">{{cite magazine |date=January 2010 |title=The Top 200 Games of All Time |magazine=[[Game Informer]] |issue=200}}</ref><ref name="IGN20152">{{cite web |date=June 1, 2015 |title=Top 100 Video Games of All Time |url=http://ca.ign.com/lists/top-100-games/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171210124028/http://ign.com/lists/top-100-games/ |archive-date=December 10, 2017 |access-date=October 28, 2017 |website=IGN}}</ref><ref name="PopularMechanics20142">{{cite magazine |last=Moore |first=Bo |date=June 16, 2014 |title=The 100 Greatest Video Games of All Time |url=http://www.popularmechanics.com/culture/gaming/g134/the-100-greatest-video-games-of-all-time/ |url-status=dead |magazine=[[Popular Mechanics]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161202235359/http://www.popularmechanics.com/culture/gaming/g134/the-100-greatest-video-games-of-all-time/ |archive-date=December 2, 2016}}</ref><ref name="Time20122">{{cite magazine |date=November 15, 2012 |title=All-TIME 100 Video Games |url=https://techland.time.com/2012/11/15/all-time-100-video-games/ |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307075016/https://techland.time.com/2012/11/15/all-time-100-video-games/ |archive-date=March 7, 2016 |url-status=live |access-date=October 28, 2017}}</ref><ref name="Time20162">{{cite magazine |last1=Peckham |first1=Matt |last2=Eadicicco |first2=Lisa |last3=Fitzpatrick |first3=Alex |last4=Vella |first4=Matt |last5=Patrick Pullen |first5=John |last6=Raab |first6=Josh |last7=Grossman |first7=Lev |date=August 23, 2016 |title=The 50 Best Video Games of All Time |url=https://time.com/4458554/best-video-games-all-time/ |url-status=live |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160830154639/https://time.com/4458554/best-video-games-all-time/ |archive-date=August 30, 2016 |access-date=August 30, 2016}}</ref><ref name="1001Games2">{{cite book |title=[[1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die]] |publisher=[[Universe Publishing]] |year=2013 |isbn=978-1844037667 |editor=Tony Mott}}</ref><ref name="TheWrap2">{{cite web |last=Owen |first=Phil |date=March 13, 2017 |title=The 30 Best Video Games of All Time, Ranked |url=https://www.thewrap.com/the-30-best-video-games-of-all-time-photos/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171029172938/https://www.thewrap.com/the-30-best-video-games-of-all-time-photos/ |archive-date=October 29, 2017 |access-date=October 29, 2017 |website=thewrap.com}}</ref><ref name="Polygon2">{{cite web |last=Polygon Staff |date=November 27, 2017 |title=The 500 Best Video Games of All Time |url=https://www.polygon.com/features/2017/11/27/16158276/polygon-500-best-games-of-all-time-500-401 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303210843/https://www.polygon.com/features/2017/11/27/16158276/polygon-500-best-games-of-all-time-500-401 |archive-date=March 3, 2018 |access-date=December 1, 2017 |website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon.com]]}}</ref><ref name="GI20182">{{cite magazine |date=April 2018 |title=The Top 300 Games of All Time |magazine=[[Game Informer]] |issue=300}}</ref><ref name="PopularMechanics20192">{{cite magazine |last1=Moore |first1=Bo |last2=Schuback |first2=Adam |date=March 21, 2019 |title=The 100 Greatest Video Games of All Time |url=https://www.popularmechanics.com/culture/gaming/g134/the-100-greatest-video-games-of-all-time/ |url-status=dead |magazine=[[Popular Mechanics]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190527230757/https://www.popularmechanics.com/culture/gaming/g134/the-100-greatest-video-games-of-all-time/ |archive-date=May 27, 2019 |access-date=May 27, 2019}}</ref> Historians noted the game as a foundation for the adventure game genre,<ref name="GS2007">{{cite web |last=Barton |first=Matt |date=June 28, 2007 |title=The History Of Zork |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/pc/the-history-of-zork |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220809014122/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/pc/the-history-of-zork |archive-date=August 9, 2022 |access-date=August 8, 2022 |website=[[Game Developer (website)|Game Developer]]}}</ref> as well as influencing the [[Multi-user dungeon|MUD]] and [[massively multiplayer online role-playing game]] genres.<ref name="GS2016">{{cite web |last=Heron |first=Michael |date=August 3, 2016 |title=Hunt The Syntax, Part One |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/hunt-the-syntax-part-one |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220108020637/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/hunt-the-syntax-part-one |archive-date=January 8, 2022 |access-date=January 8, 2022 |website=[[Game Developer (website)|Game Developer]]}}</ref>[[File:Zork I screenshot video game Gargoyle interpreter on Ubuntu Linux.png|thumb|300px|''[[Zork I]]'' was Infocom's first product. This screenshot of ''Zork I'' is representative of the sort of interaction a player has with Infocom's [[interactive fiction]] titles. Here it is depicted running on a modern [[Z-machine (interpreter)|Z-machine interpreter]].]]