Editing Starwave

{{Short description|Defunct software and website company}}
{{Infobox company
 | name          = Starwave Corporation
 | logo          = 
 | type          = 
 | fate          = Acquired by [[The Walt Disney Company]], 1998
 | Predecessor   = 
 | successor     = [[Disney Interactive|Walt Disney Internet Group]]
 | foundation    = {{Start date and age|1993}}
 | defunct       = {{End date and age|1998}}
 | location      = [[Bellevue, Washington]], U.S.
 | industry      = Digital content
 | products      = 
 | key_people    = [[Paul Allen]], Mike Slade, [[Patrick Naughton]]
 | num_employees = 
 | parent        = 
 | subsid        = 
}}

'''Starwave''' was a [[Seattle]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]]-based [[software]] and website company, founded in 1993 by [[Paul Allen]],<ref name=disney-buy/> co-founder of [[Microsoft]] and led by CEO Mike Slade.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.internethistorypodcast.com/2016/09/mike-slade-on-80s-microsoft-next-starwave-and-steve-jobs-return-to-apple/|title=Mike Slade on 80s Microsoft, NeXT, Starwave and Steve Jobs' Return to Apple|access-date=2019-11-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190606091705/http://www.internethistorypodcast.com/2016/09/mike-slade-on-80s-microsoft-next-starwave-and-steve-jobs-return-to-apple/|archive-date=2019-06-06|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.geekwire.com/2016/how-this-seattle-venture-capitalist-ended-up-being-the-subject-of-espns-hilarious-new-ad-campaign/|title=How this Seattle venture capitalist ended up being the subject of ESPN's hilarious new ad campaign|date=25 January 2016|access-date=9 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190628133424/https://www.geekwire.com/2016/how-this-seattle-venture-capitalist-ended-up-being-the-subject-of-espns-hilarious-new-ad-campaign/|archive-date=28 June 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> The company produced original CD-ROM titles, including ''[[Muppets Inside]]'', and titles for [[Clint Eastwood]], [[Sting (musician)|Sting]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Starwave Teams With Sting and A&M Records To Create Interactive CD-ROMs|work=Business Wire|date=30 May 1995|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_1995_May_30/ai_16928651|accessdate=24 June 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090709192619/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_1995_May_30/ai_16928651/|archive-date=9 July 2009|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Peter Gabriel]]. They were the original developers of ''[[Castle Infinity]]'', the first massively multiplayer online role-playing game for children, but Starwave's most lasting mark was in the area of web content sites. They developed [[ESPN.com]], [[ABC News (United States)|ABCNEWS.com]], Outside Online, and Mr. Showbiz.com among other sites, setting the standard for much of the commercial Internet explosion of the late 1990s. Starwave also developed the first site and publishing system for [[Jim Cramer]]'s TheStreet.com.

== Disney ==
The company merged with [[Infoseek]] and was later sold to [[The Walt Disney Company]]. In April 1998, Disney purchased the outstanding shares of Starwave from Allen<ref name=buyout>{{cite news|last=Pelline|first=Jeff|title=Disney to buy Starwave|url=http://news.cnet.com/Disney-to-buy-Starwave/2100-1001_3-210762.html|accessdate=31 January 2014|newspaper=CNET News|date=April 30, 1998|author2=Dawn Kawamoto|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029201213/http://news.cnet.com/Disney-to-buy-Starwave/2100-1001_3-210762.html|archive-date=29 October 2013|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://kpolsson.com/disnehis/disn1997.htm|title=Volume 146, Number 50752.|newspaper=New York Times|date=4 April 1997|page=C4|accessdate=31 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121225162941/http://kpolsson.com/disnehis/disn1997.htm|archive-date=25 December 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> after an initial buy of about 30% in 1997.<ref name=disney-buy>{{cite news |url=http://news.cnet.com/Disney-buys-stake-in-Starwave/2100-1001_3-278529.html |title=Disney buys stake in Starwave |publisher=News.cnet.com |accessdate=31 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201175056/http://news.cnet.com/Disney-buys-stake-in-Starwave/2100-1001_3-278529.html |archive-date=1 February 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> The new entity, [[Disney Interactive|Walt Disney Internet Group]] (WDIG) developed the [[Go.com]] portal.

In 2004, Disney re-activated the Starwave identity as '''Starwave Mobile''', which published [[casual game]]s for mobile phones.<ref>{{cite web| title = Newly Formed Starwave Mobile Announces Initial Content Lineup| work = Business Wire| date = 25 October 2004| url = http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20041025005560/en/Newly-Formed-Starwave-Mobile-Announces-Initial-Content#.Uur_7LszEb0| accessdate = 24 June 2008| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140203035446/http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20041025005560/en/Newly-Formed-Starwave-Mobile-Announces-Initial-Content#.Uur_7LszEb0| archive-date = 3 February 2014| url-status = live}}</ref> They published several ''[[Scarface (1983 film)|Scarface]]'' licensed games including ''[[Scarface: Money. Power. Respect.]]'' and games from [[Capybara Games]] including ''[[Critter Crunch]]''.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.fastcompany.com/27448/starwave-takes-web-seriously Starwave Takes the Web ... (Seriously) | Fast Company]
* [http://www.salon.com/1998/05/26/feature_315/ Starwave in Disneyland | Salon]
* [http://www.starwavers.com Starwavers] List of Former Starwave Employees
* [http://www.blinkenlights.com/classiccmp/javaorigin.html The Long Strange Trip to Java] by Patrick Naughton, who left Sun for Starwave

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:American companies established in 1993]]
[[Category:American companies disestablished in 1998]]
[[Category:Companies based in Bellevue, Washington]]
[[Category:Defunct software companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Defunct video game companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Disney acquisitions]]
[[Category:Software companies established in 1993]]
[[Category:Software companies disestablished in 1998]]
[[Category:Video game companies established in 1993]]
[[Category:Video game companies disestablished in 1998]]
[[Category:Software companies based in Seattle]]