Extraordinary people;
Over the years, my passion for video games has often been attributed to Pitfall!, River Raid, and Kaboom!. I love Atari 2600 games, but the first game that captured my imagination was Mystery House, developed by Roberta and Ken Williams. When I was in college at the University of Michigan, I played a borrowed Apple II every night.
Mystery House was a text adventure with some primitive sprite-based graphics. (Accordingly, we now own Mystery House and Sierra On Line, the company that publishes it.) The world in which the game is played is largely left to the player’s imagination. I imagined rich, expansive worlds with all kinds of interactive, animated life where players could fulfill their various desires; all in a simulated universe that offered endless possibilities for challenge, connection and fun.
Forty years later, as I approach the final day of my leadership of this company, I am amazed at how far the talented people at our company have come in realizing the great potential of games. You’ve transformed a hobbyist form of entertainment into the most interesting environment in the world. It has been the privilege of my life to work with you as we expand the appeal of games.
Perhaps the most important part of my job is helping to bring together talented people, providing the best possible resources and fostering an environment that fosters inspiration, creativity and an unwavering commitment to excellence.
I cannot express enough pride in the people who continue to contribute to our success and in everyone who has helped me over the 32 years I have led this company. We are now part of the world’s most admired company. This is no coincidence.
Phil Spencer has appreciated the magic of ABK for decades. When he approached Brian and me two years ago and proposed acquiring the company, it was immediately clear that the combination of our businesses would allow us to maintain our lead as the number of talented, well-resourced competitors grew.
Phil shares our values and appreciates our talents. He is passionate about our games and the people who make them. He has a bold ambition.
As we move on to our next exciting chapter, you couldn’t be in better hands.
I will always be deeply grateful to the people who have worked tirelessly to build this company, and I am confident you will continue to inspire joy and unite people through the power of play.
With gratitude and appreciation…