FormGen Corporation
IndustrySoftware
Founded1987 (1987) in Bolton, Ontario, Canada
Founders
  • Randy MacLean
  • Robert Van Rycke
Defunct1996 (1996)
FateAcquired by GT Interactive
Headquarters
Scottsdale, Arizona, United States
Products
  • Business software
  • Video games

FormGen Corporation was a developer of business software and publisher of video games based in Scottsdale, Arizona.

History

FormGen was founded in 1987 by friends Randy MacLean and Robert Van Rycke in Bolton, Ontario. It was a software producer and distributor, selling its text-based form generation program through Radio Shack stores in Canada. Van Rycke left the company in October 1988 and was replaced later by James Perkins.

The company advanced rapidly in the early 1990s when it made an agreement with id Software to distribute its new games, such as Commander Keen in Aliens Ate My Babysitter, Wolfenstein 3D: Spear of Destiny, Doom (shareware), and with Apogee Software (later 3D Realms) for Rise of the Triad and Duke Nukem 3D.

After being based in North Andover, Massachusetts,[1] FormGen relocated to the Scottsdale Airpark in Scottsdale, Arizona, in November 1993.[2] The facility, which measured 9,000 square feet (840 m2), was outgrown by October 1995, so the company moved to a nearby office of 25,000 square feet (2,300 m2).[3] FormGen opened its website in April 1996 to serve news and shareware downloads online.[4] GT Interactive acquired FormGen in July 1996.[5][6]

Lawsuit

FormGen was involved in a landmark intellectual property lawsuit, Micro Star v. FormGen Inc. They claimed that Micro Star's sale of the Nuke It compilation of user-created maps and levels infringed on its copyright of the derivative works of Duke Nukem 3D and won the case on appeal.[7]

References

  1. ↑ Matthews, Nosh (March 23, 1992). "Design your own forms, keep a diary". Austin American-Statesman. Knight-Ridder News Service. p. C4. Archived from the original on October 3, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ↑ Schroeder, John (November 10, 1993). "Five businesses moving to Scottsdale". The Arizona Republic. p. 155. Archived from the original on October 3, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ Fiscus, Chris (October 18, 1995). "Expansion continues". The Arizona Republic. p. 168. Archived from the original on October 3, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ Hoye, David (April 8, 1996). "Hot new Web sites". The Arizona Republic. p. E1. Archived from the original on October 3, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ "Company News;GT Interactive Acquires Humongous Entertainment". The New York Times. July 11, 1996. Archived from the original on September 25, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  6. ↑ "GT Interactive Acquires FormGen, Publishers of Number One PC Software Hit, 'Duke Nukem 3D'; Highly Anticipated 'Shadow Warrior' Now Part of GT Lineup" (Press release). GT Interactive. July 1, 1996. Archived from the original on May 14, 2014 – via The Free Library.
  7. ↑ Micro Star v. FormGen Inc., 154.F.3d 1107 Archived 2010-05-17 at the Wayback Machine (9th Cir. 1999) (opinion full text).
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