Origin Systems

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Origin was initially based in the Garriotts' garage in Houston, Texas. The company's first game was Ultima III: Exodus. By 1988, Origin had 15 developers in New Hampshire and another 35 employees in Austin, Texas. By 1989 it had 50 employees between its New Hampshire and Texas offices. In September 1992, Electronic Arts acquired the company for $35 million in stock. By 1996, Origin had expanded to more than 300 employees. In 1997, Origin released Ultima Online. After this title, Electronic Arts decided that Origin would become an online-only company after the completion of Ultima IX: Ascension in 1999. Within a year, EA canceled all of Origin's new development projects. Richard Garriott left Origin shortly after and founded Destination Games in 2000. In February 2004, the studio was disbanded by Electronic Arts.

In Their Own Story

The terminal flickered in the dim light of the converted church, its green phosphor glow casting long shadows across the wooden pews. A young designer, still smelling of pizza and late-night coffee, typed the final lines of code for Ultima VII. The world of Britannia was about to expand again, its citizens unaware that their creator was sitting in a pew, watching them come to life on a monochrome monitor. Outside, the Texas night was quiet, but inside, a universe was being born—one where a player could bake bread, poison a king, or chat with a horse, all because the code allowed for it.

Reader's Guide

Origin Systems was founded in 1983 by Richard Garriott, his brother Robert, and their father Owen. The company was initially based in the Garriotts' garage in Houston, Texas, before later moving to Austin. Origin published many non-Ultima games. Notable employees include Richard Garriott, Robert Garriott, Chris Roberts, Warren Spector, John Romero, and others. The company developed the Ultima and Wing Commander series, as well as the early graphical MMORPG Ultima Online.

Did You Know?

• Origin Systems was founded in the Garriotts' garage in Houston, Texas, not in Austin.
• The company's first game was Ultima III: Exodus.
• Origin survived the 1983 video game crash because its games were released on computers, not consoles.
• Electronic Arts acquired Origin in September 1992 for $35 million in stock.
• Origin released one of the earliest graphical MMORPGs, Ultima Online, in 1997.