Distinctive Software
 | |
| Industry | Video games |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1982 |
| Defunct | 1991 |
| Fate | Merged into EA Canada |
| Successor | EA Canada |
| Headquarters | , Canada |
Key people | Don Mattrick Jeff Sember Paul Lee Tarrnie Williams Bruce McMillan |
| Products | Test Drive series 4D Sports series |
| Parent | Electronic Arts |
Distinctive Software Inc. (DSI) was a Canadian video game developer established in Burnaby, British Columbia, by Don Mattrick and Jeff Sember after their success with the game Evolution.[1] Mattrick (age 17) and Jeff Sember approached Sydney Development Corporation, who agreed to publish Evolution in 1982.[2] Distinctive Software was the predecessor to EA Canada.[1]
Distinctive Software was best known in the late 1980s for their ports, racing and sports games, including the Test Drive series and Stunts.
DSI also made sports games like 4D Boxing, and the second title in the Hardball series, Hardball II.
In 1991, DSI was acquired by Electronic Arts in a deal worth US$10 million and became EA Canada.[3][1]
Trade-named as Unlimited Software, Inc., and lawsuit
In 1989, programmers Pete Gardner and the "Old Kid" (Amory Wong) of DSI, under the pseudonym USI (Unlimited Software, Inc.), converted Sega's arcade game Out Run into a DOS version. For Out Run, they used several software libraries they had developed for Test Drive II. Consequently, Accolade charged that DSI violated a working agreement, and sued. Accolade sought a preliminary injunction against the distribution and sale of Out Run. Distinctive Software argued that it had only used source code that did routine functions, such as clearing the video screen and that Accolade did not own a copyright on those functions. Accolade argued that their contract for Test Drive II gave them the ownership and copyright of the final product—the game—and the source code used to create it. Distinctive Software won; the court ruled that "the licensing agreement transfers to Accolade the copyright to the concept and design of the video game but not the underlying source code." The court also found that Accolade had failed to demonstrate that the balance of hardships was in its favor.[4]
Notable games
References
- ^ a b c Zinn, Jacob (September 5, 2014). "EA Canada pushes boundaries in Burnaby". Burnaby Now. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
- ^ Kyllo, Blaine (January 28, 2009). "Case: Vancouver's video game family tree [C]". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
- ^ "COMPANY NEWS; Electronic Arts To Buy Distinctive". The New York Times. June 18, 1991.
- ^ Dannenberg, Ross (May 30, 2005). "Case: Accolade v. Distinctive (N.D.Cal. 1990) [C]". Patent Arcade. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
External links
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- Electronic Arts
- Video game development companies
- Video game companies established in 1982
- Video game companies disestablished in 1991
- Defunct video game companies of Canada
- Companies based in Burnaby
- Defunct companies of British Columbia
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