Sierra Plans for the Future

Sierra On-Line, a member of the Cendant Software group, has announced a new internal brand structure to differentiate its many groups of entertainment and productivity titles. Sierra has also announced its lineup of titles due later this year and the beginning of next (most will be on the E3 floor).

Here's what's going on internally at the game giant. The new divisions are:

Sierra Attractions, which will feature family and board-style games, stemming mostly from Berkeley Systems' famous brand titles and Sierra's Hoyle license. Titles include You Don't know Jack volume 4 (November), You Don't Know Jack The Irreverent Collection (November), the After Dark Game Pack (November), HeadRush (August), Don't Touch That Dial (October), and a few Hoyle Classic games.

Sierra FX is situated around titles developed by the Oakhurst, California-based Yosemite Entertainment whose focus is on high-profile games. Titles to be released this year include Quest for Glory V: Dragon Fire (September), Police Quest: SWAT 2 (this month), and Babylon 5 Space Combat (early 1999). Sierra FX is also continuing development on the online multiplayer game The Realm as well as develop a new online multiplayer fantasy game based on J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-Earth, and a game based on the novels written by author Richard Marcinko.

Sierra Sports of course is built around Papyrus and the sports division of Dynamix. Titles include Gran Prix Legends (August), Sierra Sports Golf Pro '99 (September), Sierra Sports Basketball '99 (November), NASCAR Racing 3 (November), NASCAR Racing 2 50th Anniversary Special Edition (July), Sierra Sports Football Pro 99 (September), and Fantasy Sports Pro 99 (July).

Sierra Studios will feature some of Sierra's familiar titles and sequels, including Impressions. Titles include Half-Life (summer), King's Quest: Mask of Eternity (fall), Gabriel Knight III: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned (fall), Homeworld (fall), Caesar III (fall), and Return to Krondor (fall).

Dynamix will continue developing its own line of unique games outside of the sports realm, including Starsiege (September), Starsiege: Tribes (November), Cyberstorm 2: Corporate Wars (June), Leisure Suit Larry's Casino (this month), and Driver's Education '99 (October).

The last Sierra division, Sierra Home, will include all of the company's productivity lines, including the MasterCook series, USA 98: Streets & Destinations, Generations Deluxe, Paint Artist 4.0 Platinum, Sierra Complete Home and LandDesigner 3D 4.5.

"We are very excited about our new consumer brand focus, an evolution to meet the growth of the industry," said Chris McCleod, CEO of Cendant Software. "Sierra and its family of brands are designed to get closer to the expanding customer base by creating meaning and sense of community brand by brand."