ArgosyMTM Interactive

ArgosyMTM Interactive is the game development division of ArgosyMTM Group. It was founded in 1995 as MTM Interactive. It is based in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Origins
Argosy/MTM Video, the home entertainment division of Argosy Entertainment, formed an unit in 1982 to make video games for home computers based off its franchises. While other companies had deals to make licensed games, Argosy/MTM was the first to make its own games in-house. The interactive unit had two offices, one in Olympia, WA, and one in Raleigh, NC. In 1984, when Judy Garland Pictures joined the home video venture, it also joined the interactive venture.

NES era
Judy Garland/Argosy Media/MTM Home Video Interactive Group was renamed as simply MTM Games in 1986, and began producing games for the then-rising NES platform, through a special agreement with Nintendo of America. Most of these games were based on existing Argosy/MTM franchises, though some such as the popular Colt’s Crushin’ were original IPs. It was still a subsidiary of the home video unit until 1991.

MTM Interactive Studios
In December 1990, TVS Entertainment (owners of Argosy and MTM at the time) announced that it was reorganizing MTM Games into a new division dedicated to publishing computer and video game console software, called MTM Interactive Studios. The initial staff consisted of 200 newly hired employees. The reorganized company was established in January 4, 1991.

Argosy Computer Software
In 1994, Argosy Media started its own in-house PC gaming unit, Argosy Computer Software (ACS). ACS was generally used as a secondary development studios for Argosy New Media and MTM Interactive Studios to design spin-off games using its existing portfolio of characters. ACS had little success attributed by senior International Family Entertainment executives due to low product quality. The few market successes were third party published games based on major Argosy animated series.

Merger of ACS and MIS
In 1996, MTM Enterprises, owned by International Family Entertainment at the time, merged MTM Interactive Studios and ACS into its new video game division, known as MTM Interactive. The company was ran out of Raleigh, NC, in a trailer park, and mainly made licensed games based on MTM and other IFE properties. Argosy/MTM related companies had been involved in the game industry before, mainly operating second-party studios for Nintendo such as MTM Games and Argosy Games.

Expansion into original IPs
In 1997, it was decided that MTM Interactive would start making original intellectual properties, as licensed games from non-Disney-related companies had a bad reputation, due to companies like LJN. Peter Bullard and Jihee Nam, who had previously worked on licensed games within the company, were hired to work on a new game, originally meant to be an Aaron game, for the then-upcoming Game Boy Color. It was decided that instead of the fictional Lakeside City (based on Seattle) populated with anthropomorphic cats, a fictionalized version of Raleigh, NC, where the game unit was headquartered, would be the setting of the game. The name, Mitchell van Morgan, came from the name of Bullard’s two sons, with a “van” inserted in between. The game, Mitchell van Morgan, came out as a launch title for the GBC, and started a successful franchise.

In 2000, due to reorganizations at Corus Entertainment (Argosy and MTM’s parent company at the time), the company was placed within its own unit, and another label was launched, known as Argosy Interactive, for games based on existing properties within the Argosy brand.