Explore the early days of Disney’s foray into video games, focusing on the company’s collaboration with Sierra On-Line during the 1980s. The episode covers the background of Disney’s interest in emerging technology under CEO Ron Miller, the animation studio’s response to the home video and gaming boom, and how Sierra On-Line grew from a family-run business into a leader in graphic adventure games. Listeners will hear about the creation of classic games like Mystery House and the influence of pioneers Ken and Roberta Williams, as well as Sierra’s partnerships with Jim Henson (for The Dark Crystal) and with Disney for educational “edutainment” software. The episode also discusses the development of titles such as Winnie the Pooh in the Hundred Acre Wood, Mickey’s Space Adventure, Donald Duck’s Playground, and The Black Cauldron. Eric explains the challenges of licensing Disney IP, why Sierra eventually moved on from Disney collaborations, and how shifts in Disney leadership impacted the future of Disney video games. This is part one of a series on Disney gaming history, with future episodes covering Disney’s relationship with Capcom and the rise of the Disney video game empire.

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