Why should the rather racily-named Activision Inc – a pretty good name as names in this business go – decide to change its name to the much less catchy Mediagenic? The Menlo Park, California company has been trying to explain. The former computer games software specialist says that it is intent on driving the growth of emerging software market sectors, including personal information management and telecommunications, for both MS-DOS and Macintosh micros. Strategic acquisitions, corporate alliances and affiliated publisher relationships will continue to position Mediagenic for long-term growth in both the MS-DOS and Macintosh markets, president and chief executive Bruce Davis told the company’s annual meeting last week: We expect our move into the MS-DOS business presentation market will be boosted by the pending acquisition of ZSoft Corp, an Atlanta-based developer of leading MS-DOS-based graphics and presentation programs. Samna Corp thought it had wrapped up acquisition of ZSoft at Comdex/Spring time, but was pipped by Mediagenic. Activision was one of the first out with applications for Apple’s Hypercard program, and Davis noted that the company wants to build on its early entry into the market under its new name. In pioneering the first commercial market applications for HyperCard, we have also developed a close relationship with Apple, he declared. Our continued commitment to HyperCard is a key factor of our strategy for continued growth, he said, making his point by using a HyperCard presentation to highlight the company’s fiscal 1988 financial and operating performance, give projected industry revenues for the 1988 calendar year and outline the company’s fiscal 1989 expectations. In addition to citing plans for the company’s growth in the presentation tools area, Davis made it clear that Mediagenic is not deserting its roots, pointing out that by signing on as Sega’s first video game licensee and marketing a record 26 entertainment software titles from company-owned and affiliated publishers this autumn, the $45m-a year company will cement its leadership position in the entertainment software industry. But Nintendo allocations, and softening demand for Atari 2600 game cartridges, will slow growth of video game sales.
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