Universal Interactive
defunct American video game publisher
Universal Interactive, Inc., formerly Universal Interactive Studios, Inc. until 2001, was an American video game publisher and a subsidiary of Vivendi Universal Games (now Vivendi Games). It was established on January 4, 1994, by Skip Paul and Robert Biniaz as a subsidiary of MCA Inc., later Universal Studios, Inc., and was based in Universal City, California. It was best known for producing and later publishing the Crash Bandicoot and Spyro platform game franchises. Other key releases include The Grinch (2000) and Hulk (2003).
In 2000, Universal Studios merged with Vivendi, resulting in the integration of Universal Interactive into Vivendi Universal Games. Universal Interactive continued as a label until 2004, when Vivendi began divesting ownership of Universal Studios, retaining the newly renamed Vivendi Games.
History
Predecessors (1982–1993)
MCA, parent of Universal Pictures, initially licensed video games directly as merchandise. In 1982, MCA licensed its film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial to Atari, securing a deal worth US$20–25 million after negotiations with Steven Spielberg and MCA president Sidney Sheinberg. The agreement, finalized in late July 1982, pressured Atari to rush development under programmer Howard Scott Warshaw, who had just five weeks to create the Atari 2600 title ahead of the Christmas release tied to the film's success.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Universal Interactive” is defunct American video game publisher. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Universal, Interactive and defunct, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “defunct American video game publisher” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
The citation trail is more important than the brevity of the summary: it shows where individual claims can be examined in context. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 9, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q25302602. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 2001, 1994, 2000 and 2003.
Overview language is designed for orientation and should not be treated as a substitute for the evidence cited beneath it. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Universal Interactive”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Universal Interactive primary sources, Universal Interactive archive and Universal research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Universal Interactive”?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
- Which cited source is closest to the event, object or claim?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Universal Interactive” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.