Access Software

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Access Software was an American video game developer founded in 1982 by Bruce Carver. The company was known for creating popular video games, particularly in the sports and adventure genres. Access Software is best known for its Links series of golf simulation games and the Tex Murphy series of adventure games.

History[edit | edit source]

Access Software was established in 1982 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The company initially focused on developing software for the Commodore 64 and Apple II platforms. One of their early successes was the golf simulation game Leaderboard, which was released in 1986. This game set the stage for the highly successful Links series.

In the early 1990s, Access Software expanded into the adventure game genre with the release of Tex Murphy: Mean Streets in 1989. The game featured a unique blend of full-motion video (FMV) and 3D graphics, which became a hallmark of the Tex Murphy series.

Notable Games[edit | edit source]

Links Series[edit | edit source]

The Links series is one of Access Software's most successful franchises. The series began with Links: The Challenge of Golf in 1990 and continued with several sequels, including Links 386 Pro and Links LS. The games were praised for their realistic graphics and gameplay, setting a new standard for golf simulations.

Tex Murphy Series[edit | edit source]

The Tex Murphy series is a collection of adventure games featuring the titular private investigator, Tex Murphy. The series includes titles such as Tex Murphy: Under a Killing Moon, Tex Murphy: The Pandora Directive, and Tex Murphy: Overseer. These games were notable for their use of FMV and branching storylines.

Acquisition and Legacy[edit | edit source]

In 1999, Access Software was acquired by Microsoft. The acquisition led to the development of Links 2001 and Links 2003 under the Microsoft Games label. However, in 2004, Microsoft closed Access Software, and many of its employees moved on to form Indie Built, which was later acquired by Take-Two Interactive.

The legacy of Access Software lives on through the continued popularity of the Links and Tex Murphy series. The Tex Murphy series saw a revival with the release of Tex Murphy: Tesla Effect in 2014, developed by Big Finish Games, a company founded by former Access Software employees.