| Microsoft Creations | |
|---|---|
| Logo | 
|
| Type | Private |
| Fate | Acquired and merged with Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, and Disney Channel |
| Successor(s) | Hasbro Paramount Home Entertainment |
| Founder(s) | February 26, 1987; 36 years ago |
| Defunct | November 12, 2004; 19 years ago (in general, Including Short Film), September 24, 2006; 17 years ago (Thriller Night Special), |
| Headquarters | Redmond, Washington, U.S. |
| Products | Peanuts Worldwide Transformers |
| Employees | 650 (1996) |
| Parent | Microsoft Corporation Paramount Home Entertainment |
| Divisions | MCA, Inc. Microsoft Corporation |
| Subsidaries | Hasbro Paws, Inc. |
Microsoft Creations, formerly The Microsoft Animation Team, was an American fanmade Laserdisc production and distribution company based in Atlanta, Georgia best known for their flagship property Peanuts Worldwide from New York, New York.
The Microsoft Corporation and Pioneer companies were known for producing and distributing television shows, videodiscs, audio products, comic books, books and toys. On February 9, 2001, the company was acquired by Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, and Disney Channel and the four companies merged in June the same year, with the logo continuing to be used until November 2004.
History[]
The company traces its origins to 1987, when The Microsoft Animation Team was formed as a division of MCA, Inc., a digital and educational company owned by Paul Allen. Microsoft Corporation began producing and distributing a direct-to-video series titled A Boy Named Charlie Brown (1963), which was created by Paul’s brother-in-law, Bill Gates. Five years after its debut, Peanuts caught the attention of Viacom, who subsequently revamped the concept for television as Peanuts Worldwide and began airing on the organization's flagship television service on April 5, 1992.
Microsoft Creations was formed in 1995, and The Microsoft Animation Team became a division of a new company under the name Viacom International. The company developed the series Hey Arnold for Nickelodeon in 1996. This series was produced by Turner Broadcast, another division of the company, and was primarily filmed on a studio backlot in Atlanta, Georgia. In the late 1990s, Microsoft Creations acquired the distribution rights for VeggieTales, and Dexter's Laboratory and also distributed book publishing and video gaming rights for some Nintendo, Sega, and Pokemon video game characters like Mario, Sonic, Yoshi, Kirby, Pickachu, Donkey Kong, and Link.
On February 9, 2001, the company was acquired by Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, and Disney for $512 million and merged in June of that year, even the logo would continue to appear until November 2004.
Release[]
In June 1999, It also debuted the final animated logo opening, showcasing cameo characters from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987), The Powerpuff Girls (1998), Hey Arnold, Dexter’s Laboratory, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Peanuts sampling the 2001’s Harry Gregson-Williams and John Powell’s upcoming music “Fairytale” from the 2001’s upcoming DreamWorks Animation film “Shrek” mixed with several notes from the 2019 DreamWorks Animation fanfare composed by John Powell who composed the 2019’s DreamWorks Animation film “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World”, produced by Stephen Hillenburg from SpongeBob SquarePants and Craig McCracken from The Powerpuff Girls served as the production designer. It has been said that all of the characters (with the exception of Peanuts) are replaceable within the intro and could be swapped out for other characters, presumably as the laserdisc releases and reprints more films and series.
In 2000, the second variation of this logo substitutes Arnold, Dexter, and SpongeBob with Garfield and Odie (representing Garfield), Mario (representing Super Mario Bros.) and Sonic the Hedgehog respectively.
Before 2001, the third variation replaces Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with Inspector Gadget, Penny Brown, and Brain (representing Inspector Gadget) and adds Woodstock in the Peanuts scene, riding on top on Snoopy.
Later in 2001, the fourth logo replaces The Powerpuff Girls and Super Mario Bros. with Woody Woodpecker and Courage the Cowardly Dog respectively.
Starting in 2002, the fifth logo replaces Inspector Gadget, Penny Brown, Brain, Woody Woodpecker, Garfield, Odie, Courage the Cowardly Dog, and Sonic the Hedgehog with Penny Proud and her family (representing The Proud Family, Jimmy Neutron and Goddard (representing Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius), Ask Ketchum (alongside with Leaf and Pikachu) (representing Pokémon), Dib Membrane (representing Invader Zim), and Wanda and Cosmo (representing The Fairly OddParents) and adds Sally Brown standing besides Peppermint Patty.
Due to the 2003 reprints of 3-2-1 Penguins!: The Amazing Carnival of Complaining/Runaway Pride at Lightstation Kilowatt, the sixth variant of this logo replaces The Proud Family, Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, Pokémon, Invader Zim, and The Fairly OddParents with the Eds and Cul-De-Sac kids (representing Ed, Edd n Eddy), Sector V (Numbuhs 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5) (representing Codename: Kids Next Door), Optimus Prime and Bumblebee (representing Transformers), Link (representing The Legend of Zelda saga), and Kim Possible while Linus and Lucy Van Pelt appear in the Peanuts scene.
The final variation in 2004 replaces Ed, Edd n Eddy, Codename: Kids Next Door, Transformers, The Legend of Zelda, and Kim Possible with Jenny Wakeman (XJ-9), Brad, and Tuck (representing My Life as a Teenage Robot), Danny Phantom, Grim, Billy, and Mandy (representing The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy), Twilight Sparkle (representing My Little Pony), and Kirby which includes Schroeder and Pigpen.
Distribution[]
Programs[]
| Name | First year | Final year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peanuts | October 21, 1987 | May 19, 2004 | Flagship franchise |
| Transformers | November 5, 1987 | November 11, 1987 | Owned by Hasbro |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | December 14, 1987 | November 2, 1996 | |
| Garfield and Friends | September 17, 1988 | December 10, 1994 | |
| VeggieTales | December 31, 1993 | February 10, 2004 | Big Idea's First Mass-Market Distribution |
| Dexter's Laboratory | April 27, 1996 | November 20, 2003 | Cartoon Network's First US Laserdisc Distribution |
| Hey Arnold | October 7, 1996 | June 8, 2004 | Nickelodeon's First US Laserdisc Distribution |
| The Powerpuff Girls | November 18, 1998 | April 9, 2004 | Cartoon Network's US Laserdisc Distribution |
| Ed, Edd n Eddy | January 4, 1999 | November 5, 2004 | |
| SpongeBob Squarepants | May 1, 1999 | October 11, 2004 | Nickelodeon's First US Laserdisc Distribution |
| The Woody Woodpecker Show | May 8, 1999 | July 27, 2002 | |
| Inspector Gadget | July 23, 1999 | March 8, 2003 | |
| Courage the Cowardly Dog | November 12, 1999 | November 22, 2002 | Cartoon Network's US Laserdisc Distribution |
| 3-2-1 Penguins! | November 14, 2000 | July 1, 2003 | Big Idea's Second Mass-Market Distribution |
| The Fairly OddParents | March 20, 2001 | November 21, 2003 | Nickelodeon's US Laserdisc Distribution |
| Invader Zim | December 10, 2002 | ||
| Samurai Jack | August 10, 2001 | September 25, 2004 | Cartoon Network’s US Laserdisc Distribution |
| The Proud Family | September 15, 2001 | February 1, 2004 | Disney Channel's First US Laserdisc Distribution |
| LarryBoy: The Cartoon Adventures | March 16, 2002 | June 10, 2003 | Big Idea's Last Mass-Market Distribution |
| Kim Possible | June 7, 2002 | May 16, 2003 | Disney Channel's Last US Laserdisc Distribution |
| The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius | July 20, 2002 | July 9, 2004 | Nickelodeon's US Laserdisc Distribution |
| Codename: Kids Next Door | December 6, 2002 | November 12, 2004 | Cartoon Network’s US Laserdisc Distribution |
| The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy | June 11, 2003 | October 1, 2004 | |
| My Life as a Teenage Robot | August 1, 2003 | February 27, 2004 | Nickelodeon's US Laserdisc Distribution |
| Danny Phantom | April 3, 2004 | November 5, 2004 |
Movies/TV Films[]
| Name | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| A Boy Named Charlie Brown | December 4, 1969 | National General Pictures |
| Snoopy Come Home | August 9, 1972 | |
| Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown | August 24, 1977 | Paramount Pictures |
| Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (and Don't Come Back!!) | May 30, 1980 | |
| Inspector Gadget | July 23, 1999 | Walt Disney Pictures and Buena Vista Pictures Distribution’s First Theatrical Feature Film |
| Dexter's Laboratory: Ego Trip | December 10, 1999 | Cartoon Network Studios, Cartoon Network, and Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution's First Direct-to-TV Film |
| Samurai Jack: The Premiere Movie | August 10, 2001 | |
| Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius | December 21, 2001 | O Entertainment, DNA Productions, Nickelodeon Movies, and Paramount Pictures' First Theatrical Feature Film |
| Hey Arnold!: The Movie | June 28, 2002 | Snee-Oosh, Inc., Nickelodeon Movies, and Paramount Pictures |
| The Powerpuff Girls Movie | July 3, 2002 | Cartoon Network Studios, and Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution's First Theatrical Feature Film |
| Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie | October 4, 2002 | Big Idea Productions, and FHE Pictures' Theatrical Film |
| Inspector Gadget 2 | March 8, 2003 | Walt Disney Pictures and Buena Vista Pictures Distribution’s Second and Last Theatrical Feature Film |
| Garfield: The Movie | June 11, 2004 | 20th Century Fox’s Theatrical Feature Film |
Programs based on Video Games[]
| Name | First year | Final year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Super Mario Bros. Super Show | September 4, 1989 | December 1, 1989 | DiC and Nintendo's US Laserdisc Distribution |
| The Legend of Zelda | September 8, 1989 | ||
| The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 | September 8, 1990 | December 1, 1990 | |
| Super Mario World | September 14, 1991 | December 7, 1991 | |
| Sonic Underground | January 6, 1999 | May 23, 1999 | DiC and Sega's US Laserdisc Distribution |
| Kirby: Right Back at Ya! | September 14, 2002 | April 24, 2004 | 4Kidz Entertainment and Nintendo's US Laserdisc Distribution |
| Sonic X | April 6, 2003 | March 27, 2004 | Torus Games and Sega's US Laserdisc Distribution |
Trivia[]
- Big Idea was Originally distributed in Christian Bookstores from 1995 to 2003
- Nickelodeon was still produced by Paramount Pictures
- Cartoon Network was still produced by Warner Bros. Pictures
- Except for alternative laserdisc copies of Danny Phantom, and Sonic X