News Collection: Point of Origin

2011.256 (September 13, 2011)

Point of Origin

One great way to learn about the development of Wing Commander III is through Origin's internal 'Point of Origin' newsletter, which chronicled the process from the point of view of the developers themselves. Here are the issues relevant to WC3's development and release: Vol. III, No. 46 Vol.

2010.223 (August 11, 2010)

Documents - Point of Origin

There are even two more Point of Origin scans to post, thanks to the Origin Museum! We have not only a previously unposted 'Point of Origin Special Edition' featuring the results of a company-wide survey... but also the original internal memo which created the newsletter in the first place! Pretty cool.

2008.092 (April 1, 2008)

Point of Origin: It's New!

Origin Systems, Inc. doesn't have an internal newsletter -- yet! But thanks to OSI fan Joe Garrity we know that's about to change! Check out the following internal memo from Fred Schmidt and Dallas Snell: In an effort to promote communication within the organization, we will be creating a company newsletter, Point of Origin.

2008.059 (February 28, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. VIII, No. 2-2

After dozens of updates on the subject we finally reach the last issue of The Point of Origin - October 30, 1998. It features a particularly apt spotlight story: "Ultima Online Takes Over the World." Indeed Origin would last for another five years -- but without Wing Commander or (apparently) a newsletter. We hope you've enjoyed these features.

2008.058 (February 27, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. VIII, No. 2

The penultimate issue of The Point of Origin, June 13, 1998, includes only a single mention of Wing Commander. Can this really be the end? Tune in next time to find out. A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place!

2008.057 (February 26, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. VIII, No. 1

We've now gone an entire year without an issue of The Point of Origin - and this February 20th, 1998 issue is the first of three available for this year. What's more, 1998 is the end of the line... but at least we get to see some reaction to Prophecy! A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place!

2008.056 (February 25, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. VII, No. 1

The lens begins to cloud - the February 14 issue of The Point of Origin is the only one archived for 1997... and indications are that no others exist. Luckily for Wing Commander fans, it includes an article specifically on the status of Maverick Productions. A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place!

2008.055 (February 24, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. VI, No. 9

We are approaching the end of The Point of Origin - this (December 19, 1996) is the last regular issue (in Origin's archive, anyway.) After the end of 1996 there are only one or two each year... and they disappear completely by 1999. A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place!

2008.054 (February 23, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. VI, No. 8

It's a spooky Halloween issue of The Point of Origin - October, 1996. Well, no, it isn't - but it does have some details on one of the great legends of Wing Commander development... J. Allen Brack's yelling at Chris Roberts!

2008.053 (February 22, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. VI, No. 7

This issue of The Point of Origin (September 20) represents a high water mark for Wing Commander fandom -- with a whole host of amazing spinoffs getting ready to appear. Who can forget the anticipation as we read these very articles about Privateer 2, Wing Commander Academy and Kilrathi Saga? A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place! In Ink has some material on Privateer 2: Two months ago, PC Gamer editors made their way to Austin to see what was cooking.

2008.052 (February 21, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. VI, No. 6

One thing that should be clear in this August 9, 1996 edition of The Point of Origin is that the heart and soul of Origin certainly isn't dead - check out their company-wide assassination game and their award winning raft race rafts... not the only impressive Squid they'll be designing this year! A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place! What the hell is up with...

2008.051 (February 20, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. VI, No. 5

The ball has dropped - Chris Roberts and Warren Spector are gone. Richard Garriot and Mike Grajeda address the company about future plans in this June 28, 1996 issue of The Point of Origin. It also talks about one of Origin's saddest 'lost game' stories -- Technosaur, a game developed entirely by a team which worked its way up from QA. A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place!

2008.050 (February 19, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. VI, No. 4

The May 17, 1996 issue of The Point of Origin has all sorts of news from one of the first big E3 trade shows... and lots of information about the changing (?) corporate culture at Origin. Check out that article on 'the flow'...

2008.049 (February 18, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. VI, No. 3

April 5th, 1996: Wing Commander IV is out and Wing Commander Prophecy is 18 months away... what do we have to look forward to? The Darkening, Kilrathi Saga, Wing Commander Academy, a variety of ports... 1996-97 was actually a golden age for Wing Commander!

2008.048 (February 17, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. VI, No. 2

Wing Commander IV is launched -- as is the Origin website which many of you may remember from way back when. There's even a picture... it certainly brings back memories of my misspent youth. Speaking of pictures, be sure to look at the actual PDF - it's chock full of Wing Commander IV and Darkening development team snapshots.

2008.047 (February 16, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. VI, No. 1

The most interesting fact in this January 15th, 1996 issue of The Point of Origin? The City Council of Austin declared December 14th, 1995 to be Paul Baker and George Oldziey Day. Someone make a note so we can celebrate this year... A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place!

2008.046 (February 15, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. V, No. 11

It's the last issue of The Point of Origin of the year - and you won't find a year with this many issues again. Now... where's Wing Commander IV? Old fans well remember the awful two-month shipping delay announced at the beginning of December...

2008.045 (February 14, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. V, No. 10

Introducing the Origin logo you all remember! That's right, the familiar blue and white 'marbled' starbust didn't show up until November 1995! All the details of its lengthy creation process can be found in this issue of The Point of Origin... A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place!

2008.044 (February 13, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. V, No. 9

The big news in the October 6, 1995 issue of The Point of Origin is the release of Crusader -- which seems to be a surprise hit. It's interesting how little attention the game has seen so far -- it kind of makes you wonder which of Origin's similarly original cancelled titles might have had the same impact. A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place! Creative Services wins awards says: "ORIGIN Creative Services has just been honored by Graphic Design: USA magazine with two American Graphic Design Awards!

2008.043 (February 12, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. V, No. 8

The September 8th, 1995 issue of Point of Origin has a lot of CyberMage and a lot of Longbow... but not much Wing Commander. It's interesting that we don't hear anything about Privateer 2 beyond the monthly collections of press clippings. A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place!

2008.042 (February 11, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. V, No. 7

Future Origin historians looking for a specific 'everything changes' point need look no further than the July 28, 1995 issue of The Point of Origin. It's all there -- from the move to the final building to the addition of the Jane's and Origin UK lines to the first mention of the game that will change everything (Multima.) Another interesting thing to note is how quickly the amount of press for Wing COmmander III has disappeared, compared to previous product cycles where reviews and awards and best-of lists were still rolling in years later. A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place!

2008.041 (February 10, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. V, No. 6

New building! The June 9, 1995 issue of the Point of Origin chronicles Origin's final move - to the building most of our readers associate with the company. A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place! In Ink...

2008.040 (February 9, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. V, No. 5

E3? Never heard of it... the May 5th, 1995 is the last issue before the first-ever E3 show! A lot of space goes to praising Bioforge, a very underappreciated 'interactive movie' title that maybe unfortunately was lost in all the excitement of Wing Commander III.

2008.039 (February 8, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. V, No. 4

With the Arena artwork finished it looks like we're going to have to do one of these every day until the collection runs out! This is the April 7, 1995 issue of The Point of Origin -- and Wing Commander III is still on everyone's minds. A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place! In Ink has even more about WCIII: Meanwhile the Wing Commander III juggernaut keeps on rolling.

2008.037 (February 6, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. V, No. 3

Bioforge is GO in the March, 1995 issue of The Point of Origin. Will Origin's second big-budget 'interactive movie' do as well as Wing Commander... or will the concept of CGI and gameplay-based cinematics be abandoned for another decade? The answers, right now: no and yes.

2008.035 (February 4, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. V, No. 2

A computer virus hits Origin in this February, 1995 edition of The Point of Origin -- surely a sign of all that the newly charted information superhighway will eventually bring the company. Until that happens, though, there's lots of praise for Wing Commander III... A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place! In Ink has the reactions we knew were coming!

2008.033 (February 2, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. V, No. 1

Could it be? After five years, the team behind The Point of Origin has learned how magazines are numbered! Vol. V, No.

2008.031 (January 31, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. IV, No. 61

This issue of The Point of Origin represents a time most of us remember fondly - the release of Wing Commander III! The rare Origin product that shipped on time, Wing Commander III completely changed the face of gaming -- with effects which last to this day. But how was the launch felt at Origin? A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place!

2008.029 (January 29, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. IV, No. 60

Warning - the October 7th, 1994 issue of The Point of Origin contains a photograph of a man kissing Wing Commander Armada... so download it quick! The drought of Wing Commander references is ending -- nearly every article mentions the series in some way! A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place!

2008.027 (January 27, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. IV, No. 59

September 9, 1994 and the release of Wing Commander III is getting closer! We're also starting to see the first mentions of Crusader, another future-classic currently in development. In terms of actual WC mentions, though, it's the calm before the storm... A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place!

2008.025 (January 25, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. IV, No. 58

This is a short one - the August 12, 1994 issue of The Point of Origin doesn't have much about Wing Commander... but it's chock full of company culture! Coming up with all of those funny sports team names sounds like a full time job in itself... A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place!

2008.023 (January 23, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. IV, No. 57

The Point of Origin has an all-new look -- it's more professional, more fashionable and less home-spun. Is this the first sign of things to come? Let's see what's inside... (Actually, the honest reaction to Pacific Strike seems fairly interesting to me.

2008.021 (January 21, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. IV, No. 56

The June 3, 1994 issue of 'The' Point of Origin has even more from the set of Wing Commander III -- and a few references to things happening behind the scenes, like the cancellation of Pacific Strike CD. The sad thing is that the voices were already recorded -- are they still out there somewhere? With the absence of an Origin flight sim community there's no one to fight for such things... A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place!

2008.019 (January 19, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. IV, No. 55

May 6, 1994: This isn't Point of Origin... it's The Point of Origin, now edited by David Swofford. What do these changes mean? A lot more Wing Commander, apparently!

2008.017 (January 17, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. IV, No. 54

The March, 1994 issue of Point of Origin is full of interesting Wing Commander references, including a mention of 'trial' versions of Academy and Origin FX that I had not heard of before. The most interesting thing, though, is another passing mention of 'Bounty Hunter' -- here called "our most futuristic product." What was it? A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place!

2008.015 (January 15, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. IV, No. 53

The promised 1994 'Valentines Day' issue of Point of Origin doesn't have much romance... but it does profile one past and one future Wing Commander developer. All in all, though, 1994 seems pretty quiet - with all the talk about Bioforge and Super Wing Commander, there's little to suggest the sheer size of currently-simmering Wing Commander III. A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place!

2008.013 (January 13, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. IV, No. 52

January 28, 1994 - the first Point of Origin of the year! This one includes a big story from CES, where both Super Wing Commander and the Interactive Movie line were officially launched. There's also an interesting note in the In Print section... about an appearance by Privateer in the TV show Viper.

2008.011 (January 11, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. III, No. 51

Issue 51 ("December") marks the end of 1993 for Point of Origin -- and marks the start of some changes. From this point on the newsletter will be published monthly... so there will be fewer issues a year from the point on. That's good news for those who are eager to see Wing Commander III and IV's releases.

2008.009 (January 9, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. III, No. 50

3DO! 3DO! It's funny to look back at all this positive press about the 3DO - because in retrospect it certainly feels like the initial pricepoint doomed the system before anyone even had a chance to try it out. Nevertheless, it gave us two excellent Wing Commander games...

2008.007 (January 7, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. III, No. 49

Happy Halloween! This spooky issue of Point of Origin celebrates the release of Shadowcaster... will this unconventional 'not quite Origin' release live up to the company's past standards? In a word...

2008.005 (January 5, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. III, No. 48

Privateer has been released! At this time, October 13, 1993, it's too early to tell how it will sell or how it will be reviewed... but the early signs are positive! A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place!

2008.003 (January 3, 2008)

Point of Origin: Vol. III, No. 47

This September 24, 1993 issue of Point of Origin is interesting because it includes a firsthand account of displaying Origin games at a tradeshow; you can find relevant portions quoted below. On a sad note, this is also the Point of Origin which includes an article on Brian Smith and his amazing spaceship model. A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place! Bueno: San Diego is a nice article about showing Privateer at a convention: First of all, I would like to thank Dallas and Jean-Marc for letting one of the Privateer team members go with me to the San Diego Computer Fair.

2007.365 (December 31, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. III, No. 46

The September 10, 1993 issue of Point of Origin suggests that a lot of energy is being put into selling Privateer... and getting ready for Ultima VIII! Given the newsletter's reaction to slightly negative reviews of Strike Commander, the press response to that game next year should prove fascinating. In other news, Chris Roberts has been promoted to Vice President!

2007.363 (December 29, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. III, No. 45

There's nothing too exciting in the August 27, 1993 issue of Point of Origin... several projects are continuing in development as planned, and there's no huge end-of-quarter rush like there was in the previous year. One thing I think we're starting to see here is an increased corporatization of Origin - check out the 'Dear Point Man' answers this time around to see what I mean... although these recent issues have insisted that Origin is independent from EA's normal setup, it looks like the partnership is starting to take its toll.

2007.361 (December 27, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. III, No. 44

This is a cool issue... it features the famous org chart that eventually lead to the Wing Commander Universe Map's 'Dallas' system! Check out page 2 for the 'Dallas-Everyone Else' graphic. The August 16th reminder is advice we should all keep in mind, too - don't forget to buy your burger!

2007.358 (December 24, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. III, No. 43

The July 30, 1993 issue of Point of Origin marks the release of Wing Commander Academy... in a very low-key fashion. Will the mission editor sell as expected? We'll find out in the near future!

2007.356 (December 22, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. III, No. 51

Goodbye, 1993 - you were a good year for Wing Commander. Issue 51 marks the last Point of Origin of the year, meaning that we're about to move on to Volume IV! Many consider 1993 to have been the greatest year of Origin's history... and it was certainly the most successful we've seen to date.

2007.354 (December 20, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. III, No. 42

This issue of Point of Origin (July 16, 1993) comes with a pretty gold seal - which means that the company has scored yet another prestigious award! Nothing earth-shattering in this issue - although there's an interesting reference to MetalMorph (here Cyber Morph) being "the Space Commander game for SNES." What could that mean? A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place!

2007.352 (December 18, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. III, No. 41

The July 2, 1993 issue of Point of Origin is fairly quiet - the biggest news is that good progress has been made on the Ultima 7 Part 2 'add in' (The Silver Seed). There's plenty of Origin culture to be found here, but not much mention of Wing Commander... A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place! Pulse Check mentions that Academy is still being tested: "The QA side of the world has been busy, with 5, count 'em 5 games in test right now...

2007.350 (December 16, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. III, No. 40

The June 18, 1993 issue of Point of Origin is all about the 1993 CES show, where Origin showed two Wing Commander products (Academy and Privateer)! Apparently the presentation didn't go as well as years past, with other companies showing games that were closer to Origin's lineup than ever before. A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place! CES: The Gap Closes reports on the show's results: "Not to say we didn't have an impressive lineup: Pacific Strike, Shadowcaster, Privateer and Wing Commander Academy...

2007.348 (December 14, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. III, No. 39

The funny subheader makes its return to the May 21st, 1993 issue of Point of Origin ("A Texas Tradition"). It's hard to exactly gauge what's going on at this point... sales for Strike are apparently disappointing, but they also seem to be higher than almost everything else on the market. Was Strike Commander similar to Wing Commander IV in that respect?

2007.346 (December 12, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. III, No. 38

Bad news - Strike Commander isn't selling as well as expected. This issue of Point of Origin (May 7, 1993) advances several theories as to why... but lukewarm sales for a game that the company spent multiple years worth of development money on can't be good news. Another interesting point here is the first big news about 3DO - previous issues included speculation and rumors, but we hear for the first time now that both Chris Roberts and Richard Garriott have 3DO projects on the schedule.

2007.344 (December 10, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. III, No. 37

April 23rd, 1993 - it's Strike Commander day! This issue of Point of Origin begins to deal with Strike Commander's long-delayed aftermath... and it also immediately jumps into the next frontier, interactive movies. 'Interactive Movie #1' is profiled, the project which will eventually become Bioforge - and you just thought they stuck the IM logo on all the boxes after Wing Commander III was such a hit!

2007.342 (December 8, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. III, No. 36

The moment everyone has waited many, many years for is here: Strike Commander has shipped! As you can tell from the font size of the front page alone, the guys at Origin are very, very relieved. The game is due out April 23rd. Now Chris Roberts can work on Wing Commander III...

2007.340 (December 6, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. III, No. 35

March 26, 1993: Serpent Isle is out! This Point of Origin celebrates a release that has actually made it in under the wire. Initial reaction is positive... and we all know that Serpent Isle was an excellent game.

2007.338 (December 4, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. III, No. 34

This "Special SPA Issue" of Point of Origin is dated March 12, 1993... and, once again, Origin lost at the awards show. It's all treated very humorously, but you can be sure that this is exactly the kind of thing that would have driven Lord British crazy. Also note that the ORIGIN Music CD has been added to the company's library in this issue.

2007.336 (December 2, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. III, No. 33

The year seems to be starting out well, according to the February 26th, 1993 issue of Point of Origin. Both EA and the industry at large are interested in expanding the game development market in Austin, seemingly a direct result of Origin's past successes -- and we all know how that turned out! A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place! "End-Quote" has a few words of praise for the screensaver: "ORIGIN FX gets a nice mention in France's Generation 4, which writes: 'ORIGIN FX is simply fabulous and easy to use.

2007.334 (November 30, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. III, No. 32

The interesting thing in this issue is an article about new ways to market Origin games... and they're all part of a campaign to sell the Origin FX screensaver. What's funny is that they're all things which are very common today - things like online demos and elaborate store displays. Is anyone familiar with the Origin FX 'teaser' mentioned here?

2007.332 (November 28, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. III, No. 31

Happy New Year - and welcome to Vol. III of Point of Origin. This year starts similar to the last... with Strike Commander, two Ultima titles and Privateer in development.

2007.330 (November 26, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. II, No. 30

The news isn't good this holiday season: none of the products planned for a Christmas release were able to make it out in time. Origin FX came close, but won't be in stores quickly enough. Luckily, the EA purchase means Origin can survive the $2 million lost by delaying the games. A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place!

2007.328 (November 24, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. II, No. 29

Trade show season is here! This issue reports on Origin's preparations for CES, another important show... they'll be featured as part of EA's lineup for the first time. A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place!

2007.326 (November 22, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. II, No. 28

This special edition of Point of Origin is 'live' from COMDEX, one of the most important computer trade shows of the era. There isn't much about Wing Commander... but as you'll begin to note here, attempts to sell the Origin FX screensaver have begun! For those unfamiliar, Origin FX included several Wing Commander modules...

2007.324 (November 20, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. II, No. 27

The year is coming to a close, and Origin is headed to a new building! This issue of Point of Origin continues to report on the EA purchase and now on plans to move to the building most people remember as Origin HQ. It's also now clear that four products are shooting for the Christmas deadline: Strike Commander, ORIGIN FX, Ultima Underworld 2 and Serpent Isle. Will they make it?

2007.320 (November 16, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. II, No. 26

Here's the first issue of Point of Origin since the EA takeover... and anyone interested in that aspect of ORIGIN history will find a treasure trove of information here. What did the purchase mean for the two companies' competing management styles? What did it mean for the employees caught in the middle?

2007.318 (November 14, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. II, No. 25

It's the end of the beginning - Origin Systems has been sold to Electronic Arts! Many people don't realize that the purchase happened so early - in fact, EA was responsible for funding almost every Wing Commander release. Most of the issue is dedicated to explaining the deal and the new corporate organization... but there are a few references to Wing Commander.

2007.316 (November 12, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. II, No. 24

This is a fairly quiet issue of Point of Origin. It includes an extensive bio of Mike Harrison, who wrote the Wing Commander I & II Ultimate Strategy Guide... but the most interesting note may not have anything to do with WC. A picture of a VR helmet includes a caption which says that such technology might be used with Ultima X, a future Strike Commander or 'Bounty Hunter'.

2007.314 (November 10, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. II, No. 23

The end of the year is approaching, but there's no major news about Origin's major projects scheduled for Christmas - Privateer, Ultima VII Part 2 and Strike Commander. This issue of Point of Origin mentions some interesting possibilities that didn't work out... including talks held about a Wing Commander comic book and the abandoned Genesis port of the original game. A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place!

2007.312 (November 8, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. II, No. 22

This is a big issue for those interested in the business history of Origin - with company basically inventing the idea of releasing classic games as 'budget' releases which continues to be a huge part of the market to this day! What game started that trend? Wing Commander, of course! There are some other interesting parts, too - like the fact that they hadn't yet settled on a name for Privateer and the announcement of the Origin FX screensaver.

2007.310 (November 6, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. II, No. 21

There's an interesting note in this article: Wing Commander I for the Amiga is still being developed! The game was actually listed in Origin's catalog three years earlier, as 'coming soon' when the MS-DOS original came out. A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place! Notes from Abroad has equal parts tragedy and triumph regarding Wing Commander Amiga: Believe it or not, Wing Commander/Amiga is on the way.

2007.308 (November 4, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. II, No. 20

It had to happen sooner or later - a Point of Origin newsletter that doesn't mention Wing Commander! We've included it for posterity... and because it answers another important question: why is mozzarella cheese so stretchy when heated? It's that kind of an issue - a short "holiday" edition (July 4th is Independence Day and Richard Garriott's birthday) which focuses on a recent New York trade show.

2007.306 (November 2, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. II, No. 19

Surprise - Special Ops 2 has shipped! You wouldn't even know the game was in development, from the last bunch of Point of Origin updates... but on June 19, 1992 it takes center stage. Well, not entirely - check out the 'Dear Point Man' segment, which mentions rumors of some involvement with Electronic Arts...

2007.304 (October 31, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. II, No. 18

June 5, 1992 - Origin returns from a successful CES show in Chicago! Buzz and sales of Ultima VII and Underworld are good and a series of important pre-orders for Strike Commander have been made. Now the game just needs to make it out. Wing Commander references are limited in this one, but the overall mood is good - Origin's purchase of a new building sounds more and more certain!

2007.302 (October 29, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. II, No. 17

Those following the story of Origin through these Point of Origin newsletters can rest easy knowing that May 22, 1992 brings no bad news - it's business as usually in Austin (fifteen years ago). It does, however, have an unusual amount of trivia for interested Wing Commander fans! Check it all out below. A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place!

2007.299 (October 26, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. II, No. 16

Issue size on the rise, Wing Commander on the decline... May 8, 1992 brings us a big fat Point of Origin that only mentions Wing Commander twice! At this point in the year the company is devoted to supporting the (then) system intensive Ultima VII and Underworld products while trying to get Strike Commander finished. The first signs that Privateer is in the works show up, here, too!

2007.297 (October 24, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. II, No. 15

Better news - it's now less than a month after the last issue of Point of Origin (April 20th, 1992) and Ultima VII: The Black Gate has shipped! Can Strike Commander be far behind? Well, everyone already knows - yes, it can. Nevertheless, things are looking good for Origin...

2007.295 (October 22, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. II, No. 14

Good news - it's March 27, 1992 and Ultima Underworld has finally shipped! Things are looking up for Origin in this Point of Origin newsletter.... but unfortunately, that comes with some bad news for Wing Commander 2. It didn't win the hoped-for SPA award.

2007.291 (October 18, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. II, No. 13

Beware the ides of March - this especially interesting issue of Point of Origin, Origin Systems' internal newsletter, offers a fascinating look at the troubles the company faced in 1991. While reading through it, be sure to keep in mind that the company will be sold to Electronic Arts within a year. We'll get to that issue in the near future... A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place!

2007.289 (October 16, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. II, No. 12

As year two of Point of Origin rolls on, Underworld and Strike Commander still have not shipped... but the positive reviews and awards for Wing Commander 2 are still coming in from around the world! A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place! Here's the breakdown for Wing Commander: The headline article is 'Wing 2 Still Flying High', which is reproduced here in full: Wing 2 wedge its way into more category in the SPA ballot: Critic's Choice.

2007.287 (October 14, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. II, No. 11

February 14, 1992: the delays of Strike Commander, Ultima VII and Underworld have forced Origin to push ahead several budget 'collection' releases. Here we see that plan put into practice, plus some frank (and cautiously positive) discussion of the company's future. Of course, there's plenty of Wing Commander in the mix... A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place!

2007.285 (October 12, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. II, No. 10

This is a short one - the January 31, 1992 issue of Point of Origin is only a single sheet of paper. That means there's only one article that deals with Wing Commander - the usual 'press roundup' of glowing praise for the series (quoted below). The rest of the issue is fascinating, though, from insight into how employee evaluations work at Origin to an invitation to a poetry reading by Richard Garriott... A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place!

2007.284 (October 11, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. II, No. 9

Happy New Year! Welcome to 1992. When last we checked Origin had missed the important Christmas deadline for Ultima VII, Ultima Underworld and Strike Commander... and those familiar with their history know that final product won't ship for another year.

2007.282 (October 9, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. 1, No. 8

This is part nine of our series highlighting archived copies of Point of Origin, Origin Systems' internal newsletter. It's December 20, 1991 and this is the last issue of the year. What kind of year will 1992 be for Wing Commander? The only game scheduled in Special Operations 2 - but a host of ports, updated and licensed versions are also in the works...

2007.280 (October 7, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. 1, No. 7

This is part eight of our series highlighting archived copies of Point of Origin, Origin Systems' internal newsletter. Christmas is coming up and the first localized versions of Wing Commander 2 are hitting Europe. At home, development continues on Strike Commander, Ultima VII and a range of FM Towns and other ports. Plus, the newsletter has a new logo!

2007.278 (October 5, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. 1, No. 6

This is part seven of our series highlighting archived copies of Point of Origin, Origin Systems' internal newsletter (Hey, at least it's free.) Looks like they remembered how to count! It's now November 22, 1991 and everyone is getting ready to celebrate Thanksgiving. The big projects which the company had hoped to finish by Christmas, Ultima VII and Stike Commander, have both been delayed into the next year - but more obscure releases like Special Operations, Wing Commander/Ultima 6 CD-ROM and Ultima 6 FM Towns are marching on!

2007.276 (October 3, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. 1, No. 5... Again!

This is part six of our series highlighting archived copies of Point of Origin, Origin Systems' internal newsletter (more than 300 foisted monthly). Your eyes aren't deceiving you - for whatever reason there are two different Point of Origin Vol. 1, No. 5s.

2007.274 (October 1, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. 1, No. 5

This is part five of our series highlighting archived copies of Point of Origin, Origin Systems' internal newsletter (Point Motto: We Create Words). The date is October 25th, 1991: Wing Commander II has hit the stores and Ultima VII and Strike Commander are in development - and the company is growing by leaps and bounds. A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place! Here's the breakdown for Wing Commander: Viva Las COMDEX!

2007.272 (September 29, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. 1, No. 4

Next up is issue 4 of Point of Origin, Origin Systems' internal newsletter ("An ORIGIN tradition since last June"). It's October 11th, 1991 and Wing Commander II has finally been released! The issue is short (only two pages), but packed with information on the aftermath of the WC2 launch (and a big article on a football game between the Ultima VII and Strike Commander teams). A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place!

2007.270 (September 27, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. 1, No. 3

Welcome to the third issue of Point of Origin, Origin Systems' internal newsletter. This issue was published August 7th, 1991 - right as the company was gearing up to release Wing Commander II: Vengeance of the Kilrathi. It opens with a wonderful four-page 'rant' by Dallas Snell which has to be read to be believed. It really gives you a feel for what the company meant at that time - and it touches on a few interesting pieces of Wing Commander history.

2007.268 (September 25, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. 1, No. 2

We're back with the second archived issue of Point of Origin, Origin Systems' in-house newsletter. This one focuses on the 1991 Summer CES show where Ultima VII and Strike Commander were shown... but it also touches on Wing Commander licensing and the technical and promotional issues leading up to the Wing Commander II launch. A very special thanks to Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum for making this resource available and to Electronic Arts for sending them to him in the first place!

2007.267 (September 24, 2007)

Point of Origin: Vol. 1, No. 1

As part of our focus on Wing Commander and Origin history we're proud to begin a new series of regular updates reprinting 'Point of Origin'. Point of Origin was the internal newsletter of Origin Systems, Inc. from 1991 to 1998; it covered everything from the everyday working of the company to industry news to reports on the latest games in development at Origin! We'll provide each issue in PDF format along with points that may be of interest to Wing Commander historians - along with an index of articles for future reference.