Hall Caine
British novelist and playwright (1853-1931)
Roberta Lynn Williamsis an American video game designer and writer, who co-founded Sierra On-Line with her husband, game developer Ken Williams. In 1980, her first game, Mystery House, became a modest commercial success; it is credited as the first graphic adventure game.
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About the Roberta Williams
Roberta Lynn Williamsis an American video game designer and writer, who co-founded Sierra On-Line with her husband, game developer Ken Williams. In 1980, her first game, Mystery House, became a modest commercial success; it is credited as the first graphic adventure game. She is also known for creating and maintaining the King’s Quest series, as well as designing the full motion video game Phantasmagoria in 1995.
Sierra was acquired by CUC International in 1996, leading to layoffs and management changes. Williams took a brief sabbatical, and returned to the company in a game design role, but grew increasingly frustrated with CUC’s creative and business decisions. After the release of King’s Quest: Mask of Eternity in 1998, she left the game industry in 1999 and focused her retirement on traveling and writing historical fiction. In 2021 she released her historical novel, Farewell to Tara. Soon after, she returned to game development with the 3D remake of the classic adventure game Colossal Cave Adventure, released in January 2023 as Colossal Cave.
Several publications have named Roberta Williams as one of the best or most influential creators in the video game industry, for co-founding Sierra, pioneering the graphic adventure game genre, and creating the King’s Quest series. Several publications have called her the “Queen of adventure games”. She has received the Industry Icon Award from The Game Awards, and the Pioneer Award at the Game Developers Choice Awards.
14 Quotes by Roberta Williams
- 1.
King’s Quest IV was a much bigger hit than I, II, or III. I do feel that King’s Quest IV was a pivotal game in bringing in more female players.
Roberta WilliamsAmerican video game designer (b. 1953)
- 2.
The experience of creating my adventure games was, other than marrying my husband and bringing into the world my two sons, the most fulfilling, wonderful experience I ever had.
Roberta WilliamsAmerican video game designer (b. 1953)
- 3.
Computers have become more friendly, understandable, and lots of years and thought have been put into developing software to convince people that they want and need a computer.
Roberta WilliamsAmerican video game designer (b. 1953)
- 4.
It seems we always exceed even our own expectations-after a lot of hard work, though!
Roberta WilliamsAmerican video game designer (b. 1953)
- 5.
I believe the adventure game genre will never die any more than any type of storytelling would ever die.
Roberta WilliamsAmerican video game designer (b. 1953)
- 6.
Freshness is important. If a game is fresh, new, intriguing, challenging, and enchanting, it will sell, and sell well.
Roberta WilliamsAmerican video game designer (b. 1953)
- 7.
An adventure game is nothing more than a good story set with engaging puzzles that fit seamlessly in with the story and the characters, and looks and sounds beautiful.
Roberta WilliamsAmerican video game designer (b. 1953)
- 8.
My definition of an adventure game is an interactive story set with puzzles and obstacles to solve and worlds to explore.
Roberta WilliamsAmerican video game designer (b. 1953)
- 9.
I am most proud of the development of the characters as personalities that game players could relate to and care about.
Roberta WilliamsAmerican video game designer (b. 1953)
- 10.
A good story never dies.
Roberta WilliamsAmerican video game designer (b. 1953)
- 11.
I had always been intrigued by the emotional aspect of adventure gaming-the fact that people get so personally involved.
Roberta WilliamsAmerican video game designer (b. 1953)
- 12.
I always say that my favorite game was Original Adventure, published by both Microsoft and Apple Computer back in 1980.
Roberta WilliamsAmerican video game designer (b. 1953)
- 13.
I appreciate the sentiment that I am a popular woman in computer gaming circles; but I prefer being thought of as a computer game designer rather than a woman computer game designer. I don’t put myself into gender mode when designing a game.
Roberta WilliamsAmerican video game designer (b. 1953)
- 14.
If more women want to be a part of the computer industry today, they have to do more to put themselves there. Nobody is keeping them out.
Roberta WilliamsAmerican video game designer (b. 1953)