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"Sirotech Software" founded.
Sirotech Software founded by Norman Sirotek and Robert Woodhead in the fall of 1979. Robert Woodhead, one of the creators of Wizardry, was initially tapped by the Sirotek family to write a database management program for businesses called Info Tree. When they launched the software, they created the company Sirotech Software. -
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The Sir-Tech Era
Sir-Tech was the company that launched the Wizardry Series of games from 1981-2001. The Sirotek's, who were from Canada, originally formed a sister-company to Sir-Tech Software, Inc. called Sirtech Canada. Just prior to Sir-Tech Software, Inc. (USA) closing its doors in 1998, the rights to the patents and trademarks for Wizardry were transferred to a new holding company (1259190 Ontario Inc.). Where the transition from West to East would begin and end. -
Sir-Tech Software, Inc. incorporated.
In the spring of 1981, just prior to the release of Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord, Sirotech Software was incorporated as Sir-Tech Software, Inc. -
Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord
In September 1981, the game Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord was released. This was the official launch of the Wizardry Series of games. -
Wizardry II: The Knight of Diamonds
Wizardry II: The Knight of Diamonds was launched in 1982, following the successful launch of Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord. In order to play Wizardry II you needed to use your scenario disk from the first Wizardry game. If you hadn't played this game, the developers included a scenario disk with pre-loaded characters. -
Wizardry III: Legacy of Llylgamyn
The third game in the Wizardry Series. -
Wizardry IV: The Return of Werdna
In this title, the team of Robert Woodhead and Andrew Greenberg moved away from the formula that made Wizardry 1-3 a massive success by putting the player in the role of the antagonist with the ability to summon the monsters to fight the heroes. The parties of heroes were based on real characters created by customers who sent their "scenario" disks back to the Sir-Tech to have "lost" characters recovered. This game was met with mixed reviews. -
Wizardry V: Heart of the Maelstrom
Wizardry V was a return back to the format of the first three releases using a party-based system but with updated graphics and engine. This was also the first title without Robert Woodhead, the last title for Andrew Greenburg and the first title in the series for creator David W. Bradley. This would also be the final game in what is often referred to as the "Llylgamyn Saga". -
Wizardry VI: Bane of the Cosmic Forge
With both Robert Woodhead and Andrew Greenburg gone, David W. Bradley was able to bring his full vision for a new generation of Wizardry games with the launch of the "Dark Savant" saga with Bane of the Cosmic Forge. -
Wizardry VII: Crusaders of the Dark Savant
David W. Bradley returned to develop the sequel to Bane of the Cosmic Forge (2nd game in the Dark Savant Saga) and the seventh overall game in the Wizardry Series. -
Wizardry Gold
In 1996, Sir-Tech released Wizardry Gold through the publisher Interplay. This was not a new title but rather a remake of Crusaders of the Dark Savant for Windows (original games were made for DOS). This would only fill a small portion of the significant gap between Wizardry VII and the final title by the original creators Wizardry 8, which would not be released until 2001. -
Assignment of Interest of "Wizardry" Trademarks
On January 2, 1998 a contract was executed assigning the interest of the "Wizardry" trademarks from Sir-Tech Software, Inc. (Vice President - Robert Sirotek) to 1259190 Ontario Inc (President - Norman Sirotek) and was recorded by the USPTO on May 5, 1998. *Note: We know the President of 1259190 Ontario Inc.was Norman Sirotek through later filing documents. Source -
Wizardry 8
Wizardry 8, released by Sirtech Canada, would be the final title released by the original creators and owners of the Wizardry IP (Sir-Tech). Much of the delay between titles was due to years of litigation with Andrew Greenberg over royalties, a pending bankruptcy for Sir-Tech Software, Inc. (USA), transfer of patents and trademarks to a new holding company created by Norman Sirotek (1259190 Ontario Inc.) and a slimmed down development team working on other titles in the stable. -
Sirtech Canada Shuts Down
Since 1998 when Sir-Tech Software, Inc.. (USA) closed its doors, Sirtech Canada continued to struggle to keep its doors open and would eventually close its doors in 2003. -
Aeria Establishes Aeria IPM Co., Ltd.
Per the Corporate History records at Aeria's corporate webiste, in October 2006 Aeria (parent company) "established Aeria IPM Co., Ltd. for copyright management (100% ownership)" Aeria Corp History
Aeria announcement to create Aeria IPM -
Aeria Issues Press Release about "Wizardry" Trademark Acquisition
Aeria issued a press release on their corporate website on 11/27/2006 announcing the acquisition of "Wizardry" IP and all rights from Sirtech Canada and 1259190 Ontario Inc. one day prior to the official transition document is filed with the USPTO. Aeria press release -
Assignment of Interest of "Wizardry" Trademarks
On November 28, 2006 a contract was executed assigning the interest of the "Wizardry" trademarks from 1259190 Ontario Inc (President - Norman Sirotek) to Kabushiki Kaisha Aeria IPM (President - Takahiro Shinozaki) and was recorded by the USPTO on December 15, 2006. Source -
Gamepot Transferred to So-Net
In April 2008, "All shares of Game Pot Co., Ltd., a consolidated subsidiary of the Company, were transferred to So-net Entertainment Co., Ltd." Source -
Aeria IPM Corporation Changes Name on "Wizardry" Trademarks
On June 12, 2008, an assignment contract was executed for the purposes of recording the name change of the corporation that owns the Wizardry trademarks. The name was officially changed from Kabushiki Kaisha Aeria IPM to IPM Inc. The "Change of Name" was not officially accepted or recorded by the USPTO until July 12, 2012. Source -
Change of Name for "Wizardry" Trademark Officially Filed with USPTO
On June 12, 2008, Aeria IPM Inc. executed a "Change of Name" associated with the "Wizardry" trademarks in the US. They changed the name from "Kabushiki Kaisha Aeria IPM" to "IPM Inc.". This document was not officially accepted and filed with the USPTO until July 12, 2012. Source