LucasArts

LucasArts was the video game development and publishing division of Lucasfilm, founded in May 1982 by George Lucas. Originally called Lucasfilm Games, the company renamed itself LucasArts in 1990. They are best known for their point-and-click adventure games of the late 1980s and 1990s, including the Monkey Island series, Day of the Tentacle, Sam and Max Hit the Road, Grim Fandango, and Full Throttle, as well as Star Wars games including TIE Fighter, X-Wing, Knights of the Old Republic, and Jedi Knight. Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2012 and closed LucasArts in April 2013, laying off approximately 150 employees.

The Adventure Game Era

LucasArts built one of the most beloved catalogs in gaming history with their SCUMM engine adventure games. Ron Gilbert, Tim Schafer, and Dave Grossman were among the key creative figures behind these games. The Secret of Monkey Island in 1990 launched one of the most beloved adventure game franchises. Grim Fandango in 1998 is considered one of the greatest games ever made. Day of the Tentacle, Sam and Max Hit the Road, Full Throttle, and Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis all defined the genre. Their approach to puzzle design, writing, and humor set a standard that most adventure games still measure themselves against.

The Star Wars Games

LucasArts published some of the finest Star Wars games ever made. TIE Fighter in 1994 is still considered the best space combat game set in the Star Wars universe. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic in 2003, developed by BioWare, is one of the most acclaimed RPGs ever made. Jedi Knight, Battlefront, and Republic Commando all found dedicated audiences. The decline of LucasArts in the 2000s saw many ambitious projects cancelled, including Star Wars: 1313, which was in development at the time of the Disney closure.

The Legacy

After LucasArts closed, Disney licensed the Star Wars video game IP to EA exclusively for a decade. That exclusivity ended in 2021 and the revived Lucasfilm Games label now works with multiple publishers and developers. Ron Gilbert returned to Monkey Island through Terrible Toybox and Devolver Digital. The adventure games have aged better than almost anything else from that era. If you have not played Grim Fandango, you should fix that.