Ken williams

Ken Williams Timeline

  • Born in Evansville, Indiana

  • Graduated high school a year early at age 16

  • Married Roberta Williams, having been 18 for only 5 days

  • Attended 9-month programming trade school, Control Data Institute, in Los Angeles

    Attended 9-month programming trade school, Control Data Institute, in Los Angeles
  • Dropped out of college

  • Founded On-Line Systems with wife

  • Period: to

    Sierra On-Line's Chairman and CEO

  • Programmed the first graphical adventure game: "Mystery House"

    Programmed the first graphical adventure game: "Mystery House"
  • Discovered "Softporn Adventure" at a trade show and released it for On-Line Systems

  • Renamed company to Sierra On-Line

    Renamed company to Sierra On-Line
  • Released first installment in popular King's Quest series

    Released first installment in popular King's Quest series
  • Wrote Textbook: "Apple II Computer Graphics"

    Wrote Textbook: "Apple II Computer Graphics"
  • Produced King's Quest 5: sold 500,000 copies and won Best Adventure Game of the Year

    Produced King's Quest 5: sold 500,000 copies and won Best Adventure Game of the Year
  • Sold Sierra for $1.5 billion to CUC International

  • Retired at age 44

    Retired at age 44
  • Started a dot-com called Talkspot, that does entertainment broadcasting