# Imagineering > video game developer **Wikidata**: [Q2577247](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2577247) **Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imagineering_(company)) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/imagineering ## Summary Imagineering was a privately held American video game developer and subsidiary of Absolute Entertainment, headquartered in Glen Rock, New Jersey. Active from its inception in 1986 or 1987 until its dissolution in 1995, the company specialized in creating titles for major consoles like the Nintendo Entertainment System and Game Boy. It is distinct from Walt Disney Imagineering and is known for developing licensed properties such as *The Simpsons* and *Home Alone*. ## Key Facts * **Entity Classification**: Video game developer (software development organization specializing in video game creation). * **Industry**: Video game industry. * **Legal Form**: Privately held company. * **Parent Organization**: Absolute Entertainment (a former American video game publishing company). * **Headquarters Location**: Glen Rock, a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. * **Location of Formation**: Glen Rock, New Jersey. * **Country of Origin**: United States. * **Inception Dates**: 1986 or 1987 (sources vary). * **Dissolution Date**: 1995. * **Aliases**: Imagineering Inc., Imagineering Productions. * **ISNI**: 0000000107273800. * **VIAF ID**: 152863277. * **Freebase ID**: /m/091jkn. * **MobyGames Company ID**: 2786 (former scheme: imagineering-inc). * **Library of Congress Authority ID**: n2003121413. * **LastDodo Area ID**: 446717. * **Wikisimpsons Article ID**: 70190. * **Wikipedia Title**: Imagineering (company). * **Wikipedia Languages**: Catalan, English, Spanish, French, Italian, Russian, Swedish. * **Different From**: Walt Disney Imagineering, the concept of "imagineering." * **Main Category**: Category:Imagineering (company) games. ## FAQs **What was the corporate relationship between Imagineering and Absolute Entertainment?** Imagineering operated as a subsidiary owned and operated by Absolute Entertainment, a former American video game publishing company founded in 1986. This parent-subsidiary relationship defined Imagineering's operational structure and market presence within the video game industry. **Where was Imagineering based and when did it cease operations?** The company was headquartered and formed in Glen Rock, a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. It remained active for approximately a decade before being dissolved, abolished, or demolished in 1995. **Which video game platforms and franchises did Imagineering develop?** Imagineering created software for various platforms, including the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and the Game Boy. Their portfolio included licensed titles based on *The Simpsons*, *Home Alone*, *Barbie*, *Casper*, *Battletank*, and *The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends*. **How can one distinguish this company from other entities with similar names?** It is crucial to differentiate this video game developer from Walt Disney Imagineering, which is a separate entity responsible for theme park design. Additionally, the name should not be confused with the general term "imagineering," which refers to the blend of imagination and engineering. ## Why It Matters Imagineering holds significance as a specialized developer within the early era of the video game industry, contributing to the library of licensed content that defined the late 1980s and early 1990s. By operating as a dedicated development arm for Absolute Entertainment, it facilitated the translation of popular media franchises into interactive experiences for home consoles. Its work on titles like *The Simpsons: Bart vs. the World* and *Home Alone 2: Lost in New York* helped establish the viability of movie and TV tie-in games during a period of rapid market expansion. Although the company dissolved in 1995, its catalog remains a documented part of gaming history, preserved through identifiers like MobyGames and Wikidata, serving as a case study for the lifecycle of mid-tier developers in the pre-internet gaming age. ## Notable For * **Diverse Licensed Portfolio**: Developing a wide array of titles based on major pop culture properties, including *The Simpsons*, *Home Alone*, *Barbie*, *Casper*, and *Attack of the Killer Tomatoes*. * **Multi-Platform Presence**: Creating games for both the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and the Game Boy, such as *The Rescue of Princess Blobette* and *Battletank*. * **Subsidiary Model**: Functioning as a distinct development entity under the ownership of Absolute Entertainment, showcasing the publisher-developer dynamic of the era. * **Specific Franchise Contributions**: Being the developer behind specific entries like *The Simpsons: Bart vs. the Space Mutants*, *The Simpsons: Bart vs. the Juggernauts*, and *The Simpsons: Bartman Meets Radioactive Man*. * **Unreleased Projects**: Working on *Penn & Teller's Smoke and Mirrors*, a video game that remained unpublished. * **Regional Origin**: Being a New Jersey-based developer, specifically located in the borough of Glen Rock, contributing to the state's tech and media history. ## Body ### Corporate Identity and Structure Imagineering was a software development organization specializing in the creation of video games, classified explicitly as a video game developer. The entity operated as a privately held company, a legal form confirmed by Italian Wikipedia sources. It was owned and operated by Absolute Entertainment, a former American video game publishing company that was itself founded on January 1, 1986. Absolute Entertainment served as the parent organization, providing the structural framework for Imagineering's operations. The company was distinct from Walt Disney Imagineering and the general concept of "imagineering," a clarification noted in its metadata. ### Geographic and Historical Timeline The company was formed and headquartered in Glen Rock, a borough located in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. This location served as the central hub for its development activities. The inception of Imagineering is recorded with two potential dates: 1986 and 1987, both cited with references to the same source. The company's operational lifespan concluded in 1995, marked as the date of dissolution, abolition, or demolition. The United States, where the company was based, is a country located primarily in North America, with its own inception dates of July 4, 1776 (Declaration of Independence) and May 12, 1784 (Treaty of Paris recognition). ### Development Portfolio and Titles Imagineering's primary output was a catalog of video games spanning various genres and licensed properties. The company developed *A Boy and His Blob: Trouble on Blobolonia*, an NES title released in 1989. In 1990, they released *The Rescue of Princess Blobette* for the Game Boy and *Battletank*, an action video game for the NES. The following year, 1991, saw the release of *Attack of the Killer Tomatoes*, *Bart Simpson's Escape from Camp Deadly*, *The Simpsons: Bart vs. the World*, *The Simpsons: Bart vs. the Space Mutants*, and *Barbie*. The year 1992 was particularly productive, with the release of *Ghoul School*, *The Simpsons: Bart vs. the Juggernauts*, *Barbie: Game Girl*, *Swamp Thing*, *Home Alone 2: Lost in New York*, *The Simpsons: Bartman Meets Radioactive Man*, and *Super Battletank*. Later in their timeline, they developed *The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends* in 1994. The company also worked on *Casper*, a video game released in 1997, and *Race America* in 1990. Notably, the project *Penn & Teller's Smoke and Mirrors* was developed but remained unpublished. ### Industry Context and Classification Imagineering operated within the video game industry, an economic sector involved with the development, marketing, and sales of video games. As a developer, the company fell under the broader category of software development organizations. The entity is associated with the "video game developer" class, which denotes organizations specializing in game creation for personal use. The company's work contributed to the sitelink count of 44 for the video game developer class and 27 for the video game industry class. ### Digital Footprint and Authority Records The entity is well-documented across various digital authority files and databases. It holds an ISNI of 0000000107273800 and a VIAF ID of 152863277. In the Freebase database, it is identified by the ID /m/091jkn, with a publication date of October 28, 2013. MobyGames lists the company with ID 2786, noting a former scheme ID of "imagineering-inc." The Library of Congress Authority ID is n2003121413, referenced with a publication date of March 6, 2019. Additionally, LastDodo assigns it the area ID 446717. ### Media Presence and Languages Imagineering has a presence on Wikipedia with articles available in seven languages: Catalan, English, Spanish, French, Italian, Russian, and Swedish. The main Wikipedia title is "Imagineering (company)." The company is also featured on Wikisimpsons, with an article ID of 70190. Its topic's main category is designated as "Category:Imagineering (company) games." The entity has a sitelink count of 7, indicating its visibility across different language versions of Wikipedia. ### References and Data Sources The data regarding Imagineering is derived from multiple authoritative sources. The inception and dissolution dates, as well as the legal form, are referenced against and . The headquarters location is referenced against . The classification as a video game developer is supported by references to and . The MobyGames and LastDodo identifiers are cross-referenced with specific publication dates and titles to ensure accuracy. The distinction from Walt Disney Imagineering is a critical data point to prevent conflation of the two entities. ## References 1. LastDodo 2. Virtual International Authority File 3. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013