Editing Maxis (section)

=== Independent studio (1987–1997) ===
[[File:Maxis logo (former).svg|thumb|right|The former logo of Maxis, used until 2012]]
[[File:Willwrightatsxsw.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Will Wright, Maxis co-founder]]
Maxis was founded in 1987 by [[Will Wright (game designer)|Will Wright]] and Jeff Braun to help publish ''[[SimCity (1989 video game)|SimCity]]'' on home computers. Before then, the game was only available on a limited basis on the [[Commodore 64]] due to few [[video game publisher|publishers]] showing any interest in [[porting]] a non-traditional game without definite "win" and "lose" conditions. The title went on to become one of the most popular and successful video games of all time. The [[SimCity|''SimCity'' series]] became a staple for the company and spawned multiple sequels and spin-offs. To name the company, Braun required that the name was "from 5-7 letters, mean nothing, be easy to remember and contain an x, z, or q"; the name "Maxis" was presented by Braun's father.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespy.com/articles/697/697083p11.html |title=GameSpy Retro: Developer Origins, Page 11 of 19 |first=John |last=Keefer |date=March 31, 2006 |website=[[GameSpy]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070609133138/http://www.gamespy.com/articles/697/697083p11.html |archive-date=June 9, 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="SimplyGameSpot">{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/features/maxis/index.html |title=GameSpot's SIMply Divine: The Story of Maxis Software |first=Geoff |last=Keighley |author-link=Geoff Keighley |date=1999 |website=[[GameSpot]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990508161449/http://www.gamespot.com/features/maxis/index.html |archive-date=May 8, 1999 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Following the broad success of ''[[SimCity 2000]]'', Maxis moved from [[Orinda, California]], to [[Walnut Creek, California|Walnut Creek]] in 1994.<ref name="SimplyGameSpot" />

One of the unintended successes of ''SimCity'' was recognition of the means to gamify the intersection of multiple real-world systems that could be used for planning and development, such as using ''SimCity''-type simulations for [[urban planning]].<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2016/jul/13/simcity-legacy-smarter-cities-when-urban-planners-play-for-keeps | title = SimCity legacy: smarter cities when urban planners play for keeps | first = Tony | last= Yoo | date = July 12, 2016 | access-date = May 12, 2020 | work = [[The Guardian]] }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-simcity-inspired-urban-planners-20190305-story.html | title = Must Reads: From video game to day job: How 'SimCity' inspired a generation of city planners | first = Jessica | last = Roy | date = March 5, 2019 | access-date = May 12, 2020 | work = [[The Los Angeles Times]] }}</ref> Around 1992, Maxis was approached by corporations and government agencies who wanted the company to use the same system simulation principles of ''SimCity'' to develop non-game simulations that they could manipulate for similar planning purposes. To support this, Maxis bought a small company, Delta Logic, and its owner John Hiles, who had been focused on more immediate business simulation software, and rebranded it as Maxis Business Simulations (MBS) for this work. Among works developed under this included ''[[SimRefinery]]'' for the [[Chevron Corporation]], and ''[[SimHealth]]'' for the [[Markle Foundation]]. In 1994, Maxis decided to let this division go on its own; MBS rebranded itself as Thinking Tools Inc. and continued to produce similar simulation tools, but eventually closed down in 1998. Most of the information on MBS and Thinking Tools has been lost as upon being told of the company's closure, the few remaining employees burned most of the company's archives and only remnants of MBS' output exists.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/05/the-sprawling-must-read-history-of-maxis-former-serious-games-division/ | title = The sprawling, must-read history of Maxis' former "serious games" division | first = Sam | last = Machkovech | date = May 19, 2020 | access-date = May 19, 2020 | work = [[Ars Technica]] }}</ref>

In what ''[[Kotaku]]'' later referred to as the "era of scattergun experimentation", Maxis released numerous titles throughout the 1990s, including "sim" titles as well as some non-simulation titles, such as ''[[RoboSport]]'' (1991) and ''[[Full Tilt! Pinball|3D Pinball for Windows]]'' (1995), which was included as one of the standard system games in several Windows releases; however, these newer games were not successful.<ref name="ReferenceA">{{Cite web|url=https://kotaku.com/a-history-of-maxis-thanks-for-simcity-1689490370|title=A History Of Maxis: Thanks For SimCity|website=Kotaku.com|date=March 5, 2015 |access-date=December 14, 2021}}</ref> On June 1, 1995, Maxis became a [[public company]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.computerhistory.org/tdih/June/1/|title=Maxis Goes Public|date=June 1, 1995|access-date=May 21, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190404072701/https://www.computerhistory.org/tdih/june/1/|archive-date=April 4, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Heavy losses and lack of direction led Maxis to begin considering acquisition offers.