445:, San Francisco next January, receiving praise from Macintosh users. At the event they demoed the CEO-themed Tamagotchi spoof "Billagotchi", and "Windows Exploder" game where the player blows away error messages. CD copies of the game were sold in a booth for $ 20 each. Microsoft also debuted some new products at Macworld such as Office 98 and Internet Explorer 4.0. While noting that he was yet to examine the Palladium Interactive title, Microsoft spokesman Mark Murray commented that "ours are probably a little more serious" than
275:
32:
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would find the title funny. Szadkowski thought
Billagotchi was a "wicked takeoff" of the Tamagotchi, thought the Bill Gates' eyeroll response in the pinball minigame was a "visual highlight", and wrote that Gates TV became his favourite part of the program due to its "great character voices and
313:
came into existence as a response to this and a way to "mock entire existence" in a humorous and intelligent way, serving as a parody of the "company, the software and the man". Palladium officials noted that the game was influenced by the "public's fascination with this cultural phenomenon",
452:
Reviews in professional publications upon the game's publication were extremely positive. A common praise was the game's humor, which was described as "clever," "twisted," "relentlessly ... lampoon," "edgy," "offen," "first-rate," and comparable to the comedy group
372:
employees and must work their way up to a meeting with
Microsoft CEO Bill Gates. In addition to containing a series of minigames, the game also offered enhancements to Windows 95, while additional content was available via the game's official website.
296:
was released at a specific point in time when
Microsoft and Bill Gates were in the news for controversial reasons. In particular, Gates was in legal trouble with the Justice Department in terms of the court case
323:
magazine, and felt this game could be his "piece de resistance", further commenting that his company would have been able to "sell the empty boxes" due to the game cover humour alone. Elizabeth
Wasserman of
333:
Describing itself as "rated for teenagers" due to its "comic mischief" and "suggestive themes", the game opens with the fictitious
Microsoft janitor Graham and Bill Gates' personal assistant Meg (played by
676:
330:
cited various examples of this including the tagline "Who does he want to own today?", a parody of
Microsoft's own "Where do you want to go today?", and the version, listed as "98 or 99 or 00 or 01".
434:
by Fall in 1997. The presentation was to include a Bill Gates lookalike. However the staff were expelled by security from the convention and the distribution plan was shut down.
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427:. The design of the game cover closely mimicked that of the Windows 95 packaging. During development, Parroty Interactive had planned to promote the game at the
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case and at a time when
Microsoft, Windows, and Gates were easy targets for jokes, the game offers a satirical take on this ripe subject matter.
873:
463:
reviewer Joe
Szadkowski described it as "devastatingly witty", "delightfully cruel", and the "coolest parody ever created", while hoping that
472:
thought the game was
Palladium Interactive's best work, praising its "fun ... surprises" and "clever, if not side-splitting, wordplay", and
554:
449:, and that the corporation "tr to have a sense of humor about this sort of thing". The product was also released in the French language.
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journalist was not as appreciative of the game's cruel comedy as other critics, giving the product an overall lukewarm review, and
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1191:"Microsoft Spoof: Microshaft Winblows 98 Bill Gates' Empire Is The Target Of Latest Parody By Cd-Rom Maker Palladium Interactive"
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thought the program was not comprehensive enough to be considered a complete theme package. A 2011 retrospective review from
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for feeling made by "non-technical people desperately trying to write jokes in what may as well be a foreign language".
326:
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Ed
Bernstein, founder and CEO of Palladium Interactive had long-wanted to create works that emulated the parody found in
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903:
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1115:"Publisher of "Microshaft Winblows™ 98" laughs along with Bill Gates and COMDEX attendees as Windows® 98 crashes"
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819:"Parroty Interactive Ships "Microshaft Winblows 98"; CD-ROM Parodies Microsoft, Bill Gates and Windows"
643:"Breaking Windows (Microshaft's Winblows '98 is a game that satirizes Microsoft Corp.) (Brief Article)"
620:
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is a 1998 interactive comedy video game for Windows and Classic Mac OS. It parodies the then-upcoming
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350:
from which various "applications" can be launched; these include spoofs of computer games (such as
309:
noted that the CEO had been embroiled in issues with "competitors, the feds and industry pundits".
292:
Despite Microsoft being the target of jokes for a considerable period of its then 23-year history,
167:
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and Tamara Bick respectively) with a dialogue on the program. When started, the game presents a
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360:), and even sometimes popular fads of the time (such as a "Billagotchi" that spoofs the
681:
544:: "Winblows 98, the Microsoft, Windows and Bill Gates parody from Parroty Interactive."
140:
1117:(Press release). Palladium Interactive. Archived from the original on December 7, 1998
1050:(Press release). Palladium Interactive. Archived from the original on December 5, 1998
1013:(Press release). Palladium Interactive. Archived from the original on December 3, 1998
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was praised by magazines and newspapers, mostly for its clever and blunt humor.
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s Michael Dixon found the minigames both "enjoyable" and "quite replayable".
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surrounding the company's alleged unfair leveraging of its market dominance.
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although they claimed that the timing of the game was "dumb luck".
239:
185:
928:"An Easy Target, But a Moving One: Palladium's Timely "Winblows 98""
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1157:(in French). Rakuten. Archived from the original on June 16, 2018
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Despite this setback, the company presented their product at the
424:
219:
became the company's fourth interactive comedy video game, after
1153:[Microshaft Winblows 98: How Far Will They Go PC Game].
368:). The game also has a storyline, in which players start out as
1048:"Promoters of Microsoft® Parody ejected from COMDEX show floor"
1011:"Parroty Interactive Unveils Upcoming Title At COMDEX/Fall '97"
428:
415:, and upon its release was shipped to retail chains such as
584:"Microshaft Winblows 98 (1998) Windows credits - MobyGames"
227:
221:
874:"Microsoft bashers aren't welcome inside electronics show"
526:. Imagine Publishing. January 5, 1998. Archived from
346:
operating systems before presenting the user with a
1151:"Microshaft Winblows 98: Jusqu ou Iront Ils Jeu PC"
731:"Company's Spoof of Microsoft: Microshaft Winblows"
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237:which is a satire of science-fiction film series
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848:Cook, Peter; Manning, Peter (January 22, 1998).
192:. Released by Palladium Interactive during the
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1084:"Booted At Comdex, Company Turns To Macworld"
850:"The Philadelphia Inquirer CompuDudes Column"
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807:on October 8, 2016 – via HighBeam.
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745:on October 8, 2016 – via HighBeam.
729:Wasserman, Elizabeth (January 5, 1998).
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862:on April 13, 2018 – via HighBeam.
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764:"Take a Break From Life's Grimmer Side"
635:
557:. Palladium Interactive. Archived from
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468:hilarious artwork". David Duberman of
1366:Cobbett, Richard (November 2, 2019).
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411:The game's publication took place in
1309:Reynolds, David (November 1, 2004).
1280:"Microshaft Winblows '98-Mac Review"
1046:Naify, William (November 19, 1997).
1009:Naify, William (November 16, 1997).
904:"As Big as Microsoft: Ribbing Gates"
836:
791:Szadkowski, Joe (February 9, 1998).
777:from the original on August 1, 2024.
761:Kilsheimer, Joe (January 31, 1998).
615:Duberman, David (January 13, 1998).
249:, a spoof of supernatural TV series
1090:. December 18, 1997. Archived from
915:from the original on June 16, 2018.
901:Marriott, Michel (March 19, 1998).
886:. November 21, 1997. Archived from
617:"3D Links - Microshaft Winblows 98"
380:
327:Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News
13:
1250:"Guess The Check Is In The E Mail"
1220:"Sending Up The Lords Of Software"
651:. January 26, 1998. Archived from
14:
1478:
1389:
1113:Naify, William (April 21, 1998).
657:on February 22, 2016 – via
1278:Dixon, Michael (June 16, 2000).
1247:Furchgott, Roy (March 2, 1998).
195:United States v. Microsoft Corp.
1183:
1143:
1106:
894:
811:
793:"Advice Etc.;roming the Galaxy"
356:), Microsoft software (such as
300:United States v. Microsoft Corp
281:United States v. Microsoft Corp
926:Fagan, Peter (March 9, 1998).
1:
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184:operating system, as well as
7:
555:"Parroty Interactive Humor"
10:
1483:
1402: (archived 1998-12-06)
213:interactive media industry
1467:Parroty Interactive games
1462:Single-player video games
1175:: CS1 maint: unfit URL (
1135:: CS1 maint: unfit URL (
1068:: CS1 maint: unfit URL (
1031:: CS1 maint: unfit URL (
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342:much like the one on the
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823:The Free Online Library
1407:Microshaft Winblows 98
498:Microshaft Winblows 98
447:Microshaft Winblows 98
311:Microshaft Winblows 98
294:Microshaft Winblows 98
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286:Microshaft Winblows 98
264:Microshaft Winblows 98
217:Microshaft Winblows 98
177:Microshaft Winblows 98
25:Microshaft Winblows 98
879:The Augusta Chronicle
736:San Jose Mercury News
377:Release and promotion
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205:, the self-professed
59:Palladium Interactive
1457:Classic Mac OS games
1196:The Spokesman-Review
956:"Microshaft Winblow"
890:on November 4, 2016.
798:The Washington Times
675:(January 12, 1998).
530:on February 18, 1998
460:The Washington Times
270:Concept and gameplay
1321:on November 1, 2004
1094:on February 7, 2023
691:on January 31, 2018
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203:Parroty Interactive
48:Parroty Interactive
1432:Parody video games
1131:cite press release
1064:cite press release
1027:cite press release
964:(21): 52. May 1998
909:The New York Times
682:The New York Times
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1199:. January 6, 1998
673:Rothstein, Edward
623:on April 10, 2008
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121:Brian Posehn
117:Kristin Rusk
113:J. P. Manoux
55:Publisher(s)
43:Developer(s)
1377:February 1,
1345:Theme World
534:December 6,
482:However, a
391:Publication
246:The X-Fools
234:Star Warped
188:co-founder
141:Platform(s)
131:Composer(s)
75:Producer(s)
65:Director(s)
1447:Windows 98
1442:Windows 95
1421:Categories
504:References
488:ThemeWorld
465:Steve Jobs
366:Bill Gates
362:Tamagotchi
344:Windows 9x
340:bootsplash
190:Bill Gates
182:Windows 98
105:Tony Camin
90:WayForward
79:Dale Geist
1412:MobyGames
1315:MacAddict
961:MacAddict
695:August 1,
588:MobyGames
484:MacAddict
400:MacAddict
382:Reception
288:pokes at.
240:Star Wars
186:Microsoft
150:Macintosh
97:Writer(s)
36:Cover art
1372:PC Gamer
1284:MacLedge
1171:cite web
913:Archived
775:Archived
659:HighBeam
648:Newsweek
593:July 10,
523:PC Gamer
493:PC Gamer
474:MacLedge
470:Spectrum
441:expo in
439:Macworld
1398:at the
1351:July 8,
1325:July 8,
1294:July 8,
1260:July 7,
1232:July 7,
1203:July 8,
1161:July 6,
1121:July 6,
1098:July 7,
1054:July 6,
1017:July 6,
994:July 6,
968:July 7,
937:July 8,
828:July 8,
627:July 7,
565:July 6,
496:panned
425:CompUSA
348:desktop
255:X Files
211:of the
164:Mode(s)
156:Release
146:Windows
990:. 1997
932:SFGate
429:COMDEX
243:, and
477:'
394:Score
1379:2013
1353:2017
1327:2017
1296:2017
1262:2017
1234:2017
1205:2017
1177:link
1163:2017
1137:link
1123:2017
1100:2017
1070:link
1056:2017
1033:link
1019:2017
996:2017
970:2017
939:2017
830:2017
697:2024
629:2017
595:2017
567:2017
536:2019
423:and
353:Doom
228:Myst
222:Pyst
1410:at
404:2/4
320:Mad
252:The
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