Michael Knox (software businessman)
Encyclopedia
Michael Anthony Knox was an American
software businessman and expert. Knox founded Park Place Productions
in 1989, which produced such classic video games as John Madden Football and Muhammad Ali Heavyweight Boxing
.
Knox first became interested in the software gaming industry while he was living in Tracy, California
, with his family. A woman, who lived in the area, introduced Knox to the fledgling video game industry. Knox and his older brother, Richard Knox Jr., later enlisted in the United States Navy
, where he worked as an engineer and computer programmer.
In 1989, Knox founded Park Place Productions
with two business partners. At the time, Park Place Productions was one of the largest independent software development
companies in North America
. With Knox as a producer, the company developed approximately 70 video game titles, including John Madden Football, which has been called "the most successful sports game of all time."
Other notable productions included Batman Returns
, Monday Night Football
and Muhammad Ali Heavyweight Boxing
.
Knox and his Park Place business partner, Troy London, received the Inc. Magazine's
"Entrepreneur
of the Year" award by Ernst & Young
and Merrill Lynch
for the software industry
category for the Greater San Diego Country region in 1993.
Michael Knox died on September 15, 2009, of colon cancer in Kaneohe, Hawaii, at the age of 48. He is survived by his parents, Vickie Lenore Knox and Richard James Knox Sr., son Aaron Michael Knox, daughter Tyra Renee Knox, sisters Kanani L.Y. Fung and Kahle Miller, and two grandchildren.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
software businessman and expert. Knox founded Park Place Productions
Park Place Productions
Park Place Productions was a corporation founded in 1989 by Michael Knox, Troy Lyndon and Stephen Quinn.-Summary:In 1990, contracted by Electronic Arts, the company produced John Madden Football for the Genesis video game console, described as "the most successful sports game of all time." Other...
in 1989, which produced such classic video games as John Madden Football and Muhammad Ali Heavyweight Boxing
Muhammad Ali Heavyweight Boxing
Muhammad Ali Heavyweight Boxing is a boxing video game that was developed by Park Place Productions and published by Virgin Interactive in 1992. It was released for the Sega Mega Drive/Sega Genesis console.- Overview :...
.
Knox first became interested in the software gaming industry while he was living in Tracy, California
Tracy, California
Tracy is the second most populated city in San Joaquin County, California, United States and an exurb of the San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 82,922 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, with his family. A woman, who lived in the area, introduced Knox to the fledgling video game industry. Knox and his older brother, Richard Knox Jr., later enlisted in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, where he worked as an engineer and computer programmer.
In 1989, Knox founded Park Place Productions
Park Place Productions
Park Place Productions was a corporation founded in 1989 by Michael Knox, Troy Lyndon and Stephen Quinn.-Summary:In 1990, contracted by Electronic Arts, the company produced John Madden Football for the Genesis video game console, described as "the most successful sports game of all time." Other...
with two business partners. At the time, Park Place Productions was one of the largest independent software development
Software development
Software development is the development of a software product...
companies in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. With Knox as a producer, the company developed approximately 70 video game titles, including John Madden Football, which has been called "the most successful sports game of all time."
Other notable productions included Batman Returns
Batman Returns
Batman Returns is a 1992 American superhero film directed by Tim Burton. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, it is the sequel to Burton's Batman , and features Michael Keaton reprising the title role, with Danny DeVito as the Penguin and Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman.Burton originally did not...
, Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
and Muhammad Ali Heavyweight Boxing
Muhammad Ali Heavyweight Boxing
Muhammad Ali Heavyweight Boxing is a boxing video game that was developed by Park Place Productions and published by Virgin Interactive in 1992. It was released for the Sega Mega Drive/Sega Genesis console.- Overview :...
.
Knox and his Park Place business partner, Troy London, received the Inc. Magazine's
Inc. (magazine)
Inc. magazine, founded in 1979 and based in New York City, is a monthly publication focused on growing companies. The magazine publishes an annual list of the 500 fastest-growing private companies in the U.S., the "Inc...
"Entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
of the Year" award by Ernst & Young
Ernst & Young
Ernst & Young is one of the largest professional services networks in the world and one of the "Big Four" accountancy firms, along with Deloitte, KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers ....
and Merrill Lynch
Merrill Lynch
Merrill Lynch is the wealth management division of Bank of America. With over 15,000 financial advisors and $2.2 trillion in client assets it is the world's largest brokerage. Formerly known as Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc., prior to 2009 the firm was publicly owned and traded on the New York...
for the software industry
Software industry
The software industry includes businesses involved in the development, maintenance and publication of computer software using any business model...
category for the Greater San Diego Country region in 1993.
Michael Knox died on September 15, 2009, of colon cancer in Kaneohe, Hawaii, at the age of 48. He is survived by his parents, Vickie Lenore Knox and Richard James Knox Sr., son Aaron Michael Knox, daughter Tyra Renee Knox, sisters Kanani L.Y. Fung and Kahle Miller, and two grandchildren.