Jim Levy

Jim Levy co-founded Activision in 1979 as the first third-party video game developer, a revolutionary concept at a time when console manufacturers like Atari controlled all software. His decision to credit and promote individual game designers as 'rock stars' was a direct challenge to industry norms and established the modern paradigm of developer recognition.

Jim Levy was the co-founder and first CEO of Activision, Inc., a position he held from the company’s inception in 1979 until 1987. Levy, along with David Crane, Larry Kaplan, Alan Miller, and Bob Whitehead—the 'Gang of Five'—left Atari in protest over the company’s policy of not crediting game developers, a move that established the concept of the independent third-party developer in the video game industry. Under Levy’s leadership, Activision released a string of hit titles for the Atari 2600, including Pitfall!, River Raid, and Kaboom!, which became some of the best-selling games of the early home console era. Levy’s marketing genius was evident in his decision to treat game designers as celebrities, featuring their names and photos prominently on game boxes and in advertisements, a practice that was unheard of at the time and helped build strong brand loyalty among consumers. He also pioneered the concept of licensing popular intellectual property for video games, securing deals for titles based on movies and TV shows. Levy was ousted as CEO in 1987 during a period of financial difficulty for the company, but his legacy as the founder of the third-party development model is foundational to the entire modern video game industry. After leaving Activision, he pursued a career in film and television production. His vision and entrepreneurial spirit laid the groundwork for the multi-billion dollar interactive entertainment industry that exists today.