Trip Hawkins

Date of Birth: December 28, 1953

Zodiac Sign: Capricorn

Biography

William Murray “Trip” Hawkins III is an American entrepreneur and founder of several influential companies in the video game industry. Born on December 28, 1953, Hawkins is best known for founding Electronic Arts (EA), a company that has become one of the largest and most successful video game publishers in the world. He also founded The 3DO Company and Digital Chocolate, further cementing his reputation as a pioneer in the gaming industry. Hawkins grew up in a family that valued education and innovation. He attended Harvard University, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Strategy and Applied Game Theory. Later, he attended Stanford University Graduate School of Business, earning an MBA. His academic background played a significant role in shaping his strategic vision and business acumen. In 1982, Hawkins founded Electronic Arts, a company that revolutionized the way video games were developed, marketed, and sold. EA’s innovative approach included treating game developers as “artists” and giving them significant creative freedom, which resulted in the production of high-quality and commercially successful games. Titles like “Madden NFL” and “The Sims” became household names under his leadership. After leaving EA, Hawkins founded The 3DO Company in 1991, with the ambitious goal of creating a new gaming console standard. Although the 3DO console did not achieve commercial success, it was a technological marvel for its time. Later, he founded Digital Chocolate in 2003, focusing on mobile and social games, long before the mobile gaming boom.

5 Interesting Facts about Trip Hawkins

1. Trip Hawkins was inducted into the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences’ Hall of Fame in 2005.

2. He worked for Apple Inc. during the late 1970s and early 1980s before founding Electronic Arts.

3. Hawkins was instrumental in the creation of the Madden NFL series, one of the best-selling video game franchises of all time.

4. The 3DO console, although not commercially successful, was ahead of its time with features such as a built-in CD-ROM drive.

5. Digital Chocolate, founded by Hawkins, focused on mobile gaming years before it became a mainstream industry.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Trip Hawkins

1. “The way that we think about the business of making games is almost like the way a movie studio thinks about making movies.”

2. “I believe that the way people think about games is changing, and that this change will have a profound impact on our culture and society.”

3. “If you want to innovate, you have to be willing to fail.”

4. “I’m proud of the fact that I’ve been able to create opportunities for talented people to express their creativity and to bring joy to millions of players.”

5. “In the end, it’s not about making money; it’s about making a difference.”