Microsoft Creations

Microsoft Creations, formerly The Microsoft Animation Team, was an American fanmade Laserdisc production and distribution company based in Atlanta, Georgia best known for their flagship property Peanuts Worldwide from New York, New York.
The Microsoft Corporation and Pioneer companies were known for producing and distributing television shows, videodiscs, audio products, comic books, books and toys. On February 9, 2001, the company was acquired by Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, and Disney Channel and the four companies merged in June the same year, with the logo continuing to be used until November 2004.
==History==
The company traces its origins to 1987, when The Microsoft Animation Team was formed as a division of MCA, Inc., a digital and educational company owned by Paul Allen. Microsoft Corporation began producing and distributing a direct-to-video series titled A Boy Named Charlie Brown (1963), which was created by Paul’s brother-in-law, Bill Gates. Five years after its debut, Peanuts caught the attention of Viacom, who subsequently revamped the concept for television as Peanuts Worldwide and began airing on the organization's flagship television service on April 5, 1992.
Microsoft Creations was formed in 1995, and The Microsoft Animation Team became a division of a new company under the name Viacom International. The company developed the series Hey Arnold for Nickelodeon in 1996. This series was produced by Turner Broadcast, another division of the company, and was primarily filmed on a studio backlot in Atlanta, Georgia. In the late 1990s, Microsoft Creations acquired the distribution rights for VeggieTales, and Dexter's Laboratory and also distributed book publishing and video gaming rights for some Nintendo, Sega, and Pokemon video game characters like Mario, Sonic, Yoshi, Kirby, Pickachu, Donkey Kong, and Link.
On February 9, 2001, the company was acquired by Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, and Disney for $512 million and merged in June of that year, even the logo would continue to appear until November 2004.
== Release ==
In June 1999, It also debuted the final animated logo opening, showcasing cameo characters from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987), The Powerpuff Girls (1998), Hey Arnold, Dexter’s Laboratory, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Peanuts sampling the 2001’s Harry Gregson-Williams and John Powell’s upcoming music “Fairytale” from the 2001’s upcoming DreamWorks Animation film “Shrek” mixed with several notes from the 2019 DreamWorks Animation fanfare composed by John Powell who composed the 2019’s DreamWorks Animation film “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World”, produced by Stephen Hillenburg from SpongeBob SquarePants and Craig McCracken from The Powerpuff Girls served as the production designer. It has been said that all of the characters (with the exception of Peanuts) are replaceable within the intro and could be swapped out for other characters, presumably as the laserdisc releases and reprints more films and series. 
In April 2000, the second variation of this logo substitutes Arnold, Dexter, and SpongeBob with Garfield and Odie (representing Garfield and Friends), Mario (representing Super Mario Bros.) and Sonic the Hedgehog respectively.
In September 2000, the third variant of this logo substitutes Garfield, Odie, Mario, and Sonic with Inspector Gadget, Penny Brown, and Brain (representing himself titled show), Link (representing The Legend of Zelda), and Woody Woodpecker respectively.
In June 2001, the fourth variant of this logo substitutes Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, Michelangelo, Inspector Gadget, Penny Brown, Brain, Link, and Woody Woodpecker with Jimmy Neutron and his friends (representing Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius), Timmy Turner, Wanda, and Cosmo (representing The Fairly OddParents), Jack (representing Samurai Jack), and Dib Membrane (representing Invader Zim) respectively.
In March 2002, the fifth variant of this logo brought back Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael and Michelangelo ( representing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles again) and substitutes Blossom, Bubbles, Buttercup, Timmy Turner, Wanda, Cosmo, Jack, and Dib Membrane with Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, The Green Lantern, Aqualand, and The Marvin Manhunter (representing Justice League), Kim Possible, What’s New, Scooby-Doo?, and Kirby respectively.
In October 2002, the sixth variant of this logo brought back Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup (representing The Powerpuff Girls again) and substitutes Kim, The Scooby Gang, and Kirby with Grim (representing The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy), Daffy Duck (representing Duck Dodgers), and Teen Titans (2003 Original) respectively.
In June 2003, the seventh variant of this logo substitutes Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, Michelangelo, Blossom, Bubbles, Buttercup, Grim, Daffy Duck, and Teen Titans with Ed, Double D, Eddy and the kids (representing Ed, Edd n Eddy), Danny Phantom, Sector V (representing Codename: Kids Next Door), Courage the Cowardly Dog, and Jenny Wakeman (representing My Life As A Teenage Robot) respectively.
== Distribution==
===Programs===
Name 	First year 	Final year 	Notes
Peanuts 	October 21, 1987 	May 19, 2004 	Flagship franchise
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 	December 14, 1987 	November 2, 1996 	
Garfield and Friends 	September 17, 1988	December 10, 1994 	
VeggieTales 	December 31, 1993 	February 10, 2004 	Big Idea's First Mass-Market Distribution
Dexter's Laboratory 	April 27, 1996 	November 20, 2003 	Cartoon Network's First US Laserdisc Distribution
Hey Arnold 	October 7, 1996 	June 8, 2004 	Nickelodeon's First US Laserdisc Distribution
The Powerpuff Girls 	November 18, 1998 	April 9, 2004 	Cartoon Network's US Laserdisc Distribution
Ed, Edd n Eddy 	January 4, 1999 	November 5, 2004 	Cartoon Network's US Laserdisc Distribution
SpongeBob Squarepants 	May 1, 1999 	October 11, 2004 	Nickelodeon's First US Laserdisc Distribution
The Woody Woodpecker Show 	May 8, 1999 	July 27, 2002 	
Inspector Gadget 	July 23, 1999 	March 8, 2003 	
Courage the Cowardly Dog 	November 12, 1999 	November 22, 2002 	Cartoon Network's US Laserdisc Distribution
3-2-1 Penguins! 	November 14, 2000 	July 1, 2003 	Big Idea's Second Mass-Market Distribution
The Fairly OddParents 	March 20, 2001 	November 21, 2003 	Nickelodeon's US Laserdisc Distribution
Invader Zim 	March 20, 2001 	December 10, 2002 	Nickelodeon's US Laserdisc Distribution
Samurai Jack 	August 10, 2001 	September 25, 2004	Cartoon Network’s US Laserdisc Distribution
Justice League 	November 17, 2001 	May 29, 2004 	Warner Bros. Television's First US Laserdisc Distribution
LarryBoy: The Cartoon Adventures 	March 16, 2002 	May 6, 2003 	Big Idea's Last Mass-Market Distribution
Kim Possible 	June 7, 2002 	May 16, 2003 	Disney Channel's First US Laserdisc Distribution
The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius	July 20, 2002 	July 9, 2004 	Nickelodeon's US Laserdisc Distribution
What’s New Scooby Doo 	September 14, 2002	March 27, 2004 	Warner Bros. Television's Second US Laserdisc Distribution
Codename: Kids Next Door 	December 6, 2002 	November 12, 2004 	Cartoon Network’s US Laserdisc Distribution
The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy 	June 11, 2003 	October 1, 2004 	Cartoon Network’s US Laserdisc Distribution
Teen Titans 	July 19, 2003 	August 21, 2004 	Warner Bros. Television US Laserdisc Distribution
Duck Dodgers 	August 23, 2003 	November 18, 2003 	Warner Bros. Television US Laserdisc Distribution
My Life as a Teenage Robot 	August 1, 2003 	February 27, 2004 	Nickelodeon's US Laserdisc Distribution
Danny Phantom 	April 3, 2004 	November 5, 2004 	Nickelodeon's US Laserdisc Distribution
===Movies/TV Films===
Name 	Year 	Notes
A Boy Named Charlie Brown 	December 4, 1969 	National General Pictures
Snoopy Come Home 	August 9, 1972 	National General Pictures
Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown 	August 24, 1977 	Paramount Pictures
Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (and Don't Come Back!!)	May 30, 1980 	Paramount Pictures
Inspector Gadget 	July 23, 1999 	Walt Disney Pictures and Buena Vista Pictures Distribution’s First Theatrical Feature Film
Dexter's Laboratory: Ego Trip 	December 10, 1999	Cartoon Network Studios, Cartoon Network, and Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution's First Direct-to-TV Film
Samurai Jack: The Premiere Movie 	August 10, 2001 	Cartoon Network Studios, Cartoon Network, and Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution's First Direct-to-TV Film
Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius 	December 21, 2001	O Entertainment, DNA Productions, Nickelodeon Movies, and Paramount Pictures' First Theatrical Feature Film
Hey Arnold!: The Movie 	June 28, 2002 	Snee-Oosh, Inc., Nickelodeon Movies, and Paramount Pictures
The Powerpuff Girls Movie 	July 3, 2002 	Cartoon Network Studios, and Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution's First Theatrical Feature Film
Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie 	October 4, 2002 	Big Idea Productions, and FHE Pictures' Theatrical Film
Inspector Gadget 2 	March 8, 2003 	Walt Disney Pictures and Buena Vista Pictures Distribution’s Second and Last Theatrical Feature Film
Garfield: The Movie 	June 11, 2004 	20th Century Fox’s Theatrical Feature Film
===Programs based on Video Games===
Name 	First year 	Final year 	Notes
The Super Mario Bros. Super Show 	September 4, 1989 	December 1, 1989	DiC and Nintendo's US Laserdisc Distribution
The Legend of Zelda 	September 8, 1989 	December 1, 1989	DiC and Nintendo's US Laserdisc Distribution
The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3	September 8, 1990 	December 1, 1990	DiC and Nintendo's US Laserdisc Distribution
Super Mario World 	September 14, 1991	December 7, 1991	DiC and Nintendo's US Laserdisc Distribution
Sonic Underground 	January 6, 1999 	May 23, 1999 	DiC and Sega's US Laserdisc Distribution
Kirby: Right Back at Ya! 	September 14, 2002	April 24, 2004 	4Kidz Entertainment and Nintendo's US Laserdisc Distribution
Sonic X 	April 6, 2003 	March 27, 2004 	Torus Games and Sega's US Laserdisc Distribution
==Trivia== 
*Big Idea was Originally distributed in Christian Bookstores from 1995 to 2003
*Nickelodeon was still produced by Paramount Pictures
*Cartoon Network was still produced by Warner Bros. Pictures
*Except for alternative laserdisc copies of Danny Phantom, and Sonic X
==References==
Category:Peanuts
Category:Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Category:Garfield and Friends
Category:Woody Woodpecker
Category:VeggieTales
Category:Dexter's Laboratory
Category:Hey Arnold!
Category:The Powerpuff Girls (classic)
Category:Ed, Edd, n' Eddy
Category:SpongeBob SquarePants
Category:Inspector Gadget
Category:Woody Woodpecker
Category:Courage the Cowardly Dog
Category:3-2-1 Penguins!
Category:The Fairly OddParents
Category:Invader Zim
Category:Samurai Jack
Category:Justice League
Category:LarryBoy: The Cartoon Adventures
Category:Kim Possible
Category:The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius
Category:What’s New Scooby Doo?
Category:Codename: Kids Next Door
Category:The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy
Category:Teen Titans
Category:Duck Dodgers
Category:My Life as a Teenage Robot
Category:Danny Phantom
Category:Mass media companies established in 1987
Category:Mass media companies disestablished in 2004
Category:1987 establishments in Georgia
Category:2004 disestablishments in Georgia
Category:2001 mergers and aquisitions
Category:Defunt companies is Georgia
Category:Nickelodeon
Category:Cartoon Network
Category:Disney Channel
Category:Nickelodeon Movies films
Category:Nickelodeon animated films
Category:Cartoon Network Studios films
Category:Cartoon Network Movies animated films
Category:Pioneer
Category:Laserdisc
Category:Fanon
Category:Big Idea Entertainment
Category:The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!
Category:The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3
Category:Super Mario World (TV Shows)
Category:The Legend of Zelda (TV Show)
Category:Sonic Underground
Category:Kirby: Right Back at Ya!
Category:Sonic X
Category:Microsoft
Category:Microsoft Ideas
Category:Warner Bros. Television