DGD: What is the story behind the founding of Xtreme Games in 1995?
LaMothe: Well, I always wanted to have a game company. Actually, Xgames was my second. My first was "Andromeda FX". I started it with some people that were working with me at a virtual reality company, but we couldn't get the money together. So I thought to myself, "Maybe I should lay off trying to start companies and just write books about how to program games," so I started writing books in 1994. In 1995, I came up with the concept of "Xtreme Games", at that time, no one was using the word "Xtreme", so it sounded pretty catchy to me. Of course, I didn't have much to sell -- nothing really, but I thought I would make a site, and at least put my games up. Then, in 1998, things went ballistic! Fans from around the world wanted to be part of Xgames, so I came up with the concept of the "Xtreme Partner" and the unheard-of 50% royalty split -- basically, I simply told the truth to the developers, "don't think you're getting rich, I will try and publish your game. If it works out, great, if not, then oh well!". People liked the honesty, plus I never hold people to contracts; if they really want out I'm cool, and I have been known to just rip them up over the phone to be cool about it, if it's not working for both parties. My goal is to create the world's largest netowrk of developers and to give game programmers the respect and financial rewards they deserve -- simple as that.

DGD: Yours is a "Virtual Corporation". What benefits and liablities does that give your company?
LaMothe: As far as benefits, I have an extremely low overhead -- I am completely profitable, and always have been and there's no need for anyone to be physically anywhere. That's why I am such a threat to companies like Hasbro, there is no way they can compete with me if I ever got deep distribution. I can make games for a fraction of the cost, my developers trust me, and I am out to be fair. I have no liabilities since my company is an LLC. As far as efficiency, yes, sometimes, I wish people were all in one place; it might make some things go smoother.

DGD: The "Xtreme Partner" program of publishing and distributing games from up-and-coming game developers and splitting the profits -- how has this worked out for you?
LaMothe: Great! I'm not rich, my developers aren't rich, but we get the games out there. I work for the people, the people don't work for me. Publishers that take 90% (which is the norm) should be thrown in jail!

DGD: Look back over the past five years . . . what would you have done differently? What has worked well?
LaMothe: About the only things that I would have done differently is waste less time on venture capitalists and waste less time in meetings with business people. These people are clueless, and they have no understanding of technology. A developer's time is best spent making things. What has worked well has been harnessing the power of the internet -- I can rally 100 game programmers on multiple projects in a matter of hours.

DGD: Hasbro Interactive and its subsidiary, Atari Interactive, have filed suit in federal court to enforce the companies' copyrights to some of the world's most popular computer and video games. Xtreme Games is mentioned in that suit. What are your thoughts on Hasbro's position?
LaMothe: Hasbro is basically losing money hand over fist, and they are completely out of line with the suit. Not only are the copyrights they are referring to invalid, but Hasbro is trying to monopolize the game market. If all the parties are forced to settle due to financial problems, then Hasbro will probably go after larger companies. They are trying to control the freedom that game programmers have had for 20+ years, so they can have 100% of the game market. They are truly the epitome of a corrupt, greedy, corporation pretending to care about their customers as they systematically use the deep pockets and army of attorneys to drain the smaller companies like mine with paperwork in court.

DGD: What do you think a game copyright should protect?
LaMothe: I think that a copyright should protect the EXACT product -- no more, no less. Games are art, and if we can't base our ideas on other games, then how can we advance? Atari stole ALL their games from other games, like Space War, first-generation TV consoles from Magnavox, etc.

DGD: What attitude towards copyrights do you think companies like Hasbro should take?
LaMothe: If someone copies a game EXACTLY then they should pay royalties, or action should be able to be taken.

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