ENCOM International is a fictional American multinational computer technology corporation that appears in Disney's Tron franchise. ENCOM developed many important programs and technologies such as digitization hardware and software, the MCP and, of course, Tron. In the 1980s, ENCOM was mainly focusing on defense systems and mainframes but quickly began focusing more on video games after the amazing success and profits produced by games such as Space Paranoids and Light Cycles.
Background[]
ENCOM was founded on July 22, 1972, in a garage by Walter Gibbs. Over time, ENCOM arose to become one of the world's leading computer companies.
ENCOM brought its first mainframe online in 1980. It was a significant breakthrough in processing power and chip-to-chip communication. It was during this time, ENCOM began development on an administrative program to control this mainframe. Its name was the Master Control Program aka the MCP.
In 1981, lead software engineer Kevin Flynn privately develops a set of video games while working at nightshifts at ENCOM's offices. While developing these games, MCP programmer Ed Dillinger hacks into Flynn's private memory file and steals the games. Three months later, Dillinger presents the games to executives at ENCOM; the games become a massive success and Dillinger is promoted to Senior Executive VP. Flynn is then fired by Dillinger after disputes over credit for his work.
In 1982, ENCOM was operating in 30 different countries, and also, ENCOM computers were being used in the Pentagon and the Kremlin, as stated by the MCP.
ENCOM's main offices in the mid-1980s.
In 1989, ENCOM CEO Kevin Flynn mysteriously disappeared and as a result many feared that ENCOM would go out of business now that their creative guru was gone. However, ENCOM's stock prices continued to rise despite Flynn's disappearance. According to former COO Alan Bradley, the company survived by creating new games based on a backlog of ideas and old programs that were created by Flynn. Bradley was against this practice - which he characterized as "grave robbing" - and as a result, he stepped down as COO in the 1990s.
Appearances[]
Tron[]
In 1982, ENCOM was under the control of CEO Ed Dillinger and was developing multiple computer programs, and most importantly, Digitising technology. However, Dillinger was soon removed from his position, and replaced by its rightful owner, Kevin Flynn.
Tron: Legacy[]
By 2009, ENCOM had developed into the world's largest video game company, under the control of Alan Bradley. ENCOM was also into heavily merchandising its games (such as Recognizer nightlights and action figures); this enabled ENCOM to be incredibly popular.
Video games[]
Tron 2.0[]
In Tron 2.0, ENCOM was in the process of a hostile takeover by FCON in 2003, with its technology being seized and taken over for profit by FCON, but this led to ENCOM scientists being unaware of the corruption spreading throughout the computer world. This problem was soon stopped by a digitized Jet Bradley.
Kingdom Hearts II[]
ENCOM is briefly mentioned as the developers of Tron in the game and by extension the sub-world "Space Paranoids".
