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At its 2008 peak, contained over 62,000 articles and a massive library of multimedia assets.
: Over time, Microsoft bolstered its content by purchasing and incorporating Collier’s Encyclopedia and the New Merit Scholar’s Encyclopedia . Key Features and Content
Encarta was born from Microsoft's internal project in the late 1980s. After being rejected by Encyclopædia Britannica , Microsoft licensed text from Funk & Wagnalls Encyclopedia for its initial 1993 release. Encarta Encyclopedia Free Software
: After the encyclopedia was discontinued, the online dictionary remained accessible for free until 2011 . Discontinuation and Legacy
Microsoft announced the discontinuation of Encarta in March 2009, citing shifts in how people consume information. Microsoft Encarta Retrospective At its 2008 peak, contained over 62,000 articles
: Featured a virtual globe atlas (powered by MapPoint technology), dynamic timelines, and 360-degree virtual tours.
Microsoft Encarta was a digital multimedia encyclopedia published by Microsoft from . While it was primarily a paid commercial product, limited free versions existed through the Encarta Concise Encyclopedia online and ad-supported web articles before its eventual discontinuation. Today, the software is considered abandonware and is often found for free on archival sites like Internet Archive . Historical Overview and Development After being rejected by Encyclopædia Britannica , Microsoft
: Famous for the MindMaze trivia game, where players explored a medieval castle by answering encyclopedia-based questions.