▁The ▁to ys ▁are ▁in ▁the ▁form ▁of ▁lic ensed ▁doll s ▁which ▁can ▁interact ▁with ▁many ▁episodes ▁of ▁their ▁respective ▁television ▁series ▁from ▁ 1 9 9 7 - 2 0 0 0 ▁or ▁on ▁special ▁Act i M ates - compatible ▁V HS ▁t apes ▁and ▁special ▁PC ▁games . ▁ ▁Microsoft ▁released ▁seven ▁characters : ▁Bar ney , ▁Arthur ▁and ▁his ▁sister ▁D . W . ▁and ▁the ▁Te let ub b ies . ▁Act i M ates ▁Bar ney ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁to ▁be ▁released ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁becoming ▁a ▁success ▁that ▁hol iday ▁season . ▁The ▁doll s ▁can ▁interact ▁with ▁the ▁TV ▁and ▁the ▁computer ▁( the ▁Te let ub b ies ▁can ' t ▁interact ▁with ▁the ▁PC ) ▁using ▁a ▁special ▁TV ▁and ▁PC ▁Pack . ▁The ▁to ys ▁were ▁market ed ▁as ▁educational ▁tools ▁and ▁gave ▁positive ▁aff irm ations ▁for ▁correct ▁answers ▁from ▁the ▁user . ▁They ▁can ▁also ▁be ▁played ▁stand alone ▁without ▁V CR ▁and ▁computer . ▁Three ▁Act i M ates ▁Bar ney ▁PC ▁games ▁released ▁at ▁launch , ▁with ▁more ▁additional ▁software ▁to ▁be ▁released ▁for ▁Bar ney . ▁Microsoft ▁dis cont in ued ▁the ▁doll s ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁and ▁lost ▁the ▁pat ent ▁rights ▁to ▁the ▁to ys ▁not ▁long ▁afterwards . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Category : 1 9 9 7 ▁software ▁Category : Dis cont in ued ▁Microsoft ▁products ▁Category : To y ▁br ands ▁Category : Bar ney