Difference between revisions of "Spectrum HoloByte"

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{{CompanyBob
 
{{CompanyBob
 
| logo=SpectrumHolobyte logo.png
 
| logo=SpectrumHolobyte logo.png
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| founded=1982  
 
| founded=1982  
 
| defunct=1999
 
| defunct=1999
 
| tseries=T-124
 
| tseries=T-124
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| mergedwith=Nexa, [[MicroProse]], SimTex
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| headquarters=[[wikipedia:Alameda, California|2061 Challenger Drive, Alameda, California 94501, United States]]{{fileref|SummerCES1991 Directory.pdf|page=282}}
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| mergedinto=[[Hasbro Interactive]]
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| headquarters2=[[wikipedia:Alameda, California|2490 Mariner Square, Alameda, California 94501, United States]]{{fileref|SpectrumHoloByte US catalog 1993.pdf|page=20}}
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| headquarters=Alameda, CA, USA
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}}'''Spectrum HoloByte, Inc.''' was an American video game developer which specialized in simulation games, most notably the ''[[wikipedia:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falcon_(video_game)|Falcon]]'' series of combat flight simulators. Founded in 1982, the company produced a number of titles for [[Sega]] video game systems.
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}}
 
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'''Spectrum HoloByte Inc.''' was founded in 1982 and incorporated in 1983 in the state of California. The company employed over 325 people and became successful in the development of games for the PC home computer. Their best selling games were the ''Falcon'' fighter-plane flight simulations. They were the first to bring ''[[Tetris]]'' to gamers outside the Soviet Union and ''Sokoban'' to gamers outside Japan. It was also the distributor for [[Domark]] games before Domark set up its own US operations in San Mateo, California.
 
  
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In 1991 Spectrum HoloByte was purchased by UK media baron Robert Maxwell along with another game developer, '''Nexa'''. Both were listed as divisions of '''Sphere Inc.''' When Maxwell died in November 1991 (presumed to have fallen overboard from his luxury yacht), chaos ensued for all of the Maxwell companies, including Sphere. Gilman Louie, who founded Nexa Corporation, kept the company afloat after the Maxwell turmoil and changed the name to Spectrum Holobyte in September 1992.
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==Company==
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Founded by Jeff Sauter, Phil Adam and Mike Franklin in 1982 (and officially incorporated the following year), Spectrum HoloByte began its existence primarily developing video games for personal computers. The company eventually found a niche in the combat flight simulator market with their popular ''[[wikipedia:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falcon_(video_game)|Falcon]]'' series, but gained the most notoriety with their 1988 home computer release of ''[[wikipedia:Tetris|Tetris]]'', the first version of the game to be published outside of the [[wikipedia:Soviet Union|Soviet Union]]. Spectrum HoloByte was also the distributor of British publisher [[Domark]]'s games before that company established its American branch in [[wikipedia:San Mateo, California|San Mateo, California]].
  
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The company was publicly held and traded on the NASDAQ National Market exchange under the symbol SBYT. Its five development studios were located in Alameda, California; Hunt Valley, Maryland; Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Austin, Texas; and Chipping Sodbury, England. They also had a division in Germany, Spectrum Holobyte GmbH.
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Spectrum HoloByte was publicly traded on the NASDAQ stock exchange under the symbol SBYT, and eventually established a number of external development studios: the company ran divisions in [[wikipedia:Alameda, California|Alameda, California]], [[wikipedia:Hunt Valley, Maryland|Hunt Valley, Maryland]], [[wikipedia:Chapel Hill, North Carolina|Chapel Hill, North Carolina]], [[wikipedia:Austin, Texas|Austin, Texas]], [[wikipedia:Chipping Sodbury, England|Chipping Sodbury, England]], [[wikipedia:Japan|Japan]], and [[wikipedia:Germany|Germany]].
  
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In 1993 the company acquired MicroProse, and then SimTex Inc. in 1995. In 1996, all of its products were consolidated underneath the MicroProse banner. Spectrum HoloByte Japan was one of their subsidiaries and eventually became MicroProse Japan K.K. Their Chipping Sodbury, England, subsidiary became MicroProse Ltd. (aka MicroProse-Spectrum HoloByte UK-Europe) and their German division was renamed MicroProse-Spectrum Holobyte GmbH.
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===Sphere===
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{{MainArticle|Sphere}}
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In early 1987, Spectrum HoloByte and [[Nexa Corporation]] were acquired by British print publisher [[wikipedia:Pergamon Press|Pergamon Press]] and merged into a new company, [[Sphere]], with its games generally still marketed under the Spectrum HoloByte name.{{ref|http://gdri.smspower.org/wiki/index.php/Nexa}}
  
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The remnants of Spectrum HoloByte disappeared completely when MicroProse merged with [[Hasbro Interactive]] in 1998, and their headquarters and studio in Alameda, California, closed in 1999.
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After the death of Pergamon Press founder [[wikipedia:Robert Maxwell|Robert Maxwell]] in November 1991, the publisher's subsidiaries encountered significant financial difficulties in the inter-business conflicts and infighting that followed. Regardless, Nexa Corporation founder [[Gilman Louie]] was able to keep Sphere in business, and in September 1992 established the company as an independent entity; in the process, the company was renamed back to [[Spectrum HoloByte]].
  
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==Softography==
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==Company (later)==
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{{multicol|
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In December 1993, Spectrum HoloByte merged with [[MicroProse]]{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/19961221145952/http://www.microprose.com/corporatedesign/corporate/index.html}}, and three years later further consolidated and rebranded the entirety of its products under the MicroProse banner; a number of its subsidiaries were rebranded as well, with some retaining the name Spectrum HoloByte in their titles depending on the brand familiarity of their local markets.
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===[[Master System]]===
 
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* ''[[F16 Fighting Falcon]]'' (1986, as Nexa)
 
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* ''[[Monopoly]]'' (1987, as Nexa)
 
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* ''[[Alf]]'' (1989, as Nexa)
 
  
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===[[Mega Drive]]===
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In 1998, MicroProse was acquired and merged into [[Hasbro Interactive]]. The company's [[wikipedia:Alameda, California|Alameda]] studio later closed in 1999, and Spectrum HoloByte formally ceased to exist.
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*''[[Soldiers of Fortune]]'' (1993)
 
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* ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation: Echoes from the Past]]'' (1994)
 
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*''[[Pete Sampras Tennis]]'' (1994)
 
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* ''[[TinHead]]'' (1994 re-release)
 
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*''[[Beastball]]'' (unreleased)
 
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*''[[WildSnake]]'' (unreleased)
 
  
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===[[Mega-CD]]===
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==Softography==
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* ''[[Iron Helix]]'' (1994)
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{{CompanyHistoryAll|Spectrum HoloByte|Nexa}}
  
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===[[Game Gear]]===
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==Catalogs==
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*''[[Pete Sampras Tennis]]'' (1994)
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{{gitem|SpectrumHoloByte US catalog 1993.pdf|US, 1993}}
  
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===[[Saturn]]===
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==References==
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*''[[BreakThru!]]'' (1995)
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<references/>
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*''[[ClockWerx]]'' (1996)
 
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}}
 

Latest revision as of 21:32, 23 August 2024

Spectrum HoloByte, Inc. was an American video game developer which specialized in simulation games, most notably the Falcon series of combat flight simulators. Founded in 1982, the company produced a number of titles for Sega video game systems.

Company

Founded by Jeff Sauter, Phil Adam and Mike Franklin in 1982 (and officially incorporated the following year), Spectrum HoloByte began its existence primarily developing video games for personal computers. The company eventually found a niche in the combat flight simulator market with their popular Falcon series, but gained the most notoriety with their 1988 home computer release of Tetris, the first version of the game to be published outside of the Soviet Union. Spectrum HoloByte was also the distributor of British publisher Domark's games before that company established its American branch in San Mateo, California.

Spectrum HoloByte was publicly traded on the NASDAQ stock exchange under the symbol SBYT, and eventually established a number of external development studios: the company ran divisions in Alameda, California, Hunt Valley, Maryland, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Austin, Texas, Chipping Sodbury, England, Japan, and Germany.

Sphere

Main article: Sphere.

In early 1987, Spectrum HoloByte and Nexa Corporation were acquired by British print publisher Pergamon Press and merged into a new company, Sphere, with its games generally still marketed under the Spectrum HoloByte name.[3]

After the death of Pergamon Press founder Robert Maxwell in November 1991, the publisher's subsidiaries encountered significant financial difficulties in the inter-business conflicts and infighting that followed. Regardless, Nexa Corporation founder Gilman Louie was able to keep Sphere in business, and in September 1992 established the company as an independent entity; in the process, the company was renamed back to Spectrum HoloByte.

Company (later)

In December 1993, Spectrum HoloByte merged with MicroProse[4], and three years later further consolidated and rebranded the entirety of its products under the MicroProse banner; a number of its subsidiaries were rebranded as well, with some retaining the name Spectrum HoloByte in their titles depending on the brand familiarity of their local markets.

In 1998, MicroProse was acquired and merged into Hasbro Interactive. The company's Alameda studio later closed in 1999, and Spectrum HoloByte formally ceased to exist.

Softography

Master System

Mega Drive

Game Gear

Mega-CD

Saturn

IBM PC

Catalogs

Expression error: Unexpected < operator. File:SpectrumHoloByte US catalog 1993.pdf

PDF
<div style="width:Expression error: Unexpected < operator.px; padding-left:2px; padding-top:5px; padding-right:2px;">US, 1993

References

  1. ↑ Summer CES Directory, page 282
  2. ↑ File:SpectrumHoloByte US catalog 1993.pdf, page 20
  3. ↑ http://gdri.smspower.org/wiki/index.php/Nexa
  4. ↑ http://www.microprose.com/corporatedesign/corporate/index.html (Wayback Machine: 1996-12-21 14:59)
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