Distinctive Software

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Distinctive Software
Founded: 1982
Merged into: Electronic Arts (1991)
Headquarters: Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada

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Distinctive Software Inc. was a Canadian video game developer active during the late 1980s and early 1990s, founded by future Electronic Arts and Microsoft executive Don Mattrick. Known for their Test Drive series of racing games, the company also ran a successful game porting sub-label named Unlimited Software Inc., which produced the MS-DOS versions of several Activision-published Sega arcade games.

In 1991, the company was acquired by American video game developer Electronic Arts in a deal worth $10 million and became Electronic Arts Canada. Two years later, an internal development team dedicated to the production of Electronic Arts sports games was founded under the name Extended Play Productions.

History

According to programmer Mark Lesser, Electronic Arts had assigned EA Canada to take on the production and development responsibilities for Sega's popular Madden franchise sometime in the early 1990s. Whether this came to fruition to any degree is currently unknown.

Softography

Mega Drive

• The Duel: Test Drive II (1992)
• Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? (1992) (as Electronic Arts Canada)
• Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego? (1992)
• FIFA International Soccer (1993) (as EA Canada)
• FIFA Soccer 96 (1995) (as Electronic Arts Canada)

Game Gear

• FIFA Soccer 96 (1995) (as Electronic Arts Canada)

IBM PC

• After Burner (1989) (as Unlimited Software)
• OutRun (1989) (as Unlimited Software)
• Altered Beast (1990) (as Unlimited Software)

Saturn

• FIFA Soccer 96 (1995) (as Electronic Arts Canada)
• Road & Track Presents The Need for Speed (1996) (as Electronic Arts Canada)
• Nissan Presents Over Drivin' GT-R (1996) (as Electronic Arts Canada)
• FIFA Road to World Cup 98 (1997) (as EA Canada)
• NBA Live 97 (1997) (as EA Canada)
• NBA Live 98 (1997) (as Electronic Arts Canada)
• NHL 98 (1998) (as Electronic Arts Canada)

Dreamcast

• SSX (unreleased) (as EA Canada)