MicroProse
Www.microprose.com ( last archived version of April 28, 1999 )
(Also called MicroProse Simulation Software ) MicroProse Software, Inc. was an American company in the computer game industry.
History
MicroProse was founded in 1982 by Sid Meier and Bill Stealey. In the early 1980s, the company was mainly known as a developer and publisher of flight and military simulation on 8- bit home computers. The first published programs had been programmed by Sid Meier on the Atari 800. Among Spitfire Ace Hellcat Ace, two air war simulations, in which the player must complete missions in the European and Pacific airspace (both 1982). The civilian flight simulation Solo Flight (1983 ) also allows VOR instrument flight and was without the information contained in the manual cards that were needed to support the landings, does not make sense to use.
With the rise of the IBM PC and its clones, the computer game development shifted to these platforms. At this time MicroProse began increasingly to drive strategy games.
As part of an international expansion it gave in 1986 a branch in the UK, Microprose Software Limited in Tetbury ( Gloucestershire ). The registered in October 1988, West German Microprose Software GmbH with initial headquarters in Mainz -Kastel was a subsidiary of the British establishment.
1990 and 1991 MicroProse published the two biggest hits the company's history, Railroad Tycoon and Civilization. Shortly afterwards, in 1993, MicroProse was from another computer game manufacturer, Spectrum Holobyte, bought up. However, both sold their games until the year 1996 under the established brand name. Then the games were marketed under the label MicroProse. At this time, Sid Meier left MicroProse to re- establish his own development studio Firaxis Games.
The end of 1997 took over MicroProse by Francis G. Tresham the small British games publisher Hartland Trefoil and thus the rights to the 1980 published board game Civilization.
1998 the new MicroProse was bought by Hasbro. In the subsequent period MicroProse experienced under the new roof a short and eventful history. 1999, two development studios in California and North Carolina have already been closed. 2001 Hasbro Interactive was acquired by Infogrames.
2003 will also see the original and last existing development studio of the former MicroProse Software, Inc. in Hunt Valley ( Maryland) has been closed.