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Ariolasoft
Ariolasoft, later United software was a German producer, publisher and distributor of software, especially video and computer games, in the 1980s and early 1990s.
Company History
Division of Ariola
The origins of the company lie in the later 1982 when the Bertelsmann group to decided to establish a separate department for the distribution of video games with his record label Ariola. Starting with the exclusive distribution of Atari VCS titles of the American developer and publisher Activision brought Ariolasoft from 1983 numerous console games to the German market. With advent of 8-bit computers, including especially the Commodore C64, Ariolasoft quickly grew into it well in the market of computer games. The big American publisher Electronic Arts and Brøderbund entertained at this time no branch offices in Europe, leaving the marketing of their products, therefore, a local supplier, in addition to other increasingly Ariolasoft. In addition, published on behalf of COSMI Ariolasoft, Starlight Software, Synapse Software, Human Engineered Software, Creative Software, and others.
In software sales mainly repackaging and transmission in different media such as 3 "floppy or Datasette was required at this time. Ariolasoft took part but even the porting to other platforms, mainly due to the strong spread in Europe as Amstrad CPC Amstrad CPC or Sinclair ZX Spectrum and promoted their own developers. Among the most famous self-publishing from this period include the Hanseatic trading simulation and the text-graphic adventure "Ooze".
About the computer games business, the company expanded in the summer of 1986, his catalog to software for home users as Printmaster of Brøderbund and the popular Electronic Arts Deluxe series from Deluxe Paint, deluxe print and Deluxe video for the Commodore Amiga. A spreadsheet program called CALKIT, Bygraph for displaying graphic diagrams and newsroom, a text editor were being planned.
Ariolasoft GmbH
In 1986, Bertelsmann decided to separate the software range from the music business of Ariola and become independent legally by establishing the Ariolasoft GmbH under the managing director Hans-Joachim Krusche.
The end of 1986 sought SEGA for distributors for the simultaneous launch of its Master System in North America and Europe. For Germany Ariolasoft was the first company with which this agreement has been found. Before the year started the campaign and some German magazines was the first opportunity to see the new console and some games for it. Until 1988, sales in Germany but ran much worse over Ariolasoft, as in the British market very successful Master Tronic, so that the contract was not renewed with Ariolasoft.
In 1988, the market share in Germany was already at about 45 percent. Until the implementation of the single European market in early 1993, a market share of 70 per cent should be achieved. The establishment Ariolasoft UK, opened under the direction of former CBS manager Ashley Gray and Frank Brunger 1984 was closed under the direction of Willi Carmincke in spring 1988. The sales figures were even three years after its launch in the UK far below expectations and the promising market for 16-bit computers was estimated in Germany at three times the size of the English.
In 1989 the label "Art Edition" was launched for the sales of our own productions with the developers Ralf Glau, Holger and Harald Paulsen Uenzelmann. In 1990 was Ariolasoft on the German market leader in the sale of game software. Together with the competitors Rushware and US Gold revealed to 90 percent of the market.
United Software GmbH
In 1990, Bertelsmann the sectors Software and computer games to a large extent. The Ariolasoft GmbH was sold through a management buyout of its managing director Hans-Joachim Krusche. Outside the Bertelsmann Group allowed the trademark name Ariola no longer be used. The company therefore decided to use a renamed United Software GmbH. This was intended to express the variety of international companies, such as Cinema goods, FTL Games, Grand Slam Entertainment, Hewson Consultants, Ocean Software and Sierra Entertainment, for their games, the company most recently worked.
United Software was acquired by MicroProse Germany 1993rd In 1998 the acquisition of Hasbro, 2001 by Infogrames, who then renamed Atari SA of 2003.
Distribution Label
The British Ariolasoft UK Ltd. published numerous games not only under its own label, but also through
39 Steps (Bride of Frankenstein, Len Deighton's Blitzkrieg: The Game - From the ..., They Stole a Million)
Reaktör Software (Centurions: Power X Treme, Challenge of the Gobots, colonial power, Mountie Mick's Death Ride, The Rubicon Alliance)
Viz Design (Frankenstein Jnr. And Werewolves of London), not a Publisher.
Company History
Division of Ariola
The origins of the company lie in the later 1982 when the Bertelsmann group to decided to establish a separate department for the distribution of video games with his record label Ariola. Starting with the exclusive distribution of Atari VCS titles of the American developer and publisher Activision brought Ariolasoft from 1983 numerous console games to the German market. With advent of 8-bit computers, including especially the Commodore C64, Ariolasoft quickly grew into it well in the market of computer games. The big American publisher Electronic Arts and Brøderbund entertained at this time no branch offices in Europe, leaving the marketing of their products, therefore, a local supplier, in addition to other increasingly Ariolasoft. In addition, published on behalf of COSMI Ariolasoft, Starlight Software, Synapse Software, Human Engineered Software, Creative Software, and others.
In software sales mainly repackaging and transmission in different media such as 3 "floppy or Datasette was required at this time. Ariolasoft took part but even the porting to other platforms, mainly due to the strong spread in Europe as Amstrad CPC Amstrad CPC or Sinclair ZX Spectrum and promoted their own developers. Among the most famous self-publishing from this period include the Hanseatic trading simulation and the text-graphic adventure "Ooze".
About the computer games business, the company expanded in the summer of 1986, his catalog to software for home users as Printmaster of Brøderbund and the popular Electronic Arts Deluxe series from Deluxe Paint, deluxe print and Deluxe video for the Commodore Amiga. A spreadsheet program called CALKIT, Bygraph for displaying graphic diagrams and newsroom, a text editor were being planned.
Ariolasoft GmbH
In 1986, Bertelsmann decided to separate the software range from the music business of Ariola and become independent legally by establishing the Ariolasoft GmbH under the managing director Hans-Joachim Krusche.
The end of 1986 sought SEGA for distributors for the simultaneous launch of its Master System in North America and Europe. For Germany Ariolasoft was the first company with which this agreement has been found. Before the year started the campaign and some German magazines was the first opportunity to see the new console and some games for it. Until 1988, sales in Germany but ran much worse over Ariolasoft, as in the British market very successful Master Tronic, so that the contract was not renewed with Ariolasoft.
In 1988, the market share in Germany was already at about 45 percent. Until the implementation of the single European market in early 1993, a market share of 70 per cent should be achieved. The establishment Ariolasoft UK, opened under the direction of former CBS manager Ashley Gray and Frank Brunger 1984 was closed under the direction of Willi Carmincke in spring 1988. The sales figures were even three years after its launch in the UK far below expectations and the promising market for 16-bit computers was estimated in Germany at three times the size of the English.
In 1989 the label "Art Edition" was launched for the sales of our own productions with the developers Ralf Glau, Holger and Harald Paulsen Uenzelmann. In 1990 was Ariolasoft on the German market leader in the sale of game software. Together with the competitors Rushware and US Gold revealed to 90 percent of the market.
United Software GmbH
In 1990, Bertelsmann the sectors Software and computer games to a large extent. The Ariolasoft GmbH was sold through a management buyout of its managing director Hans-Joachim Krusche. Outside the Bertelsmann Group allowed the trademark name Ariola no longer be used. The company therefore decided to use a renamed United Software GmbH. This was intended to express the variety of international companies, such as Cinema goods, FTL Games, Grand Slam Entertainment, Hewson Consultants, Ocean Software and Sierra Entertainment, for their games, the company most recently worked.
United Software was acquired by MicroProse Germany 1993rd In 1998 the acquisition of Hasbro, 2001 by Infogrames, who then renamed Atari SA of 2003.
Distribution Label
The British Ariolasoft UK Ltd. published numerous games not only under its own label, but also through
39 Steps (Bride of Frankenstein, Len Deighton's Blitzkrieg: The Game - From the ..., They Stole a Million)
Reaktör Software (Centurions: Power X Treme, Challenge of the Gobots, colonial power, Mountie Mick's Death Ride, The Rubicon Alliance)
Viz Design (Frankenstein Jnr. And Werewolves of London), not a Publisher.