Datasoft: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|American video game publisher (1980-1987)}}

[[File:Datasoft Logo.svg|220px|right]]

{{Infobox company

| name = Datasoft

[[File:| logo = Datasoft Logo.svg|220px|right]]

| type =

| founded = {{Start date and age|df=yes|June 12, 1980}}<ref name='anticv2n5'>{{cite magazine |title=Profiles: Pat Ketchum|magazine=Antic|issue=5|publisher=Antic Publishing|date=August 1983|page=12|url=https://archive.org/details/1983-08-anticmagazine/page/12|access-date=16 December 2024}}</ref>

| founder = Pat Ketchum

| location_city = [[Chatsworth, Los Angeles|Chatsworth, California]]

| location_country = US

| key_people =

| industry = [[Video game industry|Video games]]<br/>[[Productivity software]]

| num_employees =

| parent =

}}

'''Datasoft, Inc.''' (also written as '''DataSoft''' and '''Data Soft''') was a software developer and publisher for [[home computer]]s founded in 1980 by Pat Ketchum and based out of [[Chatsworth, Los Angeles|Chatsworth, California]].{{fact|date<ref name=June'anticv2n5' 2018}}/> Datasoft primarily published video games, including home ports of [[arcade video game]]s, games based on licenses from movies and [[television program|TV shows]], and original games. Like competitor [[Synapse Software]], the companythey also published other software: development tools, word processors, and utilities. Text Wizard, written by William Robinson and published by Datasoft when he was 16, was the basis for [[AtariWriter]].<ref name=cohen/> Datasoft initially targeted the [[Atari 8-bit familycomputers]], [[Apple II]], and [[TRS-80 Color Computer]], then later the [[Commodore 64]], [[IBM PC compatible|IBM PC]], [[Atari ST]], and [[Amiga]]. Starting in 1983, a line of lower cost softwaregames was published under the namelabel Gentry Software.<ref name=analog55/>

Datasoft went into [[bankruptcy]],{{When|date=December 2020}} and its name and assets were purchased by two Datasoft executives, Samuel L. Poole and Ted Hoffman.{{fact|date=June 2018}} They renamed the company '''IntelliCreations''' and distributed Datasoft games until it closed.

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*''[[Dung Beetles (video game)|Dung Beetles]]''

*''[[Pacific Coast Highway (video game)|Pacific Coast Highway]]''

*''[[Shooting Arcade]]''

*''[[The Sands of Egypt]]''

;1983

*''Genesis''

*''[[Juno First]]'', '''arcade port'''

*''Moon Shuttle'', '''arcade port'''

*''[[Nibbler (video game)|Nibbler]]'', '''arcade port'''

*''[[O'Riley's Mine]]''

*''[[ZaxxonPooyan]]'', '''arcade port'''

*''[[PooyanZaxxon]]'', '''arcade port'''

;1984

*''[[Conan: Hall of Volta|Conan]]''

*''[[Bruce Lee (video game)|Bruce Lee]]''

*''[[Lost Tomb]]'', '''arcade port'''

*''[[The Dallas Quest]]''

*''[[Mancopter]]''

*''[[Mr. Do!]]'', '''arcade port'''

*''[[Pac-Man]]'', '''arcade port'''

*''[[Pole Position]]'', '''arcade port'''

*''[[Pooyan]]'', '''arcade port'''

;1985

*''[[Alternate Reality: The City]]''

*''[[The_Goonies_(1985_video_game)|The Goonies]]''

*''[[Tomahawk (computer game)|Tomahawk]]''

*''[[Zorro (1985 video game)|Zorro]]''

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*''Dark Lord''

*''Force 7''

*''Gunslinger''<ref>{{cite web |title=Gunslinger |url=http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-gunslinger_2354.html |website=Atari Mania |access-date=2010-09-24 |archive-date=2010-08-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100827154153/http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-gunslinger_2354.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

*''Saracen''

;1988

*''[[Napoleon in Russia: Borodino 1812]]'' (MS-DOS)

{{Div col end}}

===Games under the Gentry Software label===

*''Leap'in Lizards!'' (1983)

*''[[Dung Beetles (video game)|Magneto Bugs]]'' (1983)

*''Maniac Miner'' (1983)

* ''Maxwell's Demon / Memory Mania'' (1983)

*''[[Rosen's Brigade]]'' (1983)

*''Sea Bandit'' (1983)

*''Spiderquake'' (1983)

*''Starbase Fighter'' (1983)

*''Target Practice'' (1983)

===Education===

*''Bishop's Square / Maxwell's Demon'' (1982)<ref>{{cite web |title=Bishop's Square / Maxwell's Demon |url=http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-bishop-s-square-maxwell-s-demon_6900.html |website=Atari Mania |access-date=2020-12-29 |archive-date=2021-01-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122163047/http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-bishop-s-square-maxwell-s-demon_6900.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Word processing===

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===Other software===

*Micro-Painter (1982)<ref>{{cite web |title=Micropainter |url=http://www.atarimania.com/utility-atari-400-800-xl-xe-micro-painter_31609.html |website=Atari Mania |access-date=2020-12-28 |archive-date=2022-06-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220622152528/http://www.atarimania.com/utility-atari-400-800-xl-xe-micro-painter_31609.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

==References==

{{Reflist|refs=

<ref name="cohen">{{cite journal |last1=Cohen |first1=Frank |title=The Making of AtariWriter Plus |journal=ANALOG Computing |date=June 1987 |issue=55 |pages=9-109–10 |url=https://archive.org/details/analog-computing-magazine-55/page/n9/mode/2up}}</ref>

<ref name=analog55>{{cite journal |title=New Products |journal=ANALOG Computing |date=September 1983 |issue=13 |page=17 |url=https://archive.org/details/analog-computing-magazine-13/page/n17/mode/2up}}</ref>

}}

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* [http://www.if-legends.org/~adventure/Datasoft,_Inc.html Adventureland Company Profile]

[[Category:Atari 8-bit familycomputers]]

[[Category:Video game companies established in 1980]]

[[Category:Defunct video game companies of the United States]]