AMSOFT

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Background

The software wing of Amstrad, Amsoft was created with one very specific goal: to get software on the shelves for the launch of the CPC 464. Amstrad owner Alan Sugar viewed this as a key component of his strategy for entering the already crowded British home micro market in the mid-1980s. Sugar was determined not to make the same mistake as the people behind already doomed machines like the Dragon 32 and Oric and saw a strong software base as a necessity if he was to break the stranglehold of the more established trio of machines being produced by Acorn, Commodore and Sinclair.

This domination of the home micro market made it difficult for any manufacturer to make an impact, particularly a new start in the industry, as the software industry in the UK had not reached its full potential by this point and those companies who had began to establish themselves were mostly unwilling to take a gamble on the expensive production of software for a machine with no user base.

Sugar's idea was to take a calculated risk. He reasoned that with the amount of money being invested into producing the machine, a dedicated software wing would be a relatively low additional cost with a potentially high yield return - if his software company got a cut of every game sold then they would soon re-coup at least part of the expenditure particularly when the user base grew enough to have third party developers approaching Amsoft to publish their games.

Amsoft was also place in charge of administrating and running the Amstrad User Club and the publication of Amstrad Computer User.

Early Days

Amsoft and its management team, headed up by Roland Perry and William Poel both of whom were still heavilly involved in the development of the CPC 464 itself, were given a straight forward brief of getting as much software on to the shelves as possible to support the launch and first years of the machine's life, with a minimum of regard given to the actual quality of the software itself.

Prior to the machine’s launch, the company approached a number of software houses who had made a name for themselves developing for the ZX Spectrum and C64, provided them with prototype CPC’s and commissioned the companies to produce software that could support the machine.

Every game and program produced was sold under the Amsoft label with developers given a credit on the uniform loading screens and spine of the cassette inlay along with a unique SOFT Number, all of which helped make the programs stand out on the crowded computer shop shelves.

Unfortunately, despite a raft of quality games like Manic Miner, Pyjamarama and Codename MAT appearing under the label's distinct and brightly coloured livery, Amsoft quickly developed a bit of a bad reputation in the industry from both frustrated developers unhappy with the cut of profits being taken by Amsoft through to the games players themselves who became disgruntled at paying top prices (£8.95 per game at a time when new ZX Spectrum releases were priced at £5.95) for poor titles.

As a result companies such as Ocean and Elite Systems decided to strike out on their own, releasing their games under their own labels as they did with other machines, now that the user base had begun to be established.

Roland

The earliest success for Amsoft, and it's biggest legacy, was the Roland series. Named after Roland Perry, the character was used as the basis for a number of games none of which (with the exception of Roland in Time and Roland in Space) had anything to do with each other! Instead, the Roland brand was added almost arbitrarily to a selection of games from different developers and all of which sold by the bucket load, regardless of the quality of game itself.


Roland’s status as a CPC icon was firmly established when two of the titles, Roland on the Ropes and Roland in the Caves, were sold as part of the CPC 464 bundle from the beginning of 1985 making Roland’s games amongst the first played by a large proportion of the CPC games playing market.

Despite this success and his popularity, the Roland character was shelved as the company attempted to shed the image it had created for itself of allowing any game to be published under their name. Roland was felt to be indicative of this approach and he was quietly phased out following the release of Roland in Space.

Decline

The loss of so many early supporters of the CPC as developers was a blow to the company. As well as Ocean and Elite Systems, the company’s working relationships with Kuma, Durell, Mikro-Gen and Software Projects also soured with each of those companies breaking away from the partnership and releasing games under their own banner.

Some of these break-ups were due to the tough negotiating stance taken by Amsoft who refused to be drawn into making bids for ‘expensive’ software when a cheaper alternative could be sought elsewhere. The most infamous example of this being their decision to not even tender a bid for the rights to produce a CPC version of Elite, arguably the most successful 8-bit game of all time.

Not even the re-packaging of their basic Snooker and Pool games with celebrity endorsement from World Champion Snooker player, Alex ‘Hurricane’ Higgins could turn their fortunes around. Something had to be done to stop the rot.

Amsoft Gold

In an attempt to combat the growing number of third party developers who were releasing games directly on to the system themselves, Amsoft attempted to re-establish their position as the leading CPC software house with a re-branding exercise to coincide with a marked increase in quality that was to prove confusing for the consumer.

While maintaining the regular Amsoft range the company also began releasing games under the Amsoft Gold banner. These games came packaged in distinctive gold clam cases and were purported to be the best games that the company had to offer.

Linking up with a new batch of companies who were set to have a significant impact on the industry including US Gold and Virgin Games, ‘’Amsoft’’ had seemed to turn a corner with positive reviews coming in for not only ‘’Amsoft Gold’’ games like Sorcery + and Beach Head but also releases made on the old label like Beyond Software’s Lords of Midnight and Alien from Argus Press Software.

Almost inevitably though, this was to be a short lived renaissance as the quality control soon dipped again with sub-par titles appearing for the Gold range and the stigma attached to their earlier policy never fully seemed to lift from the company.

The End

After a period of inactivity, the final releases which, in the past would’ve been greeted by a blaze of publicity, were almost sneaked out by the company.

All the more strangely, these titles were solid ports of high profile arcade games Tapper and Hard Balland came out at a time when former partners US Gold, Elite Systems and Ocean were leading the charge with home computer versions of all the most popular arcade games of the time.

Amsoft seemed almost apologetic for still being involved in the software business and the company finally pulled the plug on their software publishing wing at the beginning if 1987.

Their final game, a conversion of Sega's Spy Hunter was never released in Amsoft packagaing and was later brought out by US Gold as a launch title for their Kixx budget label, the title screen of which still bore the Amsoft name – a final reminder of this once powerful unit’s presence on the CPC scene.


Softography

Games


Title House Year Language:english Soft N. Language:french Soft N. Language:spanish Soft N.
3D Boxing James Software 1985 06025 / 07025 46025 / 47025
3D Grand Prix Exopal Software 1985 961 / 1961 - / 41961
3D Invaders/La troisième dimension Quark Data 1985 136 436
3D Stunt Rider DJL Software 1985 183 / 1183 4183 / -
6128 Games Collection 1986
Admiral Graf Spee Temptation Software 1984 146 446
Airwolf Elite Systems 1985 06011 / 07011 - / 47011
Alex Higgins World Pool Gem Software 1985 964 / 1964
Alex Higgins World Snooker Gem Software 1985 978 / 1978 - / 41190
Alien Argus Press Software 1985 956 / 1956
Alien Break In/Les envahisseurs de l’au-delà Romik 1985 137 437
American Football Argus Press Software 1984 901
Amsgolf Computersmith 1984 185 / 1185 485 / 41185
Assault on Port Stanley Shirekilo 1985 06022 / 07022
Astro Attack Ian Beynon 1984 175
Atom Smasher Romik 1984 139
Beach Head US Gold/Access 1985 07001
Blagger Alligata Software 1984 926
Braxx Bluff Micromega 1985 955 / 1955
Bridge-It Epicsoft 1984 913
Catastrophes Andromeda Software 1985 934 / 1934 4934 / 41934
Centre Court Epicsoft 1984 921 / 1921
Classic Adventure Abersoft 1984 187
Classic Racing Paul Neil 1985 928 / 1928
Codename MAT Micromega 1984 129
Crazy Golf Mr. Micro 1984 149
Cubit Mr. Micro 1985 166
Cyrus II Chess Intelligent Software 1985 06026 / 07026 - / 47026
Detective Argus Press Software 1984 902 4902
Doors of Doom/Les Portes du Destin Gem Software 1985 06047 / 07047
Dragons/The Game of Dragons O. Goodman 1985 977 / 1977
Dragon's Gold Romik 1985 935 / 1935
Electro Freddy Softspot Software 1984 144 / 1144
Fantastic Voyage Edmonds Software 1985 984 / 1984
Frank 'n' Stein PSS Software 1985 907
Fruit Machine Paul Aitman 1984 919
Fu-Kung in Las Vegas Romik 1985 979 / 1979
Gatecrasher Exopal Software 1985 958
Gems of Stradus Kuma Computers 1985 121
Glen Hoddle Soccer Shirekilo 1985 06021 / 07021
Golden Path Magic Logic 1986 07055
Grand Prix Driver Britannia Software Ltd 1984 110
Grand Prix Rally II/Rally II Loriciels 1985 06012 / 07012
Hard Ball Accolade 1986 06063 / 07063
Harrier Attack/Exocet Durell Software 1984 112 / 1112 412 / 41112
Haunted Hedges Micromega 1984 128
Home Runner Britannia Software Ltd 1984 109
Hunchback Ocean 1985 132 / 1132 432
Hunter Killer/50000 lieues sous les mers Protek Computing 1984 135 / 1135 435 / 41135
Jammin Taskset 1985 911 / 1911
Jet-Boot Jack English Software 1984 172
L'apprenti Sorcier R.Meyer 1984 4202
Laserwarp/Attaque au Laser Mikro-Gen 1984 126 426
Les Portes du Destin/Doors of Doom Gem Software 1985 06047 / 07047
Lords of Midnight Beyond software 957 / 1957
Macrocosmica Datacom 1986 06042 / 07042
Manic Miner Software Projects 1984 173
Master Chess/Echec et Mat Mikro-Gen 1984 125 425
Mr. Wong's Loopy Laundry/Une Lessive Eprouvante pour Monsieur Wong Artic Computing 1984 923 4923
Mutant Monty Artic Computing 1984 922 / 1922
Nuclear Defence James Software 1986 06031 / 07031
Oh Mummy Gem Software 1984 115
Punchy Mr. Micro 1985 150 / 1150 450 / 41150
Pyjamarama Micro-Gen 1984 943 / 1943
Qabbalah Gem Software 1986 06062 / 07062
Quack a Jack/Jeannot le rouge Paul Shirley 1984 181 / 1181 481 / 41181
Raid US Gold/Access 07002
Roland Ahoy! Computersmith 1984 192 / 1192
Roland goes Digging Gem Software 1984 169 / 1169
Roland goes Square Bashing Durrell Software 1984 937 / 1937
Roland in Space Gem Software 1985 927 / 1927
Roland in the Caves Indescomp 1984 117 / 1117
Roland in Time Gem Software 1984 170 / 1170 470 / 41170
Roland on the Ropes Indescomp 1984 118 / 1118 418 / 41118
Roland on the Run Epicsoft 1984 199 / 1199
Satellite Warrior D. M. Lock 1985 949 / 1949
Snooker Gem Software 1984 190
Sorcery + Virgin Games 1985 1983 41983
Space Hawks Durell Software 1984 177 / 1177
Spannerman Gem Software 1984 114 / 1114
Spitfire 40 Mirrorsoft 07052
Splat! Incentive Software 1984 909
Star Commando Terminal Software 1984 147
Stockmarket Argus Press Software 1985 903
Strangeloop + Virgin Games 1985 07058
Subterranean Stryker Insight Software 1985 06010 / 07010
Sultan's Maze Gem Software 1984 113
Super Pipeline II Taskset 1985 987 / 1987
Tank Command Magic Logic 1986 06023 / 07023
Tapper Bally Midway/Sega 1984 06007 / 07007
The Galactic Plague Indescomp 1984 196
The Key Factor Paul Aitman 1985 975
The Prize Arcade Software 1985 952
The Scout Steps Out H.R. Software 1985 988 / - - / 41988
Tombstowne Premier Software 1985 06040 / 07040
Traffic Andromeda Software 1985 929 / 1929

Educational Software


Title House Year Language:english Soft N.
Animal, Vegetable, Mineral Bourne Educational Software 1984 104
Happy Letters / Les Lettres Magiques Bourne Educational Software 1984 105 / 1105
Happy Numbers / Les Chiffres Magiques Bourne Educational Software 1984 102 / 1102
Happy Writing / L'Ardoise Magique Bourne Educational Software 1984 106 / 1106
Map Rally Bourne Educational Software 1984 148 / 1148
Osprey! Bourne Educational Software 1984 947 / 1947
Pitman Typing Tutor Pitman Publishing 1984 924 / 1924
Star Watcher Triptych Publishing 1984 915 / 1915
Teach Yourself Amstrad Basic - A Tutorial Guide - Part I Amsoft 1984 111
Timeman One / L'Horloger 1 Bourne Educational Software 1984 107 / 1107
Timeman Two / L'Horloger 2 Bourne Educational Software 1984 108 / 1108
Wordhang / Le Pendu Bourne Educational Software 1984 101 / 1101
World - Wise Bourne Educational Software 1984 103 / 1103
Xanagrams Dean Software 1984 133

Utilities

Title House Year Language:english Soft N. Language:spanish Soft N. Language:german Soft N. Language:french Soft N.
Amsbase S-501
Ams Calc Saxon Computing 1984 153 S-153 253 453
Amsdraw AMC-703
Amstest 06017
Amsword Tasman Software 1984 164 / 1164 S-164
Cashbook Accounts Saxon Computing 07014
Decision Maker Triptych Publishing 918 / 1918
DFM Database + Labels Dialog Software 941 / 1941
Easi-Amscalc Saxon Computing 1984 153 S-153 253 453
Easi-Amsword Juniper Computing 1984 154 S-154 / AMC-502 254
Easy-Topcalc Saxon Computing 1984 153 S-153 253 453
Easy-Topword Juniper Computing 1984 154 S-154 / AMC-502 254
Entrepreneur Triptych Publishing 917/1917
Forth Abersoft 188 / 1188 AMC-705
Hisoft Devpac Hisoft 1984 116 / 1116 S-116
Hisoft Pascal 4T Hisoft 1984 155 / 1155 S-155
Home Accounts Manager DJL Software 942 / 1942
Invostat Dialog Software 1984 939 / 1939
Mastercalc Campbell Systems 1985 905 / 1905 AMC-510
Masterfile 464 Campbell Systems 1984 914 / 07060
Microfile / Microword Saxon Computing 07053
Micrograph Saxon Computing 1014
Micropen Intelligence 1011
Microscript Intelligence 1010
Microspread Saxon Computing 1012
Procesador de Texto Juniper Computing 1984 154 S-154 / AMC-502 254
Project Planner Triptych Publishing 1984 916 / 1916
Screen Designer DJL Software 1984 197 / 1197
Shape and Sound Gem Software 06037 / 07037
Stock-Aid Dialog Software 940 / 1940
Transact Dialog Software 938 / 1938

Storage / Media

  • Amsoft CF2 Compact Floppy Disc
  • Amsoft Printer Paper (mentioned in DMP1 Users Manual, page 8)
  • Amsoft PL-1 Printer Cable (mentioned in DMP2000 Users Manual, chapter 1, page 6)

Links

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