Ariolasoft UK Ltd

Founded By:Ariolasoft GmbH
Location:?
Year Started:1984
Year Wound Up:March 1988
Titles in Database:46
Rights Now With:Microprose Germany (1993) -> Spectrum Holobyte (1993-1998), Hasbro Interactive (1998-2001), Infogrames (2001-)
Ariolasoft UK was the British subsidiary of Ariolasoft GmbH, later known as United Software, who were a German computer game developer, publisher and distributor.

It started as the software subsidiary of Ariola Records. Ariolasoft UK was run by Ashley Gray (later replaced by Willie Carminke) and Frank Brunger.

The company released approximately ten games for the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, and Amiga systems, and numerous titles for the Atari 8-bit.

Ariolasoft GmbH was also the German publisher for Activision games developed for the Atari 2600, and the European publisher for Electronic Arts and Brøderbund games, before those companies set up their own European offices. Ariolasoft also developed the cassette ports of those titles, and also developed original games. In addition to software activities, they were also the German distributor of the Sega Master System between approximately 1987 and 1988.

In 1990, the company was renamed United Software, which in 1993 was taken over by MicroProse Germany.

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Company History

News Article in PCG, July 1984
Added: 25 May 2016
"More Yankware"
Ariolasoft are another new company marketing US games in the UK. Their first 12 games are all for the Commodore 64 and were originally written by Broderbund or Electronic Arts in the States.

Amongst the range are two former US number ones Choplifter and Lode Runner, plus Spelunker David's Midnight Magic, Raid on Bungeling Bay, Hard Hat Mack, One-on-One and Realm of Impossibility for £9.95 on cassette and £12.95 on disk. Four other games Operation Whirlwind, Murder on the Zinderneuf, Archon and MULE cost £2.00 more on both cassette and disk.

Each game released before May will contain a free voucher for hardware discounts.


Softography


Added: 21 May 2013
The company also released games under the following labels:
39 Steps
Reaktor
Viz Design		The Retro Isle team
Added: 17 Apr 2026
Click here to view a list of titles we have in the database here at Retro Isle.


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