Piranha Software

Piranha Software was a British video game publishing label created by Macmillan Publishers during the rapid expansion of the home-computer games market in the mid-1980s. It operated for approximately eighteen months before Macmillan closed the label, but its catalogue acquired a distinctive reputation because it combined licensed properties with work from prominent British developers, including Don Priestley, Design Design and Delta 4. The label’s output was concentrated on contemporary home computers such as the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64 and Amstrad CPC. Piranha emerged from Macmillan’s earlier software activity. Macmillan had entered the computer-software market in 1983 through educational products developed with Sinclair Research for the ZX Spectrum. Early releases included reading and science programs, followed by mathematics titles featuring the company’s Macman character. During 1985, Macmillan increasingly moved toward commercial and licensed entertainment software, publishing products connected with the children’s television programme Orm and Cheep and issuing book-and-software packages. Its transition into mainstream games was reinforced by the re-release of Don Priestley’s colourful ZX Spectrum version of Popeye, originally issued by dk’Tronics. The Piranha label was announced in July 1986 as a substantial commitment to the games market, with its first five games formally presented at the Personal Computer World Show in London in September. The initial range was unusually ambitious for a new label. It included The Trap Door, based on the ITV animated series; Strike Force: Cobra, an unlicensed action game from Five Ways Software; Delta 4’s adventure adaptation of Terry Pratchett’s The Colour of Magic; Design Design’s versions of Rogue Trooper and Nosferatu the Vampyre; and several other projects announced for subsequent release. The launch titles were generally well received. The Trap Door became the label’s most prominent early success, earning strong press coverage and reaching number 12 in the Gallup software charts, while Strike Force: Cobra reached number 15. Piranha’s 1987 releases produced a more uneven critical response. Through The Trapdoor, the sequel to The Trap Door, and Delta 4’s The Big Sleaze were positively regarded, while Flunky was considered entertaining but less successful in design and playability. The Astonishing Adventures of Mr. Weems and the She Vampires attracted particularly negative reviews, with criticism that its gameplay lacked originality. Piranha announced further adaptations involving books, comics and cartoons, including Fungus the Bogeyman, Roy of the Rovers, Halo Jones and Judge Death, but most of these plans did not reach publication. Yogi Bear was the final licensed release identified in the label’s catalogue, alongside Gunboat. Macmillan abruptly discontinued Piranha after roughly eighteen months, judging the label no longer financially viable. The closure ended one of the period’s more unconventional publishing experiments, but did not eliminate the commercial value of its games. Alternative Software acquired the rights to Piranha’s back catalogue and reissued titles at budget prices. The Trap Door, Yogi Bear and Popeye subsequently entered the United Kingdom budget-games top ten in 1988. Piranha’s legacy rests less on longevity than on its early attempts to bring literary, comic, television and film properties to home computers, and on the involvement of developers whose work helped define British 8-bit game culture.

Macmillan Publishers’ involvement in computer software began in 1983, when it worked with Sinclair Research on educational programs for the ZX Spectrum. The initial range included reading and science software, followed in 1984 by mathematics titles built around Macmillan’s Macman character. These releases established technical and commercial experience, but the company gradually moved away from education and toward mainstream entertainment software. In the second half of 1985, Macmillan released games connected with the ITV children’s series Orm and Cheep. It also experimented with book-and-software packages and products associated with public figures and cultural institutions. The re-release of Don Priestley’s Popeye, a visually distinctive ZX Spectrum game originally published by dk’Tronics, marked a further step toward the commercial games market. Piranha Software was announced in July 1986 as Macmillan’s dedicated games label. Its first five titles were showcased at the Personal Computer World Show at Olympia in London in September. The launch programme emphasized both licensed properties and established development talent. Design Design worked on Rogue Trooper, based on the 2000 AD comic, and Nosferatu the Vampyre, adapted from the 1979 horror film. Fergus McNeill and Delta 4 created The Colour of Magic, an adventure-game interpretation of Terry Pratchett’s novel. Don Priestley adapted The Trap Door, an animated ITV series, using the large, colourful graphical style associated with his earlier games. Five Ways Software handled conversions for Commodore 64 and Amstrad CPC systems and also developed the original action title Strike Force: Cobra. The initial releases received strong attention from the specialist press. The Trap Door was particularly successful, winning several awards and being described as one of the strongest ZX Spectrum games of its period. It and Strike Force: Cobra entered the Gallup software chart at numbers 12 and 15. This early reception gave Piranha credibility despite its short history and encouraged the label to expand its range of adaptations. The 1987 catalogue was less consistent. The Astonishing Adventures of Mr. Weems and the She Vampires was criticized for derivative gameplay, while Flunky’s humorous presentation and caricatured royal characters were offset by complaints about illogical puzzles and difficult controls. By contrast, Through The Trapdoor was received more positively as a sequel, and The Big Sleaze was regarded as one of Delta 4’s stronger adventure games. Piranha also published Yogi Bear and Gunboat during this period. The label announced plans for additional adaptations based on Fungus the Bogeyman, Roy of the Rovers, Halo Jones and Judge Death. Most planned projects were not released. After approximately eighteen months of operation, Macmillan closed Piranha because it no longer considered the label financially viable. The closure was abrupt and left Piranha as a brief episode in Macmillan’s publishing history rather than a continuing business. The catalogue survived through Alternative Software, which acquired the relevant rights and rapidly reissued the games at a low budget price. The Trap Door, Yogi Bear and Popeye all reached the United Kingdom budget-games top ten in 1988. Several developers associated with Piranha subsequently moved on to other work: Design Design later operated as Walking Circles, while Delta 4’s Fergus McNeill established Abstract Concepts with Activision. The Piranha catalogue therefore had an afterlife both commercially, through reissues, and historically, as a record of British developers adapting books, comics, films and television properties for 8-bit computers.

• 1988

  Back catalogue enters budget market

  [1]Piranha Softwareen.wikipedia.org

  Alternative Software reissues Piranha games, with The Trap Door, Yogi Bear and Popeye reaching the budget-games top ten.

• 1987

  Final Piranha releases

  [1]Piranha Softwareen.wikipedia.org

  The label publishes later titles including Through The Trapdoor, The Big Sleaze, Flunky, Yogi Bear and Gunboat.

• 1987

  Label discontinued

  [1]Piranha Softwareen.wikipedia.org

  Macmillan closes Piranha after approximately eighteen months, citing the operation’s lack of financial viability.

• 1986

  Piranha Software is announced

  [1]Piranha Softwareen.wikipedia.org

  Macmillan announces Piranha as a dedicated games label in July and presents its first five titles in September.

• 1986

  The Trap Door becomes a breakout release

  [1]Piranha Softwareen.wikipedia.org

  The Trap Door receives strong press recognition and reaches number 12 in the Gallup software charts.

• 1985

  Move toward entertainment software

  [1]Piranha Softwareen.wikipedia.org

  Macmillan releases licensed products linked to Orm and Cheep and expands into book-and-software packages and mainstream games.

• 1983

  Macmillan enters computer software

  [1]Piranha Softwareen.wikipedia.org

  Macmillan begins producing educational software with Sinclair Research for the ZX Spectrum.

A British 8-bit video game publishing label positioned around distinctive licensed adaptations and work from notable independent developers.

• Licensed television game · 1986

  The Trap Door

  A Don Priestley adaptation of the ITV animated series The Trap Door. The game was designed around Priestley’s trademark large, colourful graphics and became Piranha Software’s best-known early success. It was praised by the specialist games press, received multiple awards and reached number 12 in the Gallup software charts.

• Licensed television game · 1987

  Through The Trapdoor

  A sequel to The Trap Door developed by Don Priestley. It continued the label’s association with the animated television property and was more positively received than several of Piranha’s other 1987 releases.

• Literary adventure game · 1986

  The Colour of Magic

  Delta 4’s adventure-game adaptation of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novel The Colour of Magic. It was among the earliest video-game adaptations of Pratchett’s fiction and exemplified Piranha’s interest in translating literary properties to home computers.

• Comic-book action game · 1986

  Rogue Trooper

  A Design Design title based on the 2000 AD comic character Rogue Trooper. It formed part of Piranha’s initial launch programme and reflected the label’s strategy of using recognizable comic and media properties.

• Film-based action game · 1986

  Nosferatu the Vampyre

  Design Design’s adaptation of the 1979 horror film Nosferatu the Vampyre. The project was developed in the isometric style associated with the team’s earlier work and was one of the studio’s final releases under the Design Design name.

• Action game · 1986

  Strike Force: Cobra

  An original action game developed by Five Ways Software. Unlike the other launch titles, it was not tied to an external licence, and it nevertheless reached number 15 in the Gallup software charts.

• Action game · 1987

  The Astonishing Adventures of Mr. Weems and the She Vampires

  A Gauntlet-influenced game from the RamJam Corporation. Its reception was notably poor, with contemporary criticism focusing on its lack of originality and weak execution.

• Adventure game · 1987

  The Big Sleaze

  A Delta 4 adventure game that was considered one of the developer’s strongest Piranha releases. It formed part of the label’s more positively regarded 1987 output.

• Adventure game · 1987

  Flunky

  A Don Priestley game featuring exaggerated caricatures of members of the British royal family. Although its presentation was considered entertaining, reviewers criticized its illogical puzzles and frustrating controls.

• Licensed animated-character game · 1987

  Yogi Bear

  A licensed game based on the Yogi Bear animated character. It was the last licensed title released by Piranha before the label closed and later became one of the catalogue’s successful budget reissues.

• Action game · 1987

  Gunboat

  A Five Ways Software title included among Piranha’s final 1987 releases. Detailed information about its commercial performance and later availability is limited in the cited reference material.

• 1987

  Macmillan closes Piranha SoftwareStrategy

  Background

  After an uneven second year and the failure of most announced future tie-ins to reach release, Macmillan reassessed the label’s commercial prospects.

  Action taken

  Macmillan discontinued Piranha after approximately eighteen months because it no longer considered the operation financially viable.

  Aftermath

  Alternative Software acquired the back-catalogue rights and reissued several games at budget prices, extending the commercial life of selected titles.

  Source

• 1986

  Macmillan creates a dedicated games labelStrategy

  Background

  After several years in educational software and a move into licensed entertainment products, Macmillan sought a stronger position in the expanding home-computer games market.

  Action taken

  It announced Piranha Software as a dedicated publishing label and assembled a launch programme combining licensed properties, original games and established independent developers.

  Aftermath

  The launch received favorable attention, especially for The Trap Door, but the label operated for only about eighteen months.

  Source

• 1988

  Alternative Software reissues the Piranha catalogue[1]Piranha Softwareen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Alternative Software acquired rights to Piranha’s back catalogue and issued budget-priced editions; The Trap Door, Yogi Bear and Popeye reached the budget-games top ten.

• 1987

  Piranha Software closes after approximately eighteen months[1]Piranha Softwareen.wikipedia.org

  Bankruptcy

  Macmillan ended the label after deciding that its games operation was no longer financially viable.

• 1986

  Macmillan launches the Piranha Software label[1]Piranha Softwareen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Macmillan Publishers announced Piranha Software as a dedicated games label and presented its first titles at the Personal Computer World Show in London.

• 1986

  The Trap Door and Strike Force: Cobra chart in the United Kingdom[1]Piranha Softwareen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Piranha’s launch titles The Trap Door and Strike Force: Cobra reached numbers 12 and 15 respectively in the Gallup software charts.

1. 1Piranha Softwareen.wikipedia.org