Electric Dreams Software
Electric Dreams Software was a UK-based video game publisher established in 1985 by Activision and run by Rod Cousens and Paul Cooper formerly of Quicksilva. The company published video games for the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC and the Atari 8-bit computers between 1985 and 1989, becoming one of the top eight UK software houses by 1987. In late 1986, the label was adapted by the American division to publish titles outside of England for the American market.
Electric Dreams Software
- Name
- Electric Dreams Software
- Founded
- 1985
- Headquarters
- United Kingdom
- Activity
- video game industry
- Products
- Spindizzy
- Dissolved
- 1989
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Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q5357363 · wikipedia · Electric Dreams Software
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Electric Dreams Software • Fate — Defunct • Founded — 1985 • Defunct — 1989 • Industry — Video games • Key People — Rod Cousens, Paul Cooper • Products — Spindizzy (1986) Aliens: The Computer Game (1986) R-Type (1988)
Software Studios
Software Studios
The publisher's in-house video game developer was Software Studios, set up in April 1986 and run by John Dean and Dave Cummings. Software Studios also handled Activision's products marketed in countries outside the United States. The concept behind this team was to pool resources and ideas between all Electric Dreams projects, but they were also directly responsible for two film tie-in licenses, Aliens: The Computer Game (1986) and Big Trouble in Little China. The company's initial releases were Riddler's Den and I, Of the Mask.
Institutional history
Dated record
Institutional history
Explore 1985–1989
The full dated record · 3 entries
1985
Electric Dreams Software established.
1985
Electric Dreams Software is recorded from 1985.
1989
Electric Dreams Software ceased.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
- United Kingdom
List of releases
• Riddler's Den (1985), David Harper • I, of the Mask (1985), Spaceman Ltd • Back to the Future (1985), Software Images • Winter Sports (video game) (1985), Software Images • Zaxxon (1985); under license from Sega • Aliens: The Computer Game (1986), Software Studios • Big Trouble in Little China (1986), Software Studios • Dandy (1986), The RamJam Corporation • Explorer (1986), The RamJam Corporation • Hijack (1986), Paradise Software • Mermaid Madness (1986), Soft Design • Prodigy (1986), MD Software • Spindizzy (1986), Paul Shirley and Phil Churchyard • Xarq (1986), The RamJam Corporation • Aliens: US Version (1987), Mr. Micro • Firetrack (1987), Aardvark Software • FireTrap (1987), Source Software; under license from Data East USA • Nihilist (1987), Shahid Ahmad • RMS Titanic • Starblade (1986), Bob Duncan and Gary Stark • Star Raiders II (1987), Simon Freeman, Gary Stark and Bruce Poelman; under license from Atari • Super Sprint (1987), Software Studios; under license from Atari • Tempest (1987), David Pridmore; under license from Atari • Super Hang-On (1986), Software Studios; under license from Sega • Championship Sprint (1988), Catalyst Coders; under license from Atari • Karnov (1988), Mr. Micro; under license from Data East USA • R-Type (1988), Manfred Trenz and Andreas Escher; under license from Irem • Incredible Shrinking Sphere (1989), Foursfield • Wicked (1989) • Millennium 2.2 (1989), Ian Bird
Text attribution
Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Electric Dreams Software, revision 1356464559 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Francis Jago. Big Trouble In Little Hampshire. Your Computer. Focus Magazines. 78. January 1987.
- 2.Goodwin, Simon. Planning our Future. CRASH. 20. September 1985.
- 3.Electric Dreams. SpectrumComputing.co.uk.
- 4.Electric Dreams. CPC Zone.
- 5.Electric Dreams. Atarimania.
- 6.Electric Dreams Imported Software. Computer Entertainer. 3. September 1986.
- 7.Frontlines. Your Spectrum. 20. November 1985.
References
Citations
References
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reference work
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
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