Imagine Software
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | 1982 |
| Founder | Mark Butler, David Lawson |
| Defunct | July 9, 1984 |
| Fate | Liquidated; brand acquired by Ocean Software |
| Headquarters | Liverpool , United Kingdom |
Key people | Mark Butler, David Lawson, Bruce Everiss, Eugene Evans |
| Products | Video games for ZX Spectrum and VIC-20 |
Number of employees | 80+ (early 1980s) |
Imagine Software was a UK-based video games developer located in Liverpool that operated briefly during the early 1980s, focusing initially on software for the ZX Spectrum and VIC-20. The company rapidly earned recognition for its sophisticated, high-investment packaging and marketing—an uncommon approach in the British software sector at that time—combined with bold self-promotion and ambitious goals.
Following Imagine's widely publicized collapse due to increasing debts in 1984, the brand was purchased and utilized as a label by Ocean Software until the late 1980s.
Formation and initial achievements
Established in 1982 by ex-Bug-Byte employees Mark Butler and David Lawson, Imagine Software began its journey. Butler and programmer Eugene Evans had prior experience working at Microdigital, one of the earliest computer retailers in the UK. Bruce Everiss, Microdigital’s owner, joined Imagine to oversee day-to-day management and handle public relations. Between 1982 and 1983, Imagine launched several popular games such as Arcadia for both the Vic 20 and ZX Spectrum, although some titles were affected by significant bugs. The company expanded swiftly, growing its workforce to over 80 employees—a notably large team for that era—and invested substantially in company vehicles as well as a racing team that competed in the Isle of Man TT event.
Financial challenges and closure
Speculation about Imagine’s monetary problems emerged in December 1983 when it became known that approximately £50,000 worth of advertising invoices remained unsettled. By 1984, these financial issues intensified with additional unpaid advertising and tape duplication expenses, compelling Imagine to sell game rights to Beau Jolly to generate capital. The firm attracted national media attention when a BBC documentary captured its dramatic downfall. Mark Butler also appeared on Thames Television’s Daytime program in 1984, sharing his personal story of losing his fortune at a young age.
On 28 June 1984, VNU Business Press filed a writ against Imagine over unpaid advertising fees for Personal Computer Games magazine. Unable to produce the £10,000 required to clear this debt, Imagine was officially liquidated by the High Court in London on 9 July 1984, with total liabilities reaching several hundred thousand pounds.
Aftermath
Several former Imagine developers went on to establish companies like Psygnosis and Denton Designs. Beau Jolly acquired the rights to Imagine’s back catalogue before eventually transferring them to Subvert. The rights to the Imagine label were secured by Ocean Software, which mainly used it to release home computer versions of well-known arcade titles.
Representation in media
The 2018 interactive movie Bandersnatch references Imagine Software and its unsuccessful attempt to create Bandersnatch. The film opens on 9 July 1984—the date of Imagine’s closure—showing a copy of Crash reporting on the event. Within the narrative, the fictional company Tuckersoft stakes its future on developing Bandersnatch, ultimately facing bankruptcy after the game fails to launch.
Megagames
Imagine planned a series of six ambitious "Megagames," including titles such as Psyclapse and Bandersnatch, which aimed to test the boundaries of existing hardware. These games were intended to launch alongside a hardware expansion designed to boost computer performance and curb software piracy. Despite substantial promotion and a retail price near £30—far exceeding the typical £7.20 cost of games at that period—Imagine's financial failure meant these projects never materialized.[1][2][3]
According to a BBC documentary, Psyclapse remained only a conceptual idea on paper,[1] although Psygnosis later adopted the name for one of its sub-labels.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name Elements from Bandersnatch were eventually integrated into Psygnosis's Brataccas, which was released on 16-bit systems such as the Atari ST, Amiga, and Macintosh.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name</ref>
Games
- Arcadia, 1982
- Wacky Waiters, 1982
- Frantic, 1982
- Catcha Snatcha, 1983
- Schizoids, 1983
- Ah Diddums, 1983
- Molar Maul, 1983
- Jumping Jack (also known as Leggit!), 1983
- Zip Zap, 1983
- Zzoom, 1983
- Bewitched, 1983
- Stonkers, 1983
- Alchemist, 1983
- Pedro, 1984
- Cosmic Cruiser, 1984
- BC Bill, 1984Cite error: The opening
<ref>tag is malformed or has a bad name
External links
- The Bubble Bursts – article from CRASH exploring Imagine Software’s downfall
- Imagine Software company profile on MobyGames
- Pages with reference errors
- Articles with short description
- Defunct companies based in Liverpool
- Video game companies established in 1982
- Video game companies disestablished in 1984
- Defunct video game companies of the United Kingdom
- Video game development companies
- 1982 establishments in England
- 1984 disestablishments in England
- British companies disestablished in 1984
- British companies established in 1982