Starpath
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | 1981 |
| Founder | Alan Bayley, Robert Brown, Craig Nelson |
| Defunct | 1984 |
| Fate | Acquired by Epyx |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Starpath Supercharger |
Starpath Corporation was an American enterprise recognized for launching the Starpath Supercharger in August 1982. Initially established in 1981 under the name Arcadia Corporation by founders Alan Bayley, Robert Brown, and Craig Nelson, the company rebranded to Starpath after encountering trademark issues with Emerson Radio Corporation's Emerson Arcadia 2001 gaming system.
The Starpath Supercharger served as an add-on cartridge for the Atari 2600 console, expanding its functionality by incorporating additional RAM. This enhancement allowed for improved graphic resolution and supported more extensive game content. Furthermore, it interfaced with a conventional cassette player, facilitating the loading of larger games stored on audio tape.
Following the 1983 crash in the video game console industry, Starpath experienced a significant drop in sales due to market oversaturation and retailers' hesitance to stock new releases. Without sufficient funding to transition into home computer software development, the company pursued acquisition opportunities. In 1984, Epyx—an organization sharing some board members with Starpath—acquired the firm. Several of Starpath’s developers continued their work at Epyx, redirecting efforts toward computer-based gaming. A prominent title, Sweat! The Decathlon Game, originally designed for the Supercharger-enabled Atari 2600, was reimagined as Summer Games for the Commodore 64 platform. This adaptation achieved considerable commercial success for Epyx and led to multiple ports and sequels. Scott Nelson, who developed Sweat!, also contributed to both Summer Games and its follow-up Summer Games II. As of 2004, ownership of Starpath’s game catalog resides with Bridgestone Multimedia, a company specializing in religious multimedia content.