Personal Software Services

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Defunct British video game publisher

title: "Personal Software Services" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["defunct-video-game-companies-of-the-united-kingdom", "video-game-companies-established-in-1981", "video-game-companies-disestablished-in-1988", "defunct-companies-of-england", "companies-based-in-coventry", "1981-establishments-in-england", "1988-disestablishments-in-england", "british-companies-disestablished-in-1988", "british-companies-established-in-1981"] description: "Defunct British video game publisher" topic_path: "geography/united-kingdom" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_Software_Services" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Defunct British video game publisher ::

Personal Software Services (PSS) was a British software company based in Coventry, founded by Gary Mays and Richard Cockayne in 1981. The company was acquired by Mirrorsoft in 1987. PSS produced video games for the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, Amiga, Atari ST, Atari 8-bit computers, Amstrad CPC, Oric computers, and IBM PC compatibles.

PSS was known for strategic wargames, such as Theatre Europe and Falklands '82. Several games produced by the French company ERE Informatique were distributed in Britain by PSS, including Get Dexter.

History

Personal Software Services was founded in Coventry, England, by Gary Mays and Richard Cockayne in 1981. The company had a partnership with French video game developer ERE Informatique, and published localised versions of their products to the United Kingdom. The Wargamers series was conceptualised by software designer Alan Steel in 1984 with Battle for Midway. During development of these titles, Steel would often research the topic of the upcoming game and pass on the findings to other associates in Coventry and London. Some games of the series were met with controversy upon release, such as Theatre Europe.

In 1988, Cockayne took a decision to alter their products for release on 16-bit consoles, as he found that smaller 8-bit home computers such as the ZX Spectrum lacked the processing power for larger strategy games. Cockayne claimed that PSS were not pulling out of the 8-bit market, but no more 8-bit games were released post-1988.

Following years of successful sales throughout the mid 1980s, Personal Software Services experienced financial difficulties, in which Cockayne admitted that "he took his eye off the ball." The company was acquired by Mirrorsoft in February 1987, and was later dispossessed by the company due to strains of debt.

Games

After Mirrorsoft acquisition

References

References

  1. ''Your Computer'', June 1986, p. 84
  2. ''The Independent'', 25 March 1995, "Taking pain out of gain"
  3. (13 June 1986). "History of PSS". Your Computer.
  4. "Personal Software Services overview". Retro Aisle.
  5. (March 1986). "Special: PSS". Amstrad Action.
  6. (June 1984). "PSS: Blade Alley Competition". Crash.
  7. (May 1988). "Seasonal Drought". Crash.
  8. (12 February 1987). "Mirrorsoft has new strategy with PSS". Personal Computing Weekly.
  9. (26 March 1995). "Taking pain out of gain". The Independent.
  10. "CRASH 3 - Grid Games".

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defunct-video-game-companies-of-the-united-kingdomvideo-game-companies-established-in-1981video-game-companies-disestablished-in-1988defunct-companies-of-englandcompanies-based-in-coventry1981-establishments-in-england1988-disestablishments-in-englandbritish-companies-disestablished-in-1988british-companies-established-in-1981