Atarisoft

Atarisoft was a brand launched by Atari, Inc. in the early 1980s to market video game cartridges and software for non-Atari platforms. This initiative aimed to broaden Atari's market reach by offering their popular game titles on competing systems during a time when the home computer market was expanding rapidly.

Atarisoft released games for several home computers and consoles, including the Apple II, Commodore 64, IBM PC, and Texas Instruments TI-99/4A, among others. By doing so, they sought to capitalize on the popularity of their arcade hits and compete more effectively in the broader software market.

The brand's lineup included well-known titles such as Pac-Man, Defender, Donkey Kong, Centipede, Galaxian, Joust, and Ms. Pac-Man. However, the quality of these game ports varied, with some being well-received while others suffered from poor adaptation to different hardware.

Despite its strategic intentions, Atarisoft faced significant challenges, including the video game crash of 1983, which severely impacted Atari and the industry as a whole. By 1984, financial difficulties and a restructuring at Atari led to the phasing out of the Atarisoft brand.