When the IT revolution began, and microcomputers started appearing across the UK, computer games were not far behind. Emerging from the hundreds of publishers born in the early 1980s, British Telecom established Telecomsoft, and its Firebird Software publishing label, as one of the biggest and most fondly-remembered publishers in the industry.
Responsible for almost 250 different titles for over a dozen different computer formats, Firebird Software sold a quarter of a million games inside the first three months and had many memorable titles over the next six years, including multiple conversions of the epic 3D space trading game Elite and many highly original titles such as Booty, Thrust, The Sentinel, and Druid, and arcade coin-op conversions of Bubble Bobble and Flying Shark, not forgetting the deliberately terrible Don’t Buy This.
Written by a former Telecomsoft employee and with contributions from many of the people who produced the games, this book tells the story of Firebird Software, from its entrepreneurial beginnings within mainstream BT right up to the final title published in 1990, after BT had sold up to a rival publisher. Including hundreds of game covers, screenshots, and candid photos, Memories of Firebird is the definitive guide to BTs first computer games publishing label and a fascinating insight into the early history of the UK video game industry that today generates billions of pounds each year.
‘… arguably one of the most in-depth chronologies of a software history from inception to demise, that was also a delight to read from beginning to end.’ Zzap! Magazine
272pp. Large format 11 x 8.5-format full colour paperback.
ISBN 978-1-84583-226-1 (UK only paperback)
ISBN 978-1-84583-234-6 (ROW paperback available via Amazon)
Published 1 September 2024.
BONUS CONTENT
As a special ‘bonus’ to the book, author Richard C Hewison has created a selection of downloadable materials at the link here :
https://rb.gy/xymhm7
- There is an excel spreadsheet with research data that some people might find useful
- A PDF of a bonus book chapter
- And a zip file which contains the free text adventure based upon the Firebird office (circa 1988), with instructions.
Please do not contact Telos regarding the game. There is a contact email address (
firebirdadv@gmail.com) if people want to feed back.
Those who wish to play the game will need to source their own working emulator to be able to play the game (either a ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST or Amiga emulator), but anyone who is into retro gaming should hopefully already be able to do this.
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Above: example page spreads from the book.
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