On This Day - 14th August

1984

Elite Systems is founded

Elite Systems was founded in 1984 by father and son Brian and Stephen Wilcox, with the company incorporated on 14 August 1984.

Based in the West Midlands, Elite became one of Britain's leading home-computer software houses, initially concentrating on the ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64. The company followed the earlier Richard Wilcox Software, which had published Blue Thunder, and Elite's first release under its new name was Kokotoni Wilf.

Elite went on to become particularly well known for its licensed arcade conversions, including Commando, Ghosts 'n Goblins, Paperboy, 1942, Bomb Jack and Buggy Boy, as well as original titles such as Airwolf, Frank Bruno's Boxing and Saboteur.

Elite later moved into mobile and handheld gaming and remains active today, including work connected with the preservation and recreation of the ZX Spectrum.

Source: Companies House, Elite Systems Limited, company no. 01840901; Elite Systems corporate history. — 14 August 1984

Companies House confirms that Elite Systems Limited (company no. 01840901) was incorporated on 14 August 1984; the company remains active and is registered as a publisher of computer games. Contemporary CRASH material establishes the transition from Richard Wilcox Software to Elite and the early Kokotoni Wilf release.

Also in this month

Other historical information recorded for August.

1982

Dragon 32 launched

In August 1982, Dragon Data released the Dragon 32, a new British home computer designed to compete in the rapidly expanding personal-computer market. Produced by Dragon Data, a division of Welsh toy manufacturer Mettoy, the machine was designed in Cambridge and manufactured in South Wales. It entered the market only a few months after the launch of the Sinclair ZX Spectrum and became one of its most significant British rivals.

The Dragon 32 was built around the Motorola 6809E processor running at approximately 0.9 MHz and came with 32K of RAM, a substantial amount for a home computer of the period. It included Microsoft Extended BASIC in ROM, colour graphics, sound, a full-size 53-key keyboard, two analogue joystick connections, a Centronics printer interface and a composite video output as well as an RF television connection. Its architecture was closely related to the Tandy TRS-80 Color Computer, although the Dragon was adapted for the British market.

The Dragon 32 initially proved popular and demand was strong enough for Dragon Data to expand production. At its peak, the company was producing thousands of machines each week. However, the Dragon faced increasingly strong competition from the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64 and other home computers, while limitations in its graphics capabilities made it less attractive for some games. Dragon Data subsequently developed the Dragon 64 and a range of peripherals, but the company eventually went into receivership in 1984.

Source: Dragon Data / Centre for Computing History

The Dragon 32 was released in August 1982 by Dragon Data Ltd, a subsidiary of Welsh toy manufacturer Mettoy. It used a Motorola 6809E processor and contained 32K of RAM. The launch price was £199.50.

1982

Commodore 64 launched

Commodore launches the Commodore 64, a colour home computer that would become one of the most successful machines of the 1980s. The C64 was introduced as the successor to the VIC-20 and combined a MOS 6510 processor with 64K of RAM, advanced colour graphics and a dedicated sound chip.

The machine's graphics were provided by the VIC-II chip, which could display 16 colours and hardware sprites, while the revolutionary SID sound chip provided three-channel synthesised audio with programmable filters and envelopes. These capabilities made the C64 particularly attractive to computer-game developers and helped establish it as one of the leading gaming computers of its generation.

With 64K of RAM, the C64 offered substantially more memory than most of its contemporary competitors. Its full-size keyboard, joystick ports, cartridge connector, cassette interface and expansion port made it a versatile home computer for programming, education and entertainment.

The C64 entered a fiercely competitive market that included the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, Atari 400/800, Texas Instruments TI-99/4A and BBC Micro. Commodore's ability to combine impressive graphics and sound with aggressive pricing helped the C64 become a major force in the home-computer market.

The computer remained in production for many years and built an enormous software library. Its games, music and demos became an important part of 1980s computer culture, while its SID chip became particularly influential among electronic musicians and later demoscene programmers.

The Commodore 64 eventually sold many millions of units worldwide and became one of the defining home computers of its era. Its success helped drive the rapid expansion of the home-computer and computer-games industries during the same period in which the ZX Spectrum was becoming dominant in Britain.

Source: Compute!, contemporary 1982 coverage; Personal Computing, 1982; Commodore contemporary documentation; Centre for Computing History Commodore 64 collection.

The Commodore 64 was announced at the Winter Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January 1982 and entered the market later that year. Commodore's new computer featured a MOS 6510 processor, 64K of RAM, VIC-II graphics and the MOS 6581 SID sound chip. Contemporary advertising and magazine reports document its introduction and specifications. The C64 became one of the most successful home computers of the 1980s and was a major competitor to the Sinclair ZX Spectrum.

On This Day - 14th August

Elite Systems is founded

Also in this month

Dragon 32 launched

Commodore 64 launched

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