BBG Entertainment GmbH, a leading producer and publisher of digital entertainment and therapeutic software, and First Star Software, Inc., the original, award-winning publisher of Boulder Dash® and Spy vs. Spy, announced today that BBG acquired the First Star Software name including its internet domain and the rights to several of First Star Software’s classic games.
First Star Software, Inc. was started by Richard M. Spitalny, who remains with the company to this day; along with Fernando Herrera, in August of 1982. Mr. Herrera had just won Atari’s first ever Star Award of Merit, for My First Alphabet, a program he originally created to test the vision of his two-year old son. The company was named after that first, Star Award; and the company’s first game, by Mr. Herrera, Astro Chase™, was a big success!
Astro Chase™ received numerous awards including: BEST SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY COMPUTER GAME/Arkie Awards, Electronic Games magazine; BEST SHOOT ‘EM UP/ Golden Floppy Award by Computer Games magazine; BEST GRAPHICS/Golden Floppy Award by Computer Games magazine; BEST GRAPHICS by Creative Computing magazine, and others. Astro Chase™, along with Bristles™ as well as Flip & Flop™ and Boulder Dash®, were all published by First Star Software on the Atari 400/800 and C-64, and all four titles were also licensed for release in the coin-operated arcades.
Later on, First Star Software licensed the rights to MAD Magazine’s Spy vs. Spy intellectual property and developed and published three games in their Spy vs. Spy series of games. The best-selling, award-winning Spy vs. Spy games, are well known for their unique split-screen display, the ability for two players to play at the same time rather than alternating turns; and, the placement of booby-traps throughout the game. Mr. Spitalny conceived these three features (Simulvision™, Simulplay™ and the Trapulator™), when working with Mike Riedel on the game design concepts for the first game in the Spy vs. Spy series.
Following the acquisition of Astro Chase™, Boulder Dash®, Bristles™ and Flip & Flop™ with all rights pertaining thereto, BBG Entertainment now also owns full rights to BOiNG!™, Millemium Warriors™, Omnicron Conspiracy™, Panic Button™, Rent Wars™ and Security Alert™. Games by First Star Software have been published world-wide, on numerous different electronic gaming platforms, in more than a dozen languages.
When discussing First Star Software’s sale of the company’s name, website and many of its titles to BBG, Richard M. Spitalny, President of First Star Software, Inc. stated, “A few months ago we sold Boulder Dash® to BBG, and I’ve been very pleased by their recent announcement to pre-install the original C-64 version on Retro Games’ THEC64® Mini as well as BBG’s plans for a new, multi-player Boulder Dash®. It made sense that BBG should be able to use the First Star Software name and domain as well, along with a range of our earlier games. I’m excited knowing that BBG’s President, Stephan Berendsen, will continue First Star Software’s legacy of innovation and quality.”
Stephan Berendsen, President of BBG Entertainment GmbH, added: “After having secured all rights to Boulder Dash®, First Star Software’s signature classic game, it only made sense to take ownership of the First Star Software name along with most of its other key games. We are delighted to now take the lead and manage this legendary gaming business moving forward.”
