Broderbund Software
Publisher | |
 | |
| Name | Broderbund Software |
| Address | Novato, CA |
| Country | United States of America |
| Founded | 1980 |
| Defunct | 1998 |
| Acquired by | |
| Label of | |
History
Broderbund Software, Inc. was an influential American software publisher and developer, renowned for its contributions to the early personal computer industry. Specializing in entertainment, educational, and productivity software, the company played a pivotal role in making computers accessible and appealing to everyday users. Founded during the dawn of the microcomputer era, Broderbund grew from a small family venture into a multimillion-dollar enterprise before undergoing a series of acquisitions that reshaped its trajectory.
Founding and Early Years (1980–1983)
Broderbund was established on February 25, 1980, in Eugene, Oregon, by brothers Doug and Gary Carlston with an initial investment of $7,000 scraped together from personal savings and family loans. Doug, a former lawyer disillusioned with his practice, had begun programming games on a TRS-80 computer, starting with Galactic Empire (1979), a pioneering strategy game, followed by Galactic Trader and Galactic Revolution. These early titles were initially sold through informal channels like computer magazines and local stores, generating modest revenue of about $1,000 per month by late 1979. Gary, leveraging past sales experience, handled distribution, while Doug focused on development.
The company name, a playful twist on the Afrikaans "Broederbond" (meaning "brotherhood"), reflected the family dynamic— Doug and Gary's sister Cathy joined in 1981 as office manager, often mediating disputes. Early challenges included financial hardship, with the brothers maxing out credit cards and relying on personal sales trips to computer stores. A breakthrough came in March 1980 at the West Coast Computer Faire, where they partnered with Japanese firm StarCraft to distribute action games for the Apple II, diversifying from Doug's text-based strategy games.
By late 1980, hits like Apple Galaxian (renamed Alien Rain in 1981 due to legal concerns) propelled sales from $10,000 in November to $55,000 in December. The company relocated to San Rafael, California, in summer 1981 for better access to talent and markets. Broderbund emphasized fair developer treatment, offering monthly royalties and fostering partnerships, which attracted talent. In 1982–1983, key releases included Choplifter! (1982), David's Midnight Magic (1982), and Lode Runner (1983), establishing Broderbund as a leader in entertainment software. It also ventured into productivity with Bank Street Writer (1983), a user-friendly word processor. By 1983, sales reached $13 million, making it at top entertainment software firm by revenue.
That year, Broderbund acquired Synapse Software but closed it after a year due to financial strains, highlighting early industry volatility. Doug Carlston co-founded the Software Publishers Association (SPA) in 1983, serving as its first president to combat piracy and advocate for the sector.
Growth and Diversification (1984–1990)
Anticipating broader PC adoption, Broderbund diversified beyond games. In 1984, The Print Shop— a desktop publishing tool for creating cards and banners—became a massive hit, boosting sales significantly. Other releases included Karateka (1984), Raid on Bungeling Bay (1984), and The Ancient Art of War (1985). By 1984, productivity tools like The Print Shop outsold games, contributing to the company's ranking as the tenth-largest microcomputer software firm.
The 1985 launch of Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? popularized "edutainment," blending geography education with adventure gameplay; it spawned a franchise, including a TV show. Broderbund briefly entered consoles, licensing NES games and developing the U-Force controller, but sold its New Ventures Division to THQ in 1990. Other notables: Wings of Fury (1988), Prince of Persia (1989), and The Playroom (1989). Revenues surpassed $50 million by 1990, with international sales growing, though still under 10% of total.
Company culture emphasized innovation and relationships, with Doug sourcing products personally. It committed to CD-ROM in the early 1990s, releasing Myst (1993), the highest-grossing PC game at the time.
Public Offering and Expansion (1991–1997)
Broderbund went public in 1991 on NASDAQ (symbol BROD), with The Print Shop and Carmen Sandiego driving 33% and 26% of revenue, respectively. Revenues hit $95.6 million by 1993. Acquisitions included PC Globe (1992) for maps, Banner Blue and T/Maker (1996), Parsons Technology (1997), and the Living Books series from Random House (1997). In 1997, it launched Red Orb Entertainment for non-educational games and acquired Autodesk's home design series. Fiscal 1995 saw $98 million in half-year revenues, but by 1997, competition from discounters like SoftKey slowed growth to $190 million, with stock dropping from $76 to $17.75.
A failed 1995 bid for The Learning Company and price wars (e.g., SoftKey's PrintMaster knockoff) made Broderbund vulnerable.
Acquisitions and Later Years (1998–Present)
In June 1998, The Learning Company (formerly SoftKey) acquired Broderbund for $420 million in stock, leading to 500 layoffs (42% of staff) and integration of brands. In 1999, Mattel bought The Learning Company for $3.6 billion, but financial losses prompted CEO Jill Barad's exit. Mattel sold assets to Gores Technology Group in 2000.
In 2001, Gores sold entertainment holdings (e.g., Myst) to Ubisoft and most others, including Broderbund, to Irish firm Riverdeep. Encore, Inc. licensed and distributed Broderbund products. In 2010, Encore acquired Punch! Software, expanding its Broderbund portfolio. By 2017, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (which absorbed Riverdeep) offered Broderbund brands for licensing.
As of 2025, Broderbund remains a brand under Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Learning Technology, focusing on graphic design, productivity, and edutainment like The Print Shop, PrintMaster, Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing, Carmen Sandiego, and Reader Rabbit. Games are distributed by Encore, with some titles like Myst under Ubisoft.
Legacy
Broderbund's innovations shaped the software industry, from early games influencing genres to edutainment popularizing learning via tech. Doug Carlston donated archives to The Strong National Museum of Play in 2014, preserving nearly 1,500 products and records. Despite ownership changes, its brands endure, reflecting a commitment to quality and accessibility.
Logos
People
Douglas G. Carlston, Founder and President
Gary Carlston, Founder, Chairman and Vice-President of Product Development (1980-1989)
Titles
References
- Wikipedia
- Software People, Brøderbund Software, history of: adaptation to shakeout, Page 242
- Software People, Brøderbund Software, history of: Apple conversions, Pages 65-66
- Software People, Brøderbund Software, history of: batch processing, Page 59
- Software People, Brøderbund Software, history of: breakthrough of, Pages 132-33, Pages 139-40
- Software People, Brøderbund Software, history of: cards for early computers, Page 59
- Software People, Brøderbund Software, history of: Cathy Carlston, Page 68
- Software People, Brøderbund Software, history of: childhood of Douglas Carlston, Page 58
- Software People, Brøderbund Software, history of: company move, Page 69
- Software People, Brøderbund Software, history of: company origin, Page 7, Pages 62-63
- Software People, Brøderbund Software, history of: disk format, Page 67
- Software People, Brøderbund Software, history of: and Don, Page 64
- Software People, Brøderbund Software, history of: early months of, Pages 66-67, Pages 138-39
- Software People, Brøderbund Software, history of: expansion of, Pages 7-8, 69
- Software People, Brøderbund Software, history of: and Faire, Pages 63-64
- Software People, Brøderbund Software, history of: first order from, Page 63
- Software People, Brøderbund Software, history of: and Gary Carlston, Pages 6-7
- Software People, Brøderbund Software, history of: graduate study, Pages 60-61
- Software People, Brøderbund Software, history of: and Harvard, Page 60
- Software People, Brøderbund Software, history of: IBM computer, early, Page 58
- Software People, Brøderbund Software, history of: involvement with computers, Pages 58-59
- Software People, Brøderbund Software, history of: lack of business know-how, Page 148
- Software People, Brøderbund Software, history of: and law schools, Pages 61-62
- Software People, Brøderbund Software, history of: moves of, Page 69
- Software People, Brøderbund Software, history of: Payroll, Page 68
- Software People, Brøderbund Software, history of: self-image of, Page 209
- Software People, Brøderbund Software, history of: takeoff, Page 68
- Software People, Brøderbund Software, history of: and TRS-80, Page 62
- Software People, Brøderbund Software, history of: and venture capitalists, Pages 69-70
- Software People, Brøderbund Software, history of: work for American Express, Page 61
