Cosmi Corporation

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Cosmi Corporation (COSMI) was an American computer software company based in Carson, California. It sold low-cost software directly to consumers in large retail outlets, computer stores, and drug, hardware, and grocery stores. It had two major imprints: Celery Software, and Swift Software/Swift Jewel.

Platforms it has published for include: Atari 8-bit computers, Atari 16-bit computers, the VIC-20, Commodore 64, Commodore 128, and Amiga, Apple II computers, IBM and Tandy compatibles, Windows, Palm OS, and PocketPC.

Origin

Cosmi Corporation was founded in 1982 by George Johnson. Its business model was of vertical integration, rapidly pivoting into trendy or popular product niches, and maintaining low prices.{{Cite web|title=Success Through Imitation, Not Innovation|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-mar-15-fi-8967-story.html|date=2000-03-15|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-07}} It published and distributed software for personal computer systems.

Products

Cosmi products included games, such as Forbidden Forest, The President Is Missing, and Aztec Challenge. It also published utility software including a database, word processor, spreadsheet, street maps, vacation planners, and a 3D World Atlas.{{cite web | url = http://www.d2ca.org/d2ca-ssg-commodore.html | access-date = 2009-08-08 | title = Screen Shot Gallery -- Commodore 64/128 | publisher = Dan's 20th Century Abandonware | author = Dan Rose | archive-url = https://archive.today/20090106145033/http://www.d2ca.org/d2ca-ssg-commodore.html | archive-date = 2009-01-06 | url-status = dead }}{{cite web|url=http://www.alamopc.org/pcalamode/reviews/current/R20020602.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030828023910/http://www.alamopc.org/pcalamode/reviews/current/R20020602.shtml|url-status=usurped|archive-date=August 28, 2003|title=Software Review of: Street Maps USA with USA Vacation Planner|author=Larry Grosskopf|access-date=2009-08-08 |work=PC Alamode Magazine |date=June 2002}}{{Cite web|title=Phoenix Software lands distributor status for Cosmi Corporation|url=https://www.itweb.co.za/content/G98YdqLo6eaMX2PD|last=Associates|first=K. L.|date=2007-10-05|website=ITWeb|language=en-ZA|access-date=2020-05-07}}

Further examples include:

Print Perfect Scrapbook Deluxe - Creates memorable scrapbook layouts, templates, designs, decorative artwork, and photo editing tools.
{{proper name|mySkins}} iPod Video - Styles and protects the surface of the iPod.
Website Promoter - Contains tools that will drive traffic to a website, optimise rankings in key search engines, and boost site's popularity.
Perfect Website Creator{{cite web | url = https://www.amazon.com/Cosmi-022787039196-Perfect-Website-Creator/product-reviews/B0006VXAVY/ref=cm_cr_dp_all_helpful?ie=UTF8&coliid=&showViewpoints=1&colid=&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending | access-date = 2009-08-08 | publisher = amazon.com | author = various reviewers | title = Customer Reviews, Perfect Website Creator }}
Platinum Perfect Pro Office System Software, a version of OpenOffice.org{{cite web|author=J. McNally|title=Platinum Perfect Pro Office System Software (mailing list thread)|url=http://www.openoffice.org/servlets/ReadMsg?list=users&msgNo=76831|access-date=2009-08-08|publisher=openoffice.org}}

Shovelware

In 2001, Cosmi began publishing shovelware, which was sold at Best Buy and Office Depot.{{cite web | url = https://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4007205.search?query=%22cosmi+corporation%22+site%3a | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110727081925/https://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4007205.search?query=%22cosmi+corporation%22+site%3a | url-status = dead | archive-date = 2011-07-27 | access-date = 2009-08-08 | title = Hotelguide.com Announces Distribution Partnership With Software Giant, Cosmi | publisher = hospitality.net}}

{{cite journal|journal=Entrepreneur |title=Pricing Your Product to Sell |author=Jane Applegate |date=March 2002 |access-date=2009-08-08 |url=http://www.entrepreneur.com/startingabusiness/bookkeeping/financialanalysisandbudgeting/article50046.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070503105931/http://www.entrepreneur.com/startingabusiness/bookkeeping/financialanalysisandbudgeting/article50046.html |archive-date=May 3, 2007 }}

Examples from this era include:

20,000 Recipes
3D Bubble Burst
3D Bug Attack
3D Frog Frenzy
3D Pinball Express
3D Missile Madness
3D Virtual Reality Landscaper
Amazing Calendar Marker
Amazing Flow Chart Maker
Board Games
Brochure Magic
Business Card Maker
Card Games
Desktop Publisher
Forms Maker and Filler
Free Financial Calculator
Free Fonts and Dingbats
Free Fractal Chaos Screen Savers
Free Game Run Away Train
Free Wind Power Screen Saver
Guide to the Galaxy
Herbert + The Underwater Pyramid
Label Publisher
Las Vegas Super Casino
Mah Jongg Magic
PC Attorney
Photo Editor Plus
Professional Resume Plus
SAT ACT Prep
Stationery Maker
Talking Flash Cards
Top 20 Solid Gold
Top 50 Blazing Games

All of which were published on the same disk. The installer would ask which one was being installed and then ask for a specific word on a specific page of the manual of the selected product, as a form of rudimentary DRM.

ValuSoft Games

class="wikitable sortable" ! Year ! Title ! Platform(s) ! Developer ! Notes
2000 \| 100+ Great Games \| Windows \| N/A \| 100+ Great Games sold over 220,000 units in the United States.
2000 \| Millennium Game Pack Gold \| Windows{{cite web\|url=http://valusoft.com/products/milgmpkgld.html\|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20020607113730/http://valusoft.com/products/milgmpkgld.html\|title=Millennium Game Pack Gold\|website=ValuSoft\|archivedate=June 7, 2002\|accessdate=December 19, 2024}} \| Antidote Entertainment \| Millennium Game Pack Gold was released in October 2000.{{cite web\|url=http://www.antidotecorp.com/press_valudeal.html\|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20010405152733/http://www.antidotecorp.com:80/press_valudeal.html\|title=Antidote Entertainment Signs Multi-Title Development Dea\|website=Antidote Entertainment\|archivedate=April 5, 2001\|date=February 20, 2001\|accessdate=December 19, 2024}} The title sold over 180,000 units in The United States,{{cite web\|url=http://valusoft.com/pressreleases/09-28-01.html\|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20020607161932/http://valusoft.com/pressreleases/09-28-01.html\|title=Valumedia Partners With Gauntlet Entertainment for European Distribution Of PC Games And Utilities\|website=ValuSoft\|archivedate=June 7, 2002\|date=October 23, 2001\|accessdate=December 19, 2024}} and was ranked the 15h best selling game in the US in January 2001 according to NPD.{{cite web\|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/03/01/trst-games-for-the-month-of-january\|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20241219122628/https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/03/01/trst-games-for-the-month-of-january\|title=TRST Games for the Month of January\|website=IGN\|archivedate=December 19, 2024\|date=March 1, 2001\|accessdate=December 19, 2024\|url-status=live}}
2000 \|Vietnam: Black Ops \| Windows \| Fused Software \|
2000{{cite web\|first=Chris\|last=Harrington\|url=http://www.moto1.net/magazine/article.asp?A=1790&mscssid=QBA97NJ1N3SR2HR400J74DAMN9F4EP0B\|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20001216045000/http://www.moto1.net/magazine/article.asp?A=1790&mscssid=QBA97NJ1N3SR2HR400J74DAMN9F4EP0B\|title=NHRA 2 Debut At O'Reilly Nationals\|website=moto1.net\|archivedate=December 16, 2000\|date=November 27, 2000\|accessdate=January 9, 2025}} \|NHRA Drag Racing 2 \| Windows{{cite web\|first=Vox\|last=Day\|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-atlanta-constitution/128490648/\|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230719084726/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-atlanta-constitution/128490648/\|title=Trying your hand at drag racing fun even if you aren't an enthusiast\|newspaper=The Atlanta Constitution\|page=71\|archivedate=July 19, 2023\|date=December 24, 2000\|accessdate=January 9, 2025\|via=Newspapers.com\|url-status=live}} \| moto1.net{{cite web\|url=https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_205/page/n79/mode/2up\|title=NHRA Drag Racing 2\|magazine=Computer Gaming World\|page=77\|date=August 2001\|accessdate=January 9, 2025}} \|
2001{{cite web\|url=http://valusoft.com/pressreleases/05-17-01.html\|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20020314194059/http://valusoft.com/pressreleases/05-17-01.html\|title=ValuSoft Announces New Product lineup for Summer and Fall 2001\|website=ValuSoft\|archivedate=March 14, 2002\|date=May 17, 2001\|accessdate=January 3, 2025}} \|Vietnam 2: Special Assignment \| Windows \| Single Cell Software \|
2004{{cite web\|url=http://nhra.com/2004/news/february/021001.html\|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050405183041/http://nhra.com/2004/news/february/021001.html\|title=NHRA Drag Racing: Top Fuel Thunder game released\|website=National Hot Rod Association\|archivedate=April 5, 2005\|date=2004\|accessdate=January 9, 2025}} \|NHRA Drag Racing: Top Fuel Thunder \|Windows \|N/A \|

class="wikitable sortable"

! Year

! Title

! Platform(s)

! Developer

! Notes

2000

| 100+ Great Games

| Windows

| N/A

| 100+ Great Games sold over 220,000 units in the United States.

2000

| Millennium Game Pack Gold

| Windows{{cite web|url=http://valusoft.com/products/milgmpkgld.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20020607113730/http://valusoft.com/products/milgmpkgld.html|title=Millennium Game Pack Gold|website=ValuSoft|archivedate=June 7, 2002|accessdate=December 19, 2024}}

| Antidote Entertainment

| Millennium Game Pack Gold was released in October 2000.{{cite web|url=http://www.antidotecorp.com/press_valudeal.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20010405152733/http://www.antidotecorp.com:80/press_valudeal.html|title=Antidote Entertainment Signs Multi-Title Development Dea|website=Antidote Entertainment|archivedate=April 5, 2001|date=February 20, 2001|accessdate=December 19, 2024}} The title sold over 180,000 units in The United States,{{cite web|url=http://valusoft.com/pressreleases/09-28-01.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20020607161932/http://valusoft.com/pressreleases/09-28-01.html|title=Valumedia Partners With Gauntlet Entertainment for European Distribution Of PC Games And Utilities|website=ValuSoft|archivedate=June 7, 2002|date=October 23, 2001|accessdate=December 19, 2024}} and was ranked the 15h best selling game in the US in January 2001 according to NPD.{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/03/01/trst-games-for-the-month-of-january|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20241219122628/https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/03/01/trst-games-for-the-month-of-january|title=TRST Games for the Month of January|website=IGN|archivedate=December 19, 2024|date=March 1, 2001|accessdate=December 19, 2024|url-status=live}}

2000

|Vietnam: Black Ops

| Windows

| Fused Software

2000{{cite web|first=Chris|last=Harrington|url=http://www.moto1.net/magazine/article.asp?A=1790&mscssid=QBA97NJ1N3SR2HR400J74DAMN9F4EP0B|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20001216045000/http://www.moto1.net/magazine/article.asp?A=1790&mscssid=QBA97NJ1N3SR2HR400J74DAMN9F4EP0B|title=NHRA 2 Debut At O'Reilly Nationals|website=moto1.net|archivedate=December 16, 2000|date=November 27, 2000|accessdate=January 9, 2025}}

|NHRA Drag Racing 2

| Windows{{cite web|first=Vox|last=Day|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-atlanta-constitution/128490648/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230719084726/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-atlanta-constitution/128490648/|title=Trying your hand at drag racing fun even if you aren't an enthusiast|newspaper=The Atlanta Constitution|page=71|archivedate=July 19, 2023|date=December 24, 2000|accessdate=January 9, 2025|via=Newspapers.com|url-status=live}}

| moto1.net{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_205/page/n79/mode/2up|title=NHRA Drag Racing 2|magazine=Computer Gaming World|page=77|date=August 2001|accessdate=January 9, 2025}}

2001{{cite web|url=http://valusoft.com/pressreleases/05-17-01.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20020314194059/http://valusoft.com/pressreleases/05-17-01.html|title=ValuSoft Announces New Product lineup for Summer and Fall 2001|website=ValuSoft|archivedate=March 14, 2002|date=May 17, 2001|accessdate=January 3, 2025}}

|Vietnam 2: Special Assignment

| Windows

| Single Cell Software

2004{{cite web|url=http://nhra.com/2004/news/february/021001.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050405183041/http://nhra.com/2004/news/february/021001.html|title=NHRA Drag Racing: Top Fuel Thunder game released|website=National Hot Rod Association|archivedate=April 5, 2005|date=2004|accessdate=January 9, 2025}}

|NHRA Drag Racing: Top Fuel Thunder

|Windows

|N/A

Mergers and Dissolution

In 2012, Cosmi acquired ValuSoft from the now-defunct video game publisher THQ for an undisclosed sum.{{cite web | url = http://www.valusoft.com/company/news2012.aspx | access-date = 2016-01-17 | title = Cosmi Software Acquires ValuSoft Division of THQ Inc. | date = April 2012 | publisher = ValuSoft}} The company was renamed to ValuSoft Cosmi.

In 2020, Play Hard Games was acquired, and then dissolved, by Ziggurat Interactive. As of 2025, some of its games are still sold under the ValuSoft Cosmi brand.

References

External links

{{Official website|http://www.cosmi.com}}

Category:Video game companies established in 1982

Category:Software companies established in 1982

Category:1982 establishments in California

Category:Software companies based in California

Category:Organizations based in Carson, California

Category:Companies based in Los Angeles County, California

Category:Video game companies of the United States

Category:Defunct software companies of the United States