Rainbow Arts

{{Short description|German video game developer}}

{{Use British English|date=August 2018}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2018}}

{{Infobox company

| name = Rainbow Arts Software GmbH

| logo = Rainbowarts.png

| type = Subsidiary

| industry = Video games

| fate = Merged

| successor = THQ Deutschland

| founded = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1984}}

| founder = Marc Ullrich, Thomas Meiertoberens

| defunct = {{End date|1999}}

| hq_location_city = Gütersloh

| hq_location_country = Germany

| key_people =

| products = Turrican series

| parent = Rushware {{small|(1986–1999)}}

}}

Rainbow Arts Software GmbH was a German video game publisher based in Gütersloh. The company was founded in 1984 by Marc Ullrich and Thomas Meiertoberens and acquired by Rushware in 1986.{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gLaODgAAQBAJ | title=Retro Gamer Spezial 2/2017 – C64: Alles über den legendären Brotkasten C64| isbn=9783957881656| last1=Gamer-Redaktion| first1=Retro| date=30 March 2017}} The company's decline began in the early 1990s: The distributor did not manage to cover the costs of selling the titles worldwide, while development costs were constantly rising. The Rainbow Arts name lost its notoriety since then. The parent companies Rushware and Softgold were in turn bought up by the American games manufacturer THQ in 1999.{{Cite web |title=Telecompaper |url=https://www.telecompaper.com/news/rushware-subsidiaries-acquired-by-thq--157035 |access-date=2022-11-19 |website=www.telecompaper.com}} In 1999, Funsoft Holding, which acquired Rushware and sister company Softgold in 1992, sold Rushware to THQ, which was incorporated into THQ Deutschland, THQ's German operations arm.{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5Y8GCwAAQBAJ | title=Retro Gamer Spezial 1/2016: DAS ERSTE JAHRBUCH| isbn=9783957880680| last1=Gamer-Redaktion| first1=Retro| date=27 November 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/981202/thq_inc_1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990224174103/http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/981202/thq_inc_1.html|title=THQ Acquires Leading Game Publisher/Distributor in Germany|website=Business Wire|publisher=Berkshire Hathaway|via=Yahoo.com|archive-date=February 24, 1999|date=December 2, 1998|access-date=June 16, 2019}}{{Cite journal|last=Drews|first=Alexander|date=March–April 2020|title=Interview with Thomas Meiertoberens - The return of Magic Bytes|url=https://www.amigafuture.de/app.php/kb/viewarticle?a=5733|journal=Amiga Future Magazine|volume=143|pages=10–14}} Rainbow Arts also led one of the first lawsuits in 1993 on the question whether competition exists between a software company and a bulletin board system of similar name ("Rainbow BBS") operated by a student, so that claims under trademark law are enforceable. This was confirmed by the Munich District Court.{{Cite web |title=AG München: Mailbox Rainbow BBS - Terhaag & Partner Rechtsanwälte: Markenrecht, Wettbewerbsrecht, Internetrecht, Medien, Presserecht, Urheberrecht, Datenschutz - Fachanwalt |url=https://www.aufrecht.de/urteile/markenrecht/urteile-vor-2002/ag-muenchen-mailbox-rainbow-bbs |access-date=2022-11-14 |website=www.aufrecht.de}}

In January 2022, Ziggurat Interactive acquired more than 80 titles from Rainbow Arts.{{Cite web|url=https://gaminglyfe.com/ziggurat-interactive-finishes-deal-to-acquire-select-titles-of-innovative-studio-rainbow-arts|title = Ziggurat Interactive Finishes Deal to Acquire Select Titles of Innovative Studio Rainbow Arts|date = 14 January 2022}}