dB-SOFT
{{Short description|Japanese software company}}
{{Expand Japanese|デービーソフト|topic=vg|date=May 2013}}
{{lowercase title}}
{{Infobox company
| name = dB-SOFT Inc.
| logo =
| caption =
| native_name =
| native_name_lang = ja
| type = Joint-stock company
| industry = Video games, Information technology
| genre =
| fate = Merged into {{ill|NetFarm Communications|ja|ネットファーム・コミュニケーションズ|vertical-align=sup}}
| successor = NetFarm Communications
| foundation = {{Start date|1980|5|2}}
| founder = Sadayuki Furuya
| defunct = 2001
| location_city = Sapporo, Hokkaido
| location_country = Japan
| key_people =
| products =
| owner =
| parent =
}}
{{nihongo|dB-SOFT Inc.|デービーソフト株式会社}} was a Japanese software development company that was in business from 1980 to 2003 based in Sapporo, Hokkaido. They started as a video game developer, releasing titles for various home computer platforms (including the Family Computer), but subsequently left the gaming business to focus solely on programming software and tools as they entered the 1990s.{{cite web |url=http://www.uvlist.net/companies/info/976-dB-SOFT |title=dB-SOFT |author= |website=Universal Videogame List |accessdate=24 May 2013}}{{cite web |url=https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/company/73572-db-soft |title=DB Soft |author= |website=GameFAQs |accessdate=24 September 2020}}
History
The company was founded on May 2, 1980, under the name Computer Land Hokkaido, publishing video games for various home computers under the "7 Turkey" brand name.{{cite book|last=Sasaki|first=Jun|date=2013|title=Hachijū Nendai Maikon Daihyakka|script-title=ja:80年代マイコン大百科|trans-title=Encyclopedia of '80's Micro Computers|url=http://www.sogokagaku-pub.com/emapub/published/832.htm|language=ja|location=Japan|publisher=Sogo Kagaku Publishing|isbn=978-4-88181-832-9|access-date=2016-03-09|archive-date=2016-03-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310081415/http://www.sogokagaku-pub.com/emapub/published/832.htm|url-status=dead}} In 1984, they officially changed their name to dB-SOFT, taking their new name from the decibel (dB) unit.
Some of the company's most commercially successful video games include Flappy (which has been released in over 20 versions) and Woody Poco. dB-SOFT also published two pornographic games under the Macadamia Soft imprint: Macadam and 177 (the latter was banned from retail by the National Diet due to its controversial premise in which the player's objective is to pursue and rape a fleeing woman).{{cite book |last1=W. Lauteria |first1=Evan |editor1-last=Wysocki |editor1-first=Matthew |title=Rated M for mature : sex and sexuality in video games |date=2015 |location=New York |isbn=9781628925746 |pages=31–34|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing}} In addition to gaming software, dB-SOFT also produced programming tools such as dB-BASIC (a BASIC compiler), P1.EXE (a word processor) and HOTALL (a web designing tool).
On August 1, 2001, dB-SOFT ceased operation after being merged into NetFarm Communications (a company founded by Reiko Furuya, Sadayaki Furuya's wife). Their former office building was sold off in 2002.
Softography
| class="wikitable sortable" border="1" style="text-align:center"
|+ Video games | ||
| scope="col" | Title
! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Platforms | ||
|---|---|---|
| style="text-align:left" | Flappy | 1983 | Famicom, FM-7, MSX, PC-6001, PC-8801, Sharp MZ, X1 |
| style="text-align:left" | Volguard | 1984 | NEC PC-8801 |
| style="text-align:left" | Zunō Senkan Garu (stylized as GALG) | 1985 | Famicom |
| style="text-align:left" | Laptick | 1985 | PC-8801, PC-8001 Mk. II SR, X1, FM77AV |
| style="text-align:left" | Volguard II | 1985 | Famicom |
| Cross Blaim
|1986 |MSX | ||
| style="text-align:left" | Laptick II | 1986 | MSX |
| style="text-align:left" | Layla | 1986 | Famicom |
| style="text-align:left" | Woody Poco | 1986 | Famicom, MSX, PC-8801, PC-9801, FM-77AV, X1 |
| style="text-align:left" | Tetsudō Ō | 1987 | Famicom, MSX2, FM77AV |
| style="text-align:left" | Produce | 1987 | PC-8801, Sharp X-1, PC-9801 |
| style="text-align:left" | Konyamo Asama de Powerful Mahjong 2 | 1988 | PC-8801, Sharp X68000, PC-9801, MSX |
| style="text-align:left" | The Story of Melroon | 1989 | PC-8801, PC-9801 |
Notes
{{Reflist}}
References
- {{cite book |last=Tunick |first=David C. |title=Computers and the Law |year=1991 |publisher=John Marshall Publishing Co. |location=Houston |isbn=9780916081270 |oclc=24170258 |page=247}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20031004033432/http://www.db-soft.co.jp/ Official website] ([https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.db-soft.co.jp/index.htm Waybacked])
- [http://www.amusement-center.com/project/egg/index.cgi?maker_id=51&oldplat=&genre=&name=&searchBtn1=%B8%A1%BA%F7# dB-SOFT]{{Dead link|date=July 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} games available at [http://www.amusement-center.com/project/egg/index.cgi Project EGG] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309162523/http://www.amusement-center.com/project/egg/index.cgi |date=2016-03-09 }}
- [http://www.giantbomb.com/db-soft/3010-2731/ dB-SOFT] at Giant Bomb
- {{MobyGames company|company=db-soft}}
Category:Companies based in Sapporo
Category:Defunct video game companies of Japan
Category:Video game development companies
Category:Video game publishers
Category:Video game companies established in 1980
Category:Video game companies disestablished in 2001
Category:Japanese companies established in 1980
Category:Japanese companies disestablished in 2001
{{Japan-videogame-company-stub}}