Datasoft | |
Founder: | Pat Ketchum |
Location City: | Chatsworth, California |
Location Country: | US |
Industry: | Video games Productivity software |
Datasoft, Inc. (also written as DataSoft) was a software developer and publisher for home computers founded in 1980 by Pat Ketchum and based out of Chatsworth, California. Datasoft primarily published video games, including ports of arcade video games, games based on licenses from movies and TV shows, and original games. Like competitor Synapse Software, they also published other software: development tools, word processors, and utilities. Text Wizard, written by William Robinson and published by Datasoft when he was 16, was the basis for AtariWriter. Datasoft initially targeted the Atari 8-bit computers, Apple II, and TRS-80 Color Computer, then later the Commodore 64, IBM PC, Atari ST, and Amiga. Starting in 1983, a line of lower cost software was published under the label Gentry Software.
Datasoft went into bankruptcy, and its name and assets were purchased by two Datasoft executives, Samuel L. Poole and Ted Hoffman. They renamed the company IntelliCreations and distributed Datasoft games until it closed.