Sydney Development Corporation | |
Foundation: | 1978 |
Defunct: | 1989 |
Founder: | Tarrnie Williams |
Location City: | Vancouver, British Columbia |
Location Country: | Canada |
Key People: | Tarrnie Williams |
Industry: | Enterprise Application Software (EAS) video games |
Revenue: | Can$21 million In 1983 |
Num Employees: | ~100 |
Sydney Development Corporation ("SDC"), was the first publicly-traded software company in Canada. Founded by Tarrnie Williams, SDC developed an online real-time project management system for the IBM System z mainframe computer, then various different business applications for microcomputers such as the Apple II, and eventually became the first developer and publisher of computer games for microcomputers in Canada.[1] [2]
In 1981, SDC agreed to publish Evolution by Don Mattrick and Jeff Sembers, after Williams's 10-year-old son enjoyed a demo of the game.[3] Evolution sold over 400,000 copies, and Mattrick and Sembers went on to found Distinctive Software.[4]
Sydney Development Corp. was the fastest-growing public company in Canada in the five-year period 1978 to 1983 with fiscal year 1983 revenues of Can$21 million (equivalent to $ in).
The company filed for bankruptcy on 23 May 1989.[5]