Codemasters
Budget geniuses turned mainstream hitmakers
From Dizzy to Micro Machines, Codemasters blended sibling creativity, aggressive marketing, and tight budgets.
Overview
Founded by brothers Richard and David Darling after stints at Mastertronic, Codemasters specialised in affordable games that felt richer than their £1.99 price tag. They turned bedroom coders into household names and later graduated to console blockbusters.
Fast facts
- Breakout: Dizzy: The Ultimate Cartoon Adventure (1987) from the Oliver Twins.
- Speciality: budget-priced hits across home micros, later evolving into Codemasters’ console series like Micro Machines and Colin McRae Rally.
- Distribution: mail order plus supermarket and newsagent chains, using bold cover art to stand out on rotating racks.
Legacy
Codemasters survived the 8-bit crash, grew into a AAA studio, and in 2021 joined Electronic Arts. Their path from budget upstart to global publisher mirrors the journey many learners will trace from BASIC experiments to professional craft.