Companies & Studios

MicroProse

Simulations and strategy

MicroProse built an empire on military simulations and strategy games, publishing works by Sid Meier that defined genres for decades.

C64Amiga publishersdevelopers 1982–2003

Overview

MicroProse began with flight simulators and evolved into one of gaming’s most respected publishers. Sid Meier’s games—Pirates!, Railroad Tycoon, Civilization—emerged from MicroProse. The company proved that depth and complexity could sell, that simulations could be art.

Fast facts

  • Founded: 1982 in Hunt Valley, Maryland.
  • Founders: Sid Meier and Bill Stealey.
  • Focus: Military simulations, then strategy games.
  • Peak: Late 1980s through mid-1990s.
  • Decline: Sold to Spectrum HoloByte 1993, various owners after.
  • Notable games: Civilization, F-19 Stealth Fighter, X-COM, Master of Orion.

Military roots

Bill Stealey was a pilot; Sid Meier was a programmer:

  • F-15 Strike Eagle (1984) established the company.
  • Military simulations followed: Gunship, F-19 Stealth Fighter.
  • Authenticity mattered—Stealey’s experience informed design.

Sid Meier’s evolution

Meier’s interests expanded beyond military:

  • Pirates! (1987): Open-world adventure, his name on the box.
  • Railroad Tycoon (1990): Management simulation that spawned a genre.
  • Civilization (1991): 4X strategy that consumed lifetimes.

These games defined MicroProse’s golden age.

Publishing expansion

MicroProse published other developers’ work:

  • X-COM: UFO Defense (1994): Mythos Games’ tactical masterpiece.
  • Master of Orion (1993): Simtex’s space strategy.
  • Quality control maintained the brand.

Decline

Success bred problems:

  • Expansion into unfamiliar genres.
  • Acquisition attempts, corporate turmoil.
  • Sid Meier left to found Firaxis (1996).
  • Company changed hands repeatedly, eventually dormant.

Revival

The MicroProse name returned in 2020 under new ownership, publishing strategy and simulation games that honour the legacy.

Legacy

MicroProse proved complex games could succeed commercially. Their simulations and strategies demanded investment from players and rewarded it. The company’s name remains shorthand for depth and quality.

See also