Vault Entry
[📷 suggested: Firebird Silver/Gold cassette artwork]
Overview
Firebird began as British Telecom’s attempt to enter the budget-games market. Within a year it expanded into “Silver” (£1.99) and “Gold” (£2.99) lines, then launched the premium “Rainbird” label for ambitious sims and adventures. The brand proved that a corporate parent could still champion bedroom talent.
Fast facts
- Breakout release: Elite (1985) on the BBC Micro and beyond, published under the Firebird label.
- Sub-labels: Firebird Silver, Gold, and Rainbird, each targeting different price tiers.
- Talent scout: signed developers via magazine adverts and open submissions, much like smaller independents.
Lesson connections
- BASIC Block 6’s state machines nod to Rainbird’s complex sims, showing how BASIC concepts scale up.
- Assembly Act I references Firebird’s support of demoscene-adjacent coders experimenting with raster effects.
- Contributor guidelines highlight Firebird’s documentation style—compact manuals with clear diagrams.
Legacy
Firebird’s IP later folded into MicroProse after Telecomsoft’s sale, but its approach to nurturing talent across price tiers inspired later publishers like Team17 and Curve Digital.