Llamasoft

Overview

Llamasoft began as Jeff Minter’s one-person label in 1982 and quickly became a cult favourite. Operating from rural Wales, the studio mailed brightly packaged cassettes filled with laser-fast shooters, experimental light synths, and in-jokes about llamas, camels, and sheep.

Fast facts

• Flagship titles: Gridrunner, Attack of the Mutant Camels, Revenge of the Mutant Camels.
• Platforms: Started on VIC-20 and C64, later expanded to Atari 8-bit, Amiga, Atari ST, Nuon, iOS, and VR.
• Distribution: Direct mail order plus partnerships with publishers like Human Engineered Software (HES) for international releases.

Cultural impact

Llamasoft proved a studio could have a consistent, eccentric voice and still ship commercially. Their newsletters fostered community decades before social media.

See also

• Jeff Minter
• Attack of the Mutant Camels
• The Rise of the Bedroom Coder
• Hewson Consultants