dB-SOFT Inc. (デービーソフト株式会社) was a Japanese software development company that was in business from 1980 to 2003 based in Sapporo, Hokkaido. They started as a video game developer, releasing titles for various home computer platforms (including the Family Computer), but subsequently left the gaming business to focus solely on programming software and tools as they entered the 1990s.[1][2]

dB-SOFT Inc.
Company typeJoint-stock company
IndustryVideo games, Information technology
FoundedMay 2, 1980 (1980-05-02)
FounderSadayuki Furuya
Defunct2001
FateMerged into NetFarm Communications [ja]
SuccessorNetFarm Communications
Headquarters
Sapporo, Hokkaido
,
Japan

History

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The company was founded on May 2, 1980, under the name Computer Land Hokkaido, publishing video games for various home computers under the "7 Turkey" brand name.[3] In 1984, they officially changed their name to dB-SOFT, taking their new name from the decibel (dB) unit.

Some of the company's most commercially successful video games include Flappy (which has been released in over 20 versions) and Woody Poco. dB-SOFT also published two pornographic games under the Macadamia Soft imprint: Macadam and 177 (the latter was banned from retail by the National Diet due to its controversial premise in which the player's objective is to pursue and rape a fleeing woman).[4] In addition to gaming software, dB-SOFT also produced programming tools such as dB-BASIC (a BASIC compiler), P1.EXE (a word processor) and HOTALL (a web designing tool).

On August 1, 2001, dB-SOFT ceased operation after being merged into NetFarm Communications (a company founded by Reiko Furuya, Sadayaki Furuya's wife). Their former office building was sold off in 2002.

Softography

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Video games
Title Year Platforms
Flappy 1983 Famicom, FM-7, MSX, PC-6001, PC-8801, Sharp MZ, X1
Volguard 1984 NEC PC-8801
Zunō Senkan Garu (stylized as GALG) 1985 Famicom
Laptick 1985 PC-8801, PC-8001 Mk. II SR, X1, FM77AV
Volguard II 1985 Famicom
Cross Blaim 1986 MSX
Laptick II 1986 MSX
Layla 1986 Famicom
Woody Poco 1986 Famicom, MSX, PC-8801, PC-9801, FM-77AV, X1
Tetsudō Ō 1987 Famicom, MSX2, FM77AV
Produce 1987 PC-8801, Sharp X-1, PC-9801
Konyamo Asama de Powerful Mahjong 2 1988 PC-8801, Sharp X68000, PC-9801, MSX
The Story of Melroon 1989 PC-8801, PC-9801

Notes

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  1. ^ "dB-SOFT". Universal Videogame List. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
  2. ^ "DB Soft". GameFAQs. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  3. ^ Sasaki, Jun (2013). Hachijū Nendai Maikon Daihyakka 80年代マイコン大百科 [Encyclopedia of '80's Micro Computers] (in Japanese). Japan: Sogo Kagaku Publishing. ISBN 978-4-88181-832-9. Archived from the original on 2016-03-10. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
  4. ^ W. Lauteria, Evan (2015). Wysocki, Matthew (ed.). Rated M for mature : sex and sexuality in video games. New York: Bloomsbury Publishing. pp. 31–34. ISBN 9781628925746.

References

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