CDS SOFTWARE LTD
CDS Software (also known as CDS Micro Systems from its earlier titles) was an independent publisher and developer of computer games software based in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, UK.
The company was founded by Ian Williams, a Doncaster programmer who began developing games for the Sinclair ZX80 shortly after its release. After the initial success of the company, he hired Giles Hunter (a manager at Doncaster WH Smiths) to help expand the business. He sold his company to Giles Hunter to pursue other interests in 1985.
In 1988, CDS Software, under the CDS group of companies, changed its name to Nimrod Holdings Ltd. Its new publications continued under the CDS Software label until the early 1990s. The company name eventually changed to Guildhall Leisure Services and from 2002 to the present it is known as iDigicon Ltd.
The first games released in 1982-83 were for the ZX Spectrum 16K which mainly consisted of clones of arcade games. The company expanded to different formats with titles like Steve Davis Snooker and Colossus Chess making releases for most platforms of the time. The launch of the “low-budget” brand Blue Ribbon saw the release of simpler arcade-style titles, with CDS focusing on higher-quality titles and higher prices, often incorporating linked licenses such as Brian Clough's Football Fortunes and Sporting Triangles. They also released the computer game, complemented by a board game, TankAttack.
In the early 1990s, CDS once again led UK game distribution for companies like D&H (for example Multi-Player Soccer Manager), MicroIllusions (for example Fire Power) and Artworx (for example the games by Strip Poker