Erbe Software

Spain Founded 1984

Erbe Software was one of the main video game developers and distributors in Spain during the golden age of Spanish software. It was founded in 1984 by Andrew Bagney and Paco Pastor In its beginnings, Erbe was a developer that launched titles like "Las tres luces de Glaurung" in 1986, and Whopper Chase, commissioned by the multinational Burger King for give it away to their clients, in 1989, which will be their last development before dedicating herself exclusively to distribution. Erbe's internal development team then moved to Topo Soft. Erbe Software distributed to many of the leading national and international video game houses of the time, such as Topo Soft, Nintendo, Ocean Software, U.S. Gold, Imagine, Mikro Gen, Ultimate, SEGA, Lucasfilm Games, among others. February 2, 1993, an arson, according to the Madrid fire department destroys the company's warehouse in Móstoles, destroying some 50,000 Game Boy and Super Nintendo consoles. Between February 24 and March 3, 1993, Erbe suffered a serious crisis in which he lost the exclusive distribution of Nintendo, one of his most important accounts. At the end of the 90s, Erbe was absorbed by Anaya Interactiva and disappeared as a brand. Shortly after, Anaya sold what was left of the company to Havas Interactive, owned by what is now Activision Blizzard.

Erbe Software at a Glance

Erbe Software stands as a significant figure in the history of Spanish gaming, operating from 1984 through 2024. The company began as a developer before shifting its focus entirely to distribution. Their early work included titles like Las tres luces de Glaurung in 1986 and Whopper Chase, which Burger King commissioned for client giveaways in 1989. After this point, the internal development team moved to Topo Soft, and Erbe dedicated itself to publishing games from other major houses such as Nintendo, Ocean Software, U.S. Gold, Lucasfilm Games, and SEGA. A major setback occurred in February 1993 when a fire destroyed their warehouse in Móstoles. This event led to a serious crisis where the company lost its exclusive distribution rights for Nintendo. The brand eventually faded after being absorbed by Anaya Interactiva at the end of the 1990s, with remaining assets later sold to Havas Interactive. Despite these historical shifts, Erbe remains active today and has released four titles in the 2020s. Their catalog on PlayPile includes 22 games as a publisher and two as a developer. The platform reach of their work is heavily concentrated on older systems from the golden age of Spanish software. They published 16 games for MSX, 15 for ZX Spectrum, and 15 for Amstrad CPC. DOS versions make up another 12 titles in their collection. Their output has fluctuated over time. The company released 10 games in the 1980s and seven in the 1990s. Activity dropped to just one title in the 2000s, with El Tesoro de Isla Alcachofa appearing in August 2000. Recent activity shows a return with releases like 666: El día del portal and Alerta Roja in July 2024, along with Salacot Jack: Deluxe and Selenaut Quest in June 2024. The quality of their titles varies across the platform data. They have three rated games with an average score of 71.8 out of 100. One title stands out as great, Batman from 1989, which holds a rating of 80.4. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The Action Game is rated 73.7, placing it in the good category. B.C. II: Grog's Revenge from 1984 rounds out the ratings at 61.3. Their genre focus leans heavily toward Racing with six games and Platform games also totaling six. Adventure and Sport genres follow with four titles each.

Total Games

71.8

Avg Rating

1984

First Release

2024

Latest Release