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Article: Friendly Software diversifies from retail PC golf games to advergaming to indoor simulators
- Article from:
- Toledo Business Journal
- Article date:
- March 1, 2004
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright Telex Communications, Inc. Mar 01, 2004. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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When Bill Bales and his brother incorporated Friendly Software in 1985, Bales was an investment banker who wasn't even sure what software was. He just saw the growth rates in the computer industry. He said to his brother Bruce, a programmer: "We've got to go into the software business - what can we do?"
Friendly sold its first PC golf game in 1989 or 1990, according to Bales. "But our mainstream distribution didn't commence until the end of '91," he said. At that time it was possible to be a small publisher with one product and deal with major chains on a direct basis. In the US, Friendly sold direct to Best Buy and dealt with two of the big four distributors. The company achieved worldwide ...