Cosmi Corporation Explained
Cosmi Corporation (COSMI) was an American computer software company based in Carson, California. It sold low-cost software directly to consumers in large retail outlets, computer stores, and drug, hardware, and grocery stores. It had two major imprints: Celery Software, and Swift Software/Swift Jewel.
Platforms it has published for include: Atari 8-bit computers, Atari 16-bit computers, the VIC-20, Commodore 64, Commodore 128, and Amiga, Apple II computers, IBM and Tandy compatibles, Windows, Palm OS, and PocketPC.
Origin
Cosmi Corporation was founded in 1982 by George Johnson. Its business model was of vertical integration, rapidly pivoting into trendy or popular product niches, and maintaining low prices.[1] It published and distributed software for personal computer systems.
Products
Cosmi products included games, such as Forbidden Forest, The President Is Missing, and Aztec Challenge. It also published utility software including a database, word processor, spreadsheet, street maps, vacation planners, and a 3D World Atlas.[2] [3] [4]
Further examples include:
- Print Perfect Scrapbook Deluxe - Creates memorable scrapbook layouts, templates, designs, decorative artwork, and photo editing tools.
- iPod Video - Styles and protects the surface of the iPod.
- Website Promoter - Contains tools that will drive traffic to a website, optimise rankings in key search engines, and boost site's popularity.
- Perfect Website Creator[5]
- Platinum Perfect Pro Office System Software, a version of OpenOffice.org[6]
Shovelware
In 2001, Cosmi began publishing shovelware, which was sold at Best Buy and Office Depot.[7] [8]
Examples from this era include:
- 20,000 Recipes
- 3D Bubble Burst
- 3D Bug Attack
- 3D Frog Frenzy
- 3D Pinball Express
- 3D Missile Madness
- 3D Virtual Reality Landscaper
- Amazing Calendar Marker
- Amazing Flow Chart Maker
- Board Games
- Brochure Magic
- Business Card Maker
- Card Games
- Desktop Publisher
- Forms Maker and Filler
- Free Financial Calculator
- Free Fonts and Dingbats
- Free Fractal Chaos Screen Savers
- Free Game Run Away Train
- Free Wind Power Screen Saver
- Guide to the Galaxy
- Herbert + The Underwater Pyramid
- Label Publisher
- Las Vegas Super Casino
- Mah Jongg Magic
- PC Attorney
- Photo Editor Plus
- Professional Resume Plus
- SAT ACT Prep
- Stationery Maker
- Talking Flash Cards
- Top 20 Solid Gold
- Top 50 Blazing Games
All of which were published on the same disk. The installer would ask which one was being installed and then ask for a specific word on a specific page of the manual of the selected product, as a form of rudimentary DRM.
ValuSoft Games
| Year | Title | Platform(s) | Developer | Notes |
|---|
| 2000 | 100+ Great Games | Windows | N/A | 100+ Great Games sold over 220,000 units in the United States. |
|---|
| 2000 | Millennium Game Pack Gold | Windows[9] | Antidote Entertainment | Millennium Game Pack Gold was released in October 2000.[10] The title sold over 180,000 units in The United States,[11] and was ranked the 15h best selling game in the US in January 2001 according to NPD.[12] |
|---|
| 2000 | | Windows | Fused Software | |
|---|
| 2000[13] | NHRA Drag Racing 2 | Windows[14] | moto1.net[15] | |
|---|
| 2001[16] | | Windows | Single Cell Software | |
|---|
| 2004[17] | NHRA Drag Racing: Top Fuel Thunder | Windows | N/A | | |
|---|
Mergers and Dissolution
In 2012, Cosmi acquired ValuSoft from the now-defunct video game publisher THQ for an undisclosed sum.[18] The company was renamed to ValuSoft Cosmi.
In 2020, Play Hard Games was acquired, and then dissolved, by Ziggurat Interactive. As of 2025, some of its games are still sold under the ValuSoft Cosmi brand.
External links
Notes and References
- Web site: Success Through Imitation, Not Innovation. 2000-03-15. Los Angeles Times. en-US. 2020-05-07.
- Web site: Screen Shot Gallery -- Commodore 64/128 . 2009-08-08 . Dan's 20th Century Abandonware . Dan Rose . https://archive.today/20090106145033/http://www.d2ca.org/d2ca-ssg-commodore.html . 2009-01-06 . dead .
- Web site: Software Review of: Street Maps USA with USA Vacation Planner. https://web.archive.org/web/20030828023910/http://www.alamopc.org/pcalamode/reviews/current/R20020602.shtml. usurped. August 28, 2003. Larry Grosskopf. 2009-08-08 . PC Alamode Magazine . June 2002.
- Web site: Phoenix Software lands distributor status for Cosmi Corporation. Associates. K. L.. 2007-10-05. ITWeb. en-ZA. 2020-05-07.
- Web site: Customer Reviews, Perfect Website Creator . 2009-08-08 . amazon.com . various reviewers .
- Web site: J. McNally. Platinum Perfect Pro Office System Software (mailing list thread). 2009-08-08. openoffice.org.
- Web site: Hotelguide.com Announces Distribution Partnership With Software Giant, Cosmi . https://web.archive.org/web/20110727081925/https://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4007205.search?query=%22cosmi+corporation%22+site%3a . dead . 2011-07-27 . 2009-08-08 . hospitality.net.
- Entrepreneur . Pricing Your Product to Sell . Jane Applegate . March 2002 . 2009-08-08 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070503105931/http://www.entrepreneur.com/startingabusiness/bookkeeping/financialanalysisandbudgeting/article50046.html . May 3, 2007 .
- Web site: Millennium Game Pack Gold. https://web.archive.org/web/20020607113730/http://valusoft.com/products/milgmpkgld.html. ValuSoft. June 7, 2002. December 19, 2024.
- Web site: Antidote Entertainment Signs Multi-Title Development Dea. https://web.archive.org/web/20010405152733/http://www.antidotecorp.com:80/press_valudeal.html. Antidote Entertainment. April 5, 2001. February 20, 2001. December 19, 2024.
- Web site: Valumedia Partners With Gauntlet Entertainment for European Distribution Of PC Games And Utilities. https://web.archive.org/web/20020607161932/http://valusoft.com/pressreleases/09-28-01.html. ValuSoft. June 7, 2002. October 23, 2001. December 19, 2024.
- Web site: TRST Games for the Month of January. https://web.archive.org/web/20241219122628/https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/03/01/trst-games-for-the-month-of-january. IGN. December 19, 2024. March 1, 2001. December 19, 2024. live.
- Web site: Chris. Harrington. NHRA 2 Debut At O'Reilly Nationals. https://web.archive.org/web/20001216045000/http://www.moto1.net/magazine/article.asp?A=1790&mscssid=QBA97NJ1N3SR2HR400J74DAMN9F4EP0B. moto1.net. December 16, 2000. November 27, 2000. January 9, 2025.
- Web site: Vox. Day. Trying your hand at drag racing fun even if you aren't an enthusiast. https://web.archive.org/web/20230719084726/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-atlanta-constitution/128490648/. The Atlanta Constitution. 71. July 19, 2023. December 24, 2000. January 9, 2025. Newspapers.com. live.
- Web site: NHRA Drag Racing 2. Computer Gaming World. 77. August 2001. January 9, 2025.
- Web site: ValuSoft Announces New Product lineup for Summer and Fall 2001. https://web.archive.org/web/20020314194059/http://valusoft.com/pressreleases/05-17-01.html. ValuSoft. March 14, 2002. May 17, 2001. January 3, 2025.
- Web site: NHRA Drag Racing: Top Fuel Thunder game released. https://web.archive.org/web/20050405183041/http://nhra.com/2004/news/february/021001.html. National Hot Rod Association. April 5, 2005. 2004. January 9, 2025.
- Web site: Cosmi Software Acquires ValuSoft Division of THQ Inc. . 2016-01-17 . April 2012 . ValuSoft.
