Firebird (1984–1989)
Telecomsoft's first and largest label. Firebird targeted the mass market of the C64 and ZX Spectrum, offering games at competitive price points. Within its catalogue sits one of the most important releases in gaming history - the C64 port of Elite. Firebird Gold titles commanded full price; Firebird Silver occupied the budget tier. Rob Hubbard composed SID music for several Firebird titles, including the legendary Warhawk (1986).
Rainbird (1985–1989)
Telecomsoft's prestige label, conceived to publish premium titles for 16-bit platforms. Rainbird's output is remarkable for its quality and ambition: Starglider, The Pawn, The Guild of Thieves, Carrier Command, Starglider 2, Virus. The Rainbird phoenix logo - rendered in distinctive blue on packaging - became a mark of quality in the same way that a Criterion Collection spine signals film seriousness today.
Rainbird's relationship with Magnetic Scrolls produced some of the finest interactive fiction of the era. Anita Sinclair's studio brought text adventures to a new standard with illustrated, intelligently parsed games that competed directly with Infocom.
Silverbird (1988–1989)
The short-lived budget re-release label. Silverbird packaged popular titles from the Firebird and Rainbird back catalogues at lower price points, extending their commercial lives as the 16-bit market grew. The label had fewer than two years of activity before the MicroProse acquisition.