Ocean Software
The licensor kings of the 8-bit and 16-bit era — RoboCop, Batman, Sensible Soccer, and hundreds more.
The Publisher That Defined Licensed Gaming
Founded in Manchester in 1983 by David Ward and Jon Woods, Ocean Software became one of Britain's most prolific and recognisable game publishers over the following fifteen years. The company built its reputation on high-quality licensed adaptations of blockbuster films and television programmes — RoboCop (1988), Batman (1989), The Untouchables (1989), and dozens more — as well as a portfolio of original titles that included Sensible Soccer and Cannon Fodder.
Ocean's cover art — most memorably the painted movie poster style overseen by artist Bob Wakelin — became iconic in its own right. The company was acquired by Infogrames in 1996 and the Ocean brand was retired in 1998, but its catalogue remains beloved by retro gaming enthusiasts worldwide.