FIREBIRD
Firebird was the main label of Telecomsoft, the software arm of UK phone company, British Telecom. Elite was their biggest hit although their versions of the Acornsoft original didn't start appearing until mid 1985. Elite was published under the "Gold Edition" branding, a premium product line which was soon superseded by Telecomsoft's other premium label, Rainbird.
Other Firebird sub-labels included "Hot" (full-price), "Super Silver" (mid-price), and the "Silver" budget range which started off at £2.50 but was soon rebranded to "Silver 199" to compete with the £1.99 price of other budget publishers like Mastertronic.
The budget range was relaunched as Silverbird in 1988, but lasted less than a year before being sold off by MicroProse when they bought Telecomsoft in early 1989. MicroProse continued to use the Firebird and Rainbird labels for several years.
The most notable hit from the MicroProse Firebird era was Rick Dangerous, developed by a group of former Gremlin employees called "Core Design" who would go on to create Tomb Raider.
Total Associated Releases: 77
| Months in Top 10 | Months at No 1 | |
|---|---|---|
 Elite FIREBIRD / GOLD / ACORNSOFT / SUPERIOR SOFTWARE September 1984 to October 1989 11111111 Months in Top 10: 13 Months at No 1: 2 |
13 | 2 |
 Thrust FIREBIRD / SILVER 199 / SUPERIOR SOFTWARE April 1986 to June 1987 1211191 Months in Top 10: 10 Months at No 1: 4 |
10 | 4 |
 Ninja Master FIREBIRD / SILVER 199 May 1986 to January 1988 1233101 Months in Top 10: 8 Months at No 1: 1 |
8 | 1 |
 Olli and Lissa FIREBIRD / SILVER 199 August 1986 to January 1988 211520 Months in Top 10: 7 Months at No 1: 0 |
7 | 0 |
| 7 | 1 | |
 The Happiest Days of Your Life FIREBIRD / SILVER 199 September 1986 to January 1987 41319 Months in Top 10: 4 Months at No 1: 0 |
4 | 0 |
 Back to the Future FIREBIRD / SILVER 199 August 1987 to April 1988 629 Months in Top 10: 2 Months at No 1: 0 |
2 | 0 |
 Bubble Bobble FIREBIRD / TAITO September 1987 to November 1992 7145 Months in Top 10: 1 Months at No 1: 0 |
1 | 0 |
 |
3 | 1 |
 |
0 | 0 |
| 2 | 0 | |
 Arcade Classics FIREBIRD / SILVER 199 September 1987 to January 1988 31 Months in Top 10: 1 Months at No 1: 0 |
1 | 0 |
 Rick Dangerous (MICROPROSE) FIREBIRD August 1989 to January 1991 511320 Months in Top 10: 1 Months at No 1: 0 |
1 | 0 |
 Bombscare FIREBIRD / SILVER 199 September 1986 to January 1987 7143 Months in Top 10: 3 Months at No 1: 0 |
3 | 0 |
 |
1 | 0 |
 |
4 | 0 |
 Starstrike II FIREBIRD / GOLD / REALTIME GAMES April to October 1986 1327 Months in Top 10: 0 Months at No 1: 0 |
0 | 0 |
| 0 | 0 | |
 |
0 | 0 |
 |
0 | 0 |
 |
1 | 0 |
 Harvey Headbanger FIREBIRD / SILVER 199 June to November 1986 19172 Months in Top 10: 0 Months at No 1: 0 |
0 | 0 |
 |
0 | 0 |
 |
1 | 0 |
| 1 | 0 | |
 |
1 | 0 |
| 1 | 0 | |
| 1 | 0 | |
 Micro Rhythm Plus FIREBIRD / SILVER 199 October to November 1987 172 Months in Top 10: 0 Months at No 1: 0 |
0 | 0 |
 |
0 | 0 |
 |
0 | 0 |
 |
0 | 0 |
 |
0 | 0 |
 |
0 | 0 |
 |
0 | 0 |
 |
0 | 0 |
 |
0 | 0 |
 |
0 | 0 |
 |
0 | 0 |
 |
0 | 0 |
 |
0 | 0 |
 |
0 | 0 |
 |
0 | 0 |
 Spiky Harold FIREBIRD / SILVER 199 October 1986 to February 1987 162 Months in Top 10: 0 Months at No 1: 0 |
0 | 0 |
 Torpedo Alley FIREBIRD / SILVER 199 September 1986 to January 1987 3 Months in Top 10: 0 Months at No 1: 0 |
0 | 0 |
 |
0 | 0 |
| 0 | 0 | |
 |
0 | 0 |
| 0 | 0 | |
 |
0 | 0 |
 |
0 | 0 |
 |
0 | 0 |
 |
0 | 0 |
 |
0 | 0 |
 |
0 | 0 |
 |
0 | 0 |
 |
0 | 0 |
 Willow Pattern FIREBIRD / SUPER SILVER November to December 1985 10 Months in Top 10: 0 Months at No 1: 0 |
0 | 0 |
 |
0 | 0 |
 |
0 | 0 |
 |
0 | 0 |
 |
0 | 0 |
 |
0 | 0 |
 |
0 | 0 |
 |
0 | 0 |
 |
0 | 0 |
| 0 | 0 | |
 |
0 | 0 |
 |
0 | 0 |
 |
0 | 0 |
| 0 | 0 | |
 |
0 | 0 |
 |
0 | 0 |
 |
0 | 0 |
 On Field Football FIREBIRD / SILVER 199 October to November 1987 15 Months in Top 10: 0 Months at No 1: 0 |
0 | 0 |
 |
0 | 0 |
 |
0 | 0 |
