Galactic Empire (1979)
Galactic Empire | |
| Title | Galactic Empire |
| Release date(s) | 1979 |
| Original Platform(s) | TRS-80 |
| Developer(s) | Douglas G. Carlston |
| Category(s) | Entertainment, Strategy |
Overview
Galactic Empire was one of the earliest commercial strategy games available for home computers and led to the beginning of Brøderbund Software, a company that would become an important publisher of the early home computing era. Designed and programmed by Doug Carlston in 1979, Galactic Empire is a turn-based science fiction conquest game that places the player in control of an interstellar fleet seeking to unify the galaxy under one rule— yours.
Gameplay
The player begins with a single planet and a fleet of starships, with the objective of expanding their control across the galaxy's hundreds of worlds. Each planet varies in population, resources, and loyalty, and must be managed after conquest to ensure continued dominance. Strategy is key: players must balance military might with careful planning and diplomacy to maintain control over far-flung worlds. The game features detailed economic and military modeling, which was remarkably sophisticated for its time.
Development History
Doug Carlston was practicing law in Maine when he began writing Galactic Empire in 1979 for the TRS-80 Model I. Inspired by science fiction and computer strategy simulations, he programmed the game entirely in BASIC and initially sold it on a non-exclusive basis to Adventure International, Cybernautics, and The Software Exchange.
After the game gained modest success, Doug Carlston— along with his brother Gary Carlston— founded Brøderbund Software in 1980 to publish and distribute Galactic Empire and its sequel, Galactic Trader. This venture marked the start of Brøderbund's rise as a leading software company through the 1980s and 1990s.
Legacy
Galactic Empire is notable for its innovative gameplay and its role in launching Brøderbund Software. It introduced gamers to complex strategic thinking and helped establish science fiction as a viable genre in early home computing.
While it lacked the graphical sophistication of later games, its depth and ambition have earned it recognition as a defining early strategy title for microcomputers.
Releases
- Galactic Empire (Atari 8-Bit, Cassette) Adventure International - 1981 USA, Canada Release
- Galactic Empire (TRS-80, Cassette) Adventure International - 1979 USA, Canada Release
- Galactic Saga I: Galactic Empire (Apple II, 5 1/4" Disk) Broderbund Software - 1979 USA, Canada Release
