Editing Muse Software

{{short description|Former American video game developer}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2017}}
{{More citations needed|date=October 2017}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Micro Users Software Exchange, Inc.
| logo = 
| trade_name = Muse Software
| type = [[Privately held company|Private]]
| industry = [[Video game industry|Video games]]
| fate = [[Chapter 7, Title 11, United States Code|Chapter 7 bankruptcy]]
| founded = {{Start date and age|1978|08|01}}
| founder = Ed Zaron
| defunct = {{End date|1987|10|07}}
| hq_location_city = [[Baltimore]], [[Maryland]]
| hq_location_country = [[United States|U.S.]]
| area_served = North America
| key_people = {{Unbulleted list|Ed Zaron|Silas S. Warner|John F. Kutcher}}
| products = {{Unbulleted list|''[[Castle Wolfenstein]]''|''[[Beyond Castle Wolfenstein]]''}}
}}

'''Micro Users Software Exchange, Inc.''', [[doing business as]] '''Muse Software''', was an American [[video game developer]] based in [[Baltimore]], [[Maryland]], focusing on the development of games for the first generation of [[home computer]]s. The company began with developing games for [[Apple II]], and later expanded to the [[Commodore 64]], [[Atari 8-bit computers]], and [[IBM PC compatible]]s. They are best known for creating the ''[[Wolfenstein]]'' series, having developed the first two installments: 1981's ''[[Castle Wolfenstein]]'' and its 1984 sequel, ''[[Beyond Castle Wolfenstein]]''. The brand name lapsed and was used by [[id Software]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://kotaku.com/5817303/in-memory-of-the-original-castle-wolfenstein-the-one-that-wasnt-in-3d |title=In Memory of the Original ''Castle Wolfenstein'' (the one That Wasn't In 3D) |first=Luke |last=Plunkett |date=July 1, 2011 |website=[[Kotaku]] |accessdate=October 27, 2017}}</ref>

== History ==
Muse Software was incorporated by Ed Zaron on August 1, 1978,<ref name ="Maryland Business Express">{{cite web |url=https://egov.maryland.gov/BusinessExpress/EntitySearch/BusinessInformation/D00917153 |title=MICRO USERS SOFTWARE EXCHANGE, INC.: D00917153 |website=[[Maryland Business Express]] |accessdate=October 8, 2017}}</ref> with Silas S. Warner becoming the first employee. Initially publishing games, the team also sold non-game software such as ''[[Super-Text]]'', a [[word processor]] written by Zaron, and ''[[Appilot]]'', a course-writing language written by Warner. Their original market was for the [[Apple II]], with their first programs sold on [[Compact audio cassette#Data recording|cassettes]], and later on [[floppy disk]]s. They expanded their software offerings for the [[Atari 8-bit computers]] and [[Commodore 64]], plus ported both ''Castle Wolfenstein'' games to the [[IBM Personal Computer|IBM PC]]. The company also ran a retail store on the corner of Charles Street and Mulberry Street in Baltimore, called "Muse Software and Computer Center," which was closed down in 1982.{{cn|date=June 2022}}

At its peak, Muse was making more than {{US$|2&nbsp;million|link=yes}} per year in sales. According to Zaron, the growth of Muse's sales was "extremely slow" because of a slump in the home computer software market. The company, which had about 40 employees at its peak in 1983, had shrunk down to just six prior to filing for [[Chapter 7, Title 11, United States Code|Chapter 7 bankruptcy]] protection in 1985. Warner, who was leaving Muse to join [[MicroProse]], said the company had difficulty setting up a sales program because of the long-term illness of a key sales employee.{{cn|date=June 2022}} Muse Software was found to be in forfeiture on October 7, 1987.<ref name="Maryland Business Express" />

In 1992, [[id Software]] released ''[[Wolfenstein 3D]]'', based on Muse Software's ''[[Wolfenstein]]'' [[intellectual property]]. It brought the ''Wolfenstein'' brand to a much larger audience.{{cn|date=June 2022}}

== Games developed ==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year
! Title
! Platform
|-
| rowspan="4" | {{Dts|1978}}
| ''[[Maze Game]]''
| rowspan="10" | [[Apple II]]
|-
| ''[[Escape! (video game)|Escape!]]''
|-
| ''[[Side Show (video game)|Side Show]]''
|-
| ''[[Tank War]]''
|-
| rowspan="2" | {{Dts|1979}}
| ''[[Global War (video game)|Global War]]''
|-
| ''[[Three Mile Island (video game)|Three Mile Island]]''
|-
| rowspan="2" | {{Dts|1980}}
| ''[[ABM (video game)|ABM]]''
|-
| ''[[Three Mile Island (video game)|Three Mile Island: Special Edition]]'' <ref>{{cite web|title=Three Mile Island Manual|url=https://archive.org/stream/ThreeMileIslandAppleIIManual/3_Mile_Island_Manual#page/n1/mode/2up|website=archive.org|year=1980}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="3" | {{Dts|1981}}
| ''[[International Gran Prix]]''
|-
| ''[[RobotWar]]''
|-
| ''[[Castle Wolfenstein]]''
| [[Apple II]], [[Atari 8-bit]], [[Commodore 64]], [[MS-DOS]]
|-
| rowspan="4" | {{Dts|1982}}
| ''[[The Caverns of Freitag]]''
| rowspan="6" | [[Apple II]]
|-
| ''[[The Cube Solution]]''
|-
| ''[[Firebug (video game)|Firebug]]''
|-
| ''[[Frazzle (video game)|Frazzle]]''
|-
| rowspan="3" |{{Dts|1983}}
| ''[[Advanced Blackjack]]''
|-
| ''[[Titan Empire]]''
|-
| ''[[Rescue Squad (video game)|Rescue Squad]]''
| [[Commodore 64]]
|-
| rowspan="3" | {{Dts|1984}}
| ''[[Beyond Castle Wolfenstein]]''
| [[Apple II]], [[Atari 8-bit]], [[Commodore 64]], [[MS-DOS]]
|-
| ''[[Intellectual Decathlon]]''
| [[Apple II]]
|-
| ''[[Space Taxi]]''
| [[Commodore 64]]
|-
| {{Dts|1985}}
| ''[[Leaps and Bounds!]]''
| [[Atari 8-bit]], [[Commodore 64]]
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Muse Software}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Companies that have filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy]]
[[Category:Companies that filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 1985]]
[[Category:Defunct companies based in Baltimore]]
[[Category:Defunct video game companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Video game companies based in Maryland]]
[[Category:Video game companies disestablished in 1987]]
[[Category:Video game companies established in 1978]]
[[Category:Video game development companies]]