Black Pearl Software

An American video game publisher and developer active in the early 1990s, later acquired by and integrated into THQ.

Sports

Action

Simulation

Strategy

Tactics

Founded

1992

Acquired

1993

HQ

Chicago, United States

Parent

THQ

Known for

Sports / Simulation

42

Games

1991–1998

Years

8

Platforms

$49.75

Ø CIB

+24.2%

24M change

About

Black Pearl Software was founded in the early 1990s and ported several high-profile titles to Sega and Nintendo consoles, including SimCity and PGA Tour Golf. The company was acquired by THQ in 1993. Following the acquisition, the Black Pearl brand was used by THQ for various game releases before being phased out.

Operating primarily as a publisher and developer of console conversions, the studio specialized in adapting complex personal computer games for home entertainment systems. Among its earliest projects was the 1991 adaptation of SimCity for the Sega CD, which introduced console players to the city-building simulation with CD-quality audio and new scenarios. The company also collaborated with Electronic Arts to bring PGA Tour Golf to the Sega Genesis and Master System in 1992, translating the detailed physics and mechanics of the PC original into an accessible console format.

During the same period, the company worked closely with LucasArts to handle the 8-bit console versions of Star Wars. Released in 1992 for the Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Master System, and Game Gear, this side-scrolling action game became one of the platform's prominent licensed titles, later receiving a "Player's Choice" reissue. These releases established the studio's reputation for technical proficiency in downsizing resource-intensive computer and arcade experiences onto limited console hardware.