Founded by Elliot Grassiano in 1985, Microids became a prominent French publisher and developer, particularly known for adventure games like Amerzone and the Syberia series. Over the years, the company published and distributed various titles across multiple genres, including racing, action, and simulation games. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, they expanded their catalog through international publishing partnerships.
During its early years, the company established its development and publishing pipeline with releases like the 1988 futuristic racing game
Iron Tracker. As the company grew, its portfolio diversified into various genres, encompassing sports, action, and simulation titles. In the late 1990s, the publisher distributed the fighting game
The Last Blade (1997) and released the winter sports title
Extreme Snow Break (1998).
The company's output during this era also featured narrative-driven and adventure experiences, such as the techno-thriller
Last Report (1998) and the atmospheric adventure
Amerzone The Explorer's Legacy (1999). Expanding further into arcade-style and action games, they published the racing game
Halloween Racer (1999), the strategy-action title
Invasion (1999), and the tactical action game
The Mission (2000). These releases solidified the publisher's presence in the global PC and console markets, establishing a diverse software library that spanned multiple platforms before the company underwent subsequent corporate restructuring and acquisitions in the 2000s.