

One of those developers was Andreas Tadic (a nineteen-year-old hobbyist programmer from Olofström, Sweden), who at the time was developing HalfBright, a shoot 'em up for Amiga systems. Robinson had created 17-Bit Software as part of Microbyte in 1987 specifically to seek young, independent video game developers whose games he could publish through this label and distribute through his Microbyte stores. In 1990, Wakefield-based entrepreneur Michael Robinson was the manager of Microbyte, a United Kingdom-wide computer retail chain, and 17-Bit Software, a video game publisher. History Early history (1990–1995) ĭebbie Bestwick (pictured in 2018) co-founded in the company in 1990 and leads it as CEO. As of 2019, Team17 employs 200 people in its two offices. In May 2018, the company published their initial public offering and became a public company listed on the Alternative Investment Market, valued around £230 million. Following a large investment from Lloyds Development Capital in September 2016, Team17 sought corporate expansion through various actions, including the acquisition of Mouldy Toof Studios, the developer behind Team17-published The Escapists (2015), and the hiring of multiple new key staff.

The first game to release of this venture was Light (2013). In 2013, Team17 initiated a publishing venture focusing on indie games, which since occupies its own office in Nottingham. Through a management buyout performed by Bestwick, both Robinson and Brown departed from Team17 in 2010, leaving Bestwick as the sole manager. After their first game, Full Contact (1991) for the Amiga, the studio followed up with multiple number-one releases on that platform and saw major success with Andy Davidson's Worms in 1995, the resulting franchise of which still remains as the company's primary development output, having developed over 20 entries in it.

Bestwick later became and presently serves as Team17's chief executive officer. At the time, the two companies consisted of and were led by Michael Robinson, Martyn Brown and Debbie Bestwick, and Andreas Tadic, Rico Holmes and Peter Tuleby, respectively. The venture was created in December 1990 through the merger of British publisher 17-Bit Software and Swedish developer Team 7. Team17 Group plc is a British video game developer and publisher based in Wakefield, England.
