The Darling Brothers
Codemasters founders
David and Richard Darling founded Codemasters at ages 16 and 18, building a games empire from their parents' home that pioneered budget gaming and produced the Dizzy series.
Overview
David Darling (born 1966) and Richard Darling (born 1968) are British entrepreneurs who founded Codemasters in 1986 from their parents’ home in Southam, Warwickshire. Starting as teenage programmers, they built one of the UK’s most successful independent games companies, pioneering the budget games market and creating franchises like Dizzy.
Fast Facts
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Company founded | 1986 |
| Ages at founding | David 20, Richard 18 |
| Location | Southam, Warwickshire |
| First hit | Super Robin Hood (1986) |
| Legacy | Codemasters sold to EA (2021) |
Early Entrepreneurship
Before Codemasters:
| Year | Venture |
|---|---|
| 1982 | Sold first game at age 16/14 |
| 1984 | Galactic Games Ltd |
| 1985 | Licensed games to Mastertronic |
| 1986 | Founded Codemasters |
The Budget Revolution
The Darlings identified that £1.99 games could be profitable:
| Traditional | Darling Approach |
|---|---|
| £9.99 full price | £1.99 budget |
| Long development | Rapid production |
| Limited audience | Mass market |
| Retail margins | High volume |
Key Achievements
| Innovation | Impact |
|---|---|
| Budget pricing | Expanded market dramatically |
| Game Genie | Cheat device, legal battles with Nintendo |
| Dizzy series | Beloved puzzle-platformer mascot |
| Racing focus | TOCA, Colin McRae, F1 franchises |
The Dizzy Phenomenon
| Game | Year | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Dizzy | 1987 | Original egg hero |
| Treasure Island Dizzy | 1988 | Expanded adventure |
| Fantasy World Dizzy | 1989 | Best-selling 8-bit game |
| Series total | 1987-1992 | 12+ games |
Business Evolution
| Era | Focus |
|---|---|
| 1986-1992 | Budget 8-bit games |
| 1993-1998 | Console transition |
| 1998-2010 | Racing specialisation |
| 2010-2021 | F1 license, indie publishing |
Post-Codemasters
After stepping back from Codemasters, both brothers invested in gaming startups. David founded Kwalee, a mobile games publisher, in 2011.
Legacy
The Darlings proved games could be big business while remaining family-run and British. Their budget model made gaming accessible to millions who couldn’t afford full-price titles.