Kevin Toms
Encyclopedia
Kevin Toms, born in 1957 in Paignton
, England
, is a computer game designer who founded Addictive Games
and is famous for creating the original Football Manager
, a simulation game released in the early 1980s that included a portrait of his bearded face on publicity material and cassette covers.
Toms worked as a professional computer programmer for large companies in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He developed games in his spare time, taking over a year to create the original versions of his Football Manager game for the TRS-80
and ZX81. Toms began selling these versions by mail order in 1982 through advertisements placed in computer magazines using the name Addictive Games. The game became a big success, particularly after being ported to the ZX Spectrum
, and began to be stocked by high street stores. When the stores ordered thousands of copies, Toms quit his day job to run Addictive Games. Football Manager was ported to a wide variety of systems (there were sixteen different versions by 1987). Between 1982 and 1987, Toms ran the company which published a number of games by other publishers as well as new games from Toms, Software Star
and President. Toms then sold Addictive to Prism Leisure Corporation
, although he still created two more versions of Football Manager for them; Football Manager 2 and Football Manager World Cup Edition.
Toms returned to corporate work and moved to New Zealand
where he is currently a software architect
for large companies.
Circa 2003, Toms created an online football management game called New Zealand Football Championship Manager based on New Zealand's national league
and is currently working on a new football manager style game for the iPhone
.
Paignton
Paignton is a coastal town in Devon in England. Together with Torquay and Brixham it forms the unitary authority of Torbay which was created in 1998. The Torbay area is a holiday destination known as the English Riviera. Paignton's population in the United Kingdom Census of 2001 was 48,251. It has...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, is a computer game designer who founded Addictive Games
Addictive Games
Addictive Games was a UK video game publisher in the 1980s and early 1990s. It is best known for the Football Manager series of games created by company founder Kevin Toms...
and is famous for creating the original Football Manager
Football Manager series (original)
Football Manager is a video game series published and developed by Addictive Games, the label set up by the game's creator Kevin Toms. The first game was released in 1982...
, a simulation game released in the early 1980s that included a portrait of his bearded face on publicity material and cassette covers.
Toms worked as a professional computer programmer for large companies in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He developed games in his spare time, taking over a year to create the original versions of his Football Manager game for the TRS-80
TRS-80
TRS-80 was Tandy Corporation's desktop microcomputer model line, sold through Tandy's Radio Shack stores in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The first units, ordered unseen, were delivered in November 1977, and rolled out to the stores the third week of December. The line won popularity with...
and ZX81. Toms began selling these versions by mail order in 1982 through advertisements placed in computer magazines using the name Addictive Games. The game became a big success, particularly after being ported to the ZX Spectrum
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
, and began to be stocked by high street stores. When the stores ordered thousands of copies, Toms quit his day job to run Addictive Games. Football Manager was ported to a wide variety of systems (there were sixteen different versions by 1987). Between 1982 and 1987, Toms ran the company which published a number of games by other publishers as well as new games from Toms, Software Star
Software Star
Software Star is a 1985 game released by Kevin Toms for the Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum.- Gameplay :Essentially a text-based management game. The player's task is to manage a software house, create new games, manage his publicity and make a profit of £10000...
and President. Toms then sold Addictive to Prism Leisure Corporation
Prism Leisure Corporation
Prism Leisure Corporation was a distribution and publishing company which primarily focused on reissues and compilations, often at low prices. The company was located in Enfield, Middlesex, United Kingdom, and founded in the 1980s....
, although he still created two more versions of Football Manager for them; Football Manager 2 and Football Manager World Cup Edition.
Toms returned to corporate work and moved to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
where he is currently a software architect
Software architect
Software architect is a general term with many accepted definitions, which refers to a broad range of roles. Generally accepted terminology and certifications began appearing in connection with this role near the beginning of the 21st century.-History:...
for large companies.
Circa 2003, Toms created an online football management game called New Zealand Football Championship Manager based on New Zealand's national league
New Zealand Football Championship
The New Zealand Football Championship is the national association football league in New Zealand. It is a professional/semi-professional status Association football sports Franchise league that is operated by New Zealand Football...
and is currently working on a new football manager style game for the iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
.
Softography
- Football Manager (1982)
- Software StarSoftware StarSoftware Star is a 1985 game released by Kevin Toms for the Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum.- Gameplay :Essentially a text-based management game. The player's task is to manage a software house, create new games, manage his publicity and make a profit of £10000...
(1985) - President (1987)
- Football Manager 2 (1988)
- Football Manager: World Cup Edition (1990)
- New Zealand Football Championship Manager (2003)