Appaloosa Interactive Corporation

Appaloosa Interactive Corporation was a Hungarian game development studio founded by András Császár and Stephen J. Friedman. It was established in 1983 as Novotrade Software Kft. by 4 banks and 93 enterprises as a way to get hold of foreign currency, of which the supply was always low in the eastern bloc. Initially the company imported and sold computer hardware and software, and later began licensing software and games from European companies, mostly for the Commodore 64. The company also made computer programs and TV commercials. An office in California (USA) was also opened in 1983, possibly with the name Novotrade International LLC. When Hungary became a republic in October 1989 after shaking off the communist regime, the operations in Hungary and the USA were joined with the establishment of Novotrade International, Inc. In addition the name was changed to Appaloosa Interactive Corporation on 4th November 1996.

In the nineties the company was especially known for creating games for SEGA consoles, most notably in the Ecco the Dolphin series.

The company was closed in 2006. Many Hungarian developers who got their start at Novotrade later went on to work at Mithis Games.