Malfador Machinations

In 1993, Aaron Hall created Space Empires, a prototype space strategy game inspired by Star Fleet Battles, Master of Orion, Starfire, and Wing Commander. He decided that the prototype could be worth selling to the public if it were expanded upon, which led to the release of Space Empires II, and the establishment of Malfador Machinations in 1995.

Development began on the next game, Space Empires III, with Aaron's long-time friend Russell Saito joining the company in 1996 as designer and artist. The game was released as shareware in 1997 and allowed players to customize their experience by editing graphics as well as data files to add or change technologies, ships, and planets.

Following the success of SE III, work started on the sequel, Space Empires IV. The game was planned to have improved graphics as well as a redesigned interface, so new artists were brought on to the development team. Shrapnel Games, Inc. acquired the rights to publish SE IV in July 2000, and the game was released commercially in November of that year.

Aaron Hall's Dungeon Odyssey, the company's first attempt at delivering a fantasy role-playing game, was released on 16 September 2002. This was followed up by Space Empires: Starfury, a free-roaming real-time 3D space combat game where the player controls only a single ship rather than an entire empire.

In April 2006, Strategy First, Inc. acquired all intellectual property of Malfador Machinations before the release of Space Empires V in October that year. The game featured 3D graphics, hexagon grid system sectors, and an overhauled user interface.

The company teamed up with Shrapnel Games, Inc. again for the November 2010 release of World Supremacy, a "beer and pretzels" turn-based strategy wargame set in contemporary times. Three years later, Space Captain, a top-down action role-playing game similar to Space Empires: Starfury was released for Android devices.