Ubisoft Düsseldorf

Ubisoft Düsseldorf, originally Blue Byte Software, is a game developer based in Düsseldorf, Germany. The company was founded in October 1988 in Mülheim by Thomas Hertzler and Lothar Schmitt, both former employees of Rainbow Arts. Blue Byte debuted with Pro Tennis Tour / Great Courts, before moving towards the Battle Isle and The Settlers strategy games for which they were most famed. Their original focus was the Amiga until 1994, when they switched their focus towards the PC.

Blue Byte opened several divisions for publishing, distribution and additional development:

• Blue Byte Software, Inc. - United States
• Blue Byte Software Ltd. - United Kingdom

The company's fortunes wavered in the late 1990s, and they were absorbed by Ubi Soft in 2001. The distribution offices were no longer mentioned.

Blue Byte would continue to work on The Settlers series, but occasionally assist with other Ubisoft titles, mainly strategies. After Related Designs was acquired by Ubisoft in 2013, they were renamed to Blue Byte Mainz and the two studios would collaborate closely. A third studio, Ubisoft Berlin, joined the Blue Byte label in 2018. To differentiate itself from them, the Düsseldorf studio was officially renamed to Ubisoft Düsseldorf in August of the same year. The Blue Byte name, while no longer belonging to a single development studio, would still occasionally be used in credits or to refer to the three studios as a whole.