By the early 1980s, SSI was well-known as the premiere publisher of computer wargames, with titles such as Computer Ambush, a squad-level combat game set in France during WWII, and The Battle of Shiloh, covering the Civil War battle. They also had branched out to science fiction games such as The Cosmic Balance and Cytron Masters (an early RTS), along with strategic sports simulations such as Computer Baseball and Computer Quarterback.
A push into computer role-playing games in the mid-'80s, especially the Strategy RPG Wizard's Crown, led to them getting the license to make official Dungeons & Dragons games. The Gold Box games that resulted made SSI known as much for role-playing as wargames.
They never stopped making wargames, however, and 1994's Panzer General was the first in a popular series known as "Five Star General". Meanwhile, the expiration of the AD&D license led them to start their own fantasy RPG series, Thunderscape, but it didn't get very far.
SSI was purchased by Mindscape in 1994, and through various transactions ended up owned by Ubisoft, which eventually retired the brand name. The last game published under the SSI brand was Silent Hunter II in 2001.
Several of their games are available on GOG.com and Steam, particularly the AD&D licensed games, Thunderscape, and some items in the Five Star General series.
Games with their own pages include:
- AD&D licensed games:
- Five Star General games:
- CyClones
- Dark Colony
- No Greater Glory
- Renegade: Battle for Jacob's Star, based on Renegade Legion
- Roadwar 2000
- Silent Hunter Series (original and II)
- Steel Panthers
- Thunderscape
- Wizard's Crown
- War Wind
