Paragon Software

The company initially started life as Customized Software Systems. The company was initially founded on December 12, 1985 in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, by Mark E. Seremet and Antony Davies, and specialized on computer software programming.

In 1986, F.J. Lennon joined the company and turned their attention from business software to making video games. Davies later quit to pursue his PhD. The company later changed its name from Customized Software Systems to Microsphere Corporation, and eventually settling on Paragon Software in 1987, as the company developed its first video game, Master Ninja: Shadow Warrior of Death.

In early 1988, the company signed a distribution deal with Electronic Arts, in order that Electronic Arts became a distributor for Paragon's titles, but it did not last long.

In mid 1988, the company signed exclusive licensing deals with Game Designers' Workshop and Marvel Comics to develop video games. Also in late 1988, the company signed a distribution deal with Medalist Software Group, a division of MicroProse, to distribute their computer game titles.

On July 27, 1992, MicroProse announced that it had acquired Paragon Software, and that the company would be merged into MicroProse as a result of it, and the development team became MicroProse Greensburg. The company had 19 employees at the time.

The studio's final game under the Paragon label, XF5700 Mantis Experimental Fighter, was released under the MicroProse branding on September 2, 1992. The company continued producing games for MicroProse, including BloodNet and Challenge of the Five Realms: Spellbound in the World of Nhagardia.

Many executives later bought back their assets from MicroProse in light of the company's financial troubles, and later reformed it into Take-Two Interactive Software in 1993, and the Greensburg team became Take-Two's development studio. Subsequently, MicroProse would sell the Amiga and Macintosh rights to BloodNet and Master of Orion, among other games to Take-Two Interactive in 1994.