 In 1986 , Cockayne decided to alter products for release on 16 @-@ bit consoles , since smaller 8 @-@ bit consoles , such as the ZX Spectrum , lacked the processing power for larger strategy games . The decision was falsely interpreted by video game journalist Phillipa Irving as " pulling out " from the Spectrum market . Following years of successful sales throughout the mid @-@ 1980s , Personal Software Services experienced financial difficulties , and Cockayne admitted in a retrospective interview that " he took his eye off the ball " . The company was acquired by Mirrorsoft in February 1987 , and was later dispossessed due to debt . 
