Mindscape was originally formed in October 1983 in Illinois by Roger Buoy. Through a number of acquisitions and popular games, the company quickly became a powerhouse in the game industry. In 1990, it was acquired by The Software Toolworks, who wanted to utilize the company's relationship with Nintendo and used it as a label for publishing games for Nintendo consoles. In 1994, Toolworks was acquired by Pearson, adopting the Mindscape name in the process. In 1998, it was acquired again by The Learning Company, which would later be acquired by Mattel, who occasionally used the Mindscape name for some games, before being purchased by Jean-Pierre Nordman and being relocated to France. Following the poor performance of its products, Mindscape exited the video game industry in August 2011. However, its Australian and Dutch divisions were unaffected by the shutdown, and remain in operation independent of its former parent.