The company, originally a computer store called Just Micro, was established as a software house in 1984 with the name Gremlin Graphics Software Ltd by Ian Stewart and Kevin Norburn[2] with US Gold's Geoff Brown owning 75% of the company[3]: 65  until mid-1989.

[4] Gremlin's early success was based on games such as Wanted: Monty Mole for the ZX Spectrum and Thing on a Spring for the Commodore 64.

[citation needed] In 1994, it was renamed as Gremlin Interactive, now concentrating on the 16-bit, PC and console market.

During this time, they used a motif from the Siegfried Funeral March from Götterdämmerung as introductory music.

[10] Following the administration of Zoo Digital (later renamed Zushi Games), Gremlin Interactive's catalogue and name were bought up by Ian Stewart's new company Urbanscan.