The first version of Ventura Publisher was released in 1986, and distributed worldwide exclusively by Xerox until Ventura Software sold the source code to the former company in 1990. The original Ventura Software ceased operations in February 1990, and a new Ventura Software Inc. was formed at that time, an affiliated company of Xerox. The developers from the original company worked with the new Xerox Ventura Software company to produce Version 3.0 Gold.