Firaxis Software

News by Al Giovetti
Date: 10/11/96
Website: www.firaxis.com, info@firaxis.com

When I called Jeff Briggs home number to ask him a question about an upcoming game, I was given the phone number to his beach bungalow where he was vacationing with friends. Jeff shared with me the following gossip.

The three movers and shakers, Sid Meier (F-15 Strike Eagle, Pirates!, Silent Service, Railroad Tycoon, Civilization, and Colonization), Jeff Briggs (Colonization and other Meier products Producer), and Brian Reynolds (Designer of Colonization and Civilization II) had left Microprose and were forming their own company called Firaxis, which was the name of a musical piece that Jeff composed several years back. The name is a combination of Fire and Axis, which according to Jeff, has no meaning but "sounds cool." (Jeff has been telling this story all over the wires so expect to see it in print. -Ed.)

Sid is Chairman of the Board and Director of Creative Development. Jeff Briggs is the new Firaxis President and Chief Executive Officer. Brian Reynolds will also take a pivotal role in the new company.

The new company will continue to work on strategy titles. Whatever they do, they want to make it fun and complex enough to have interesting choices. Apparently what they are working on now is secret or they are just enjoying owning their own business and getting out from under the corporate structure.

The company will be headquartered in Hunt Valley, MD.

References:
Steve Bauman, Firaxis rising, Computer Games Strategy Plus, issue 70, September, 1996, pg. 12
www.firaxis.com/press.html