445:. His success in this field eventually earned him a reputation as one of the best AI developers in the industry. Johnson's ideas, however, were not all well received. One infamous mechanic involved domesticated animals, such as horses, being limited to certain in-game continents - just like in real history. Rather than leaving these poorly received mechanics untouched however, Johnson headed one of the earliest examples of post release support in gaming, using the feedback from the gaming community to further update the game post release. Johnson further highlighted his community support by making the game modder friendly; designing the AI to adapt and continue to function with changes to game design, even during community modding post game release. Johnson provided updates and patches to
467:, once again writing all of the AI. For Civ IV Johnson brought in Civilization fans and members of the gaming community to test the game ahead of release, which proved highly effective in making the game stable and balanced before release. This set the precedent for his future development process, and continues to be part of the formula for developing his games. Johnson also had a considerable role in the development of the main theme music:
329:, which his parents bought for the family, when he was 7 years old . He grew up on mid 80's games, and electronic card games of the period, playing a wide variety of game genres, ranging from board games to strategy to shooter games and racing. Eventually he developed a particular interest in games that involved history and war. In particular he loved games made by renowned strategy game developer
25:
377:
While in college, one of
Johnson's friends, Ratha Harntha, won a bet he made with Johnson. The bet required Johnson to shave his head to give himself a mohawk. Johnson cites this as proving that while he might lose some challenges, he will honor his word. It ended up being the inspiration for the
400:
development externally and jumped at the chance to join his idol Sid Meier. At the time he joined, much of the previous development team were abandoning Civ III, which was still early in its development. He considered the exodus an opportunity to help Meier and save the franchise from collapse.
321:
to
Kenneth and Ruth Johnson. He grew up in Centralia, Washington with his one sibling, Bjorn Johnson, and his cousins Kjell, Erik, and Sonja. At age 13, Johnson was offered the opportunity to go to college early, but his parents thought that he would benefit more from being around friends. In
501:. The game simulated 5 phases of evolution, starting the player as single cell and ending as an intergalactic civilization. Johnson was hired to help with the 4th stage: "Civilization" which saw your the player's procedural generated organism begin a primitive civilization on its home world.
567:
is a unique game in the genre, as it is an economy-based RTS. Christopher Tin has again contributed musical pieces to the game, including the theme 'Red Planet
Nocturne'. Once again Johnson and Christopher shared ideas on how to make the music sound "other worldly", with Christopher heavily
475:. Christopher and Johnson, wanted to capture the essence of the view of Earth from outer space in a musical piece, but also giving a deeper feel to the song with an extra layer of lyrical meaning. The result was hailed as a masterpiece, being the first video game game soundtrack to win a
507:
would end up to be a disappointment for
Johnson due to the game's mixed reception from critics and fans. He later attributed its failure to a lack of a clear binding vision across all the teams, and the lack of outside player feedback. At EA, Johnson also worked on the design of
297:, an indie studio in the suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland. They later moved to Alexandria, VA during the 2020 Coronavirus Pandemic. The studio brings together people he has worked with in the past, along with new talent, to create new intellectual properties. Their first game,
560:
using an extended and more detailed version of his signature resource system first seen in his earlier
Civilization titles. This game would be Soren Johnson's first use of Early Access, making changes to the game based on player feedback, even before its full release.
405:
with director Sid Meier and designer Jeff Briggs. By this time only two engineers remained on the team: the intern and audio programmer. Johnson was offered his lowest salary to date, but persevered with an intention to use the experience to launch his career.
479:. Some fans of Civilization IV reportedly ended up leaving the menu screen open just to hear the global beat on repeat. When Johnson was asked if Tin was 'as cool in real life as he is on Reddit' Johnson answered simply, "Yes."
449:
for a year after the initial release, spending plenty of time immersed in the game's community, judging and absorbing feedback. Many of the lessons he and the team learned from this exercise were later applied to
775:
354:
After college, Johnson started an internship with
Electronic Arts, when a friend interning there got him an interview. During his internship at EA Johnson worked on
266:. Johnson's games primarily belong to 4X strategy, with a number of his titles having been critically acclaimed. He is best known for his work as a lead designer on
1199:
431:
created scarcity in economic terms, becoming a catalyst for diplomacy system. Resource and economics systems would continue to be a key feature in his later games.
1189:
1184:
420:
s code base so that a lot of new mechanics could be added, without having to simply keep building on top of the previous game. This was in contrast to the way
341:
Johnson did not play a lot of games in college, choosing to fully embrace the college experience, resulting in him largely missing the experience of playing
1214:
622:
Johnson is married to Leyla
Johnson, who works with him at Mohawk Games in a number of senior roles. They have three children as well as a cat and dog.
53:
33:
1066:
1229:
1219:
1095:
1194:
304:
Johnson is known for being one of the earliest developers who involved the internet gaming community in game design, testing, and discussion.
347:
at that time. Prior to college, Johnson was not aware that computer science consisted of learning programming until he first enrolled at
1224:
822:
374:. Johnson played the cello in the Stanford Orchestra, and at one point traveled to China to perform with his fellow Stanford musicians.
1204:
854:
126:
413:
and rewrote a lot of the code from scratch, even with only 16 months left to complete the work before launch. Johnson simplified
1128:
1043:
107:
827:
1052:
897:
572:
would end up being a commercial success, selling over 600,000 copies, and achieved a broadly positive critical reception.
79:
57:
49:
1209:
749:
86:
38:
1025:
966:
614:. He also runs the game design blog Designer Notes and hosts the game designer interview podcast of the same name.
611:
42:
1111:
1088:
1074:
959:
606:
705:
544:
274:
93:
1104:
1032:
945:
675:
496:
442:
1179:
1059:
720:
597:
409:
Eventually
Johnson became co-lead designer alongside Jeff Briggs. Johnson had a lot of freedom to work on
279:
75:
872:
847:
1174:
579:, Mohawk started work on a new historical based Civilization-inspired strategy game initially called
526:
in March 2011. Johnson left EA in
September 2011 to join the social network game development company
1007:
993:
803:
360:, developing its AI. Johnson returned to school for a semester at Oxford with his college roommate
348:
318:
263:
203:
184:
165:
952:
690:
584:
549:
510:
64:
542:, in the suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland. Their first video game launched April 28, 2016 titled
553:
519:
401:
Johnson joined
Firaxis in April 2000 and, along with Jake Solomon, started mid-development on
192:
818:
920:
883:
840:
776:"Preview: shape nations and annoy kings in Old World, the new 4X from Civ 4's Soren Johnson"
645:
396:
286:
188:
100:
913:
890:
660:
488:
472:
463:
366:
361:
351:, where he started by acquiring a BA in History, and eventually a MS in Computer Science.
343:
268:
259:
1081:
906:
356:
1168:
938:
863:
391:
539:
379:
326:
294:
390:
After finishing his internship at Electronic Arts, Johnson started employment at
1143:
1133:
828:
Interview with Soren Johnson about social gaming at gamesindustry international
1153:
592:
515:
1148:
807:
487:
On April 17, 2007, it was announced that Johnson had left Firaxis to rejoin
468:
371:
330:
322:
hindsight he has stated that he thinks his parents made the right decision.
427:
s code was on top of the original. Johnson's hardcore resource features in
601:
after the switch in publisher, and the game was released on July 1, 2021.
523:
495:) to start mid-development on the genre bending game based on evolution,
1000:
476:
527:
492:
812:
246:
982:
832:
557:
836:
63:
from the article and its talk page, especially if potentially
18:
538:
In 2013, Johnson co-founded his own game development studio,
364:. Tin would eventually be hired to work on Johnson's game
583:. Due to financial complications with their publisher
1121:
1042:
1017:
980:
930:
870:
241:
233:
225:
217:
209:
199:
180:
172:
148:
141:
471:, by working with his old classmate and composer,
461:, Soren Johnson became the sole lead designer of
213:Businessman, game programmer, video game designer
750:"Interview: Soren Johnson - Spore 's Strategist"
530:on an unnamed project that was never published.
258:(born May 23, 1976) is an American businessman,
604:Johnson was a bi-monthly design columnist for
848:
378:name of his current game development studio:
325:His first ever notable gaming platform was a
301:, was released to moderate critical acclaim.
8:
370:, where he composed the Grammy winning song
927:
855:
841:
833:
138:
56:about living persons that is unsourced or
127:Learn how and when to remove this message
629:
741:
1200:Businesspeople from Washington (state)
595:. The title received a name change to
591:), Mohawk Games was offered a deal by
568:synthesizing his music for the game.
7:
1190:American technology company founders
1185:American technology chief executives
610:and is on the advisory board of the
14:
1215:People from Centralia, Washington
815:Soren Johnson's game design blog
441:s development, however, was its
23:
1230:American video game programmers
1220:People from Olympia, Washington
774:Crowley, Nate (14 April 2020).
1:
1195:American video game designers
819:Interview with Soren Johnson
454:, leading to great success.
34:biography of a living person
16:American video game designer
434:Johnson's main role during
61:must be removed immediately
1246:
1225:Stanford University alumni
1053:Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri
967:Civilization: Beyond Earth
612:Game Developers Conference
317:Soren Johnson was born in
1205:Electronic Arts employees
960:Civilization Revolution 2
587:(who originally financed
575:After the development of
293:In 2013, Johnson founded
706:Offworld Trading Company
589:Offworld Trading Company
577:Offworld Trading Company
570:Offworld Trading Company
565:Offworld Trading Company
545:Offworld Trading Company
299:Offworld Trading Company
275:Offworld Trading Company
1026:Sid Meier's Gettysburg!
946:Civilization Revolution
804:Soren Johnson's profile
443:artificial intelligence
394:. Johnson followed the
290:as a co-lead designer.
1112:Marvel's Midnight Suns
1089:Sid Meier's Ace Patrol
1075:Sid Meier's Railroads!
813:www.designer-notes.com
457:Due to his success in
48:Please help by adding
1105:Sid Meier's Starships
1033:Sid Meier's Antietam!
1067:Sid Meier's Pirates!
284:. He also worked on
54:Contentious material
1210:Firaxis Games games
1060:Sid Meier's SimGolf
1008:XCOM: Chimera Squad
994:XCOM: Enemy Unknown
349:Stanford University
319:Olympia, Washington
264:video game designer
204:Stanford University
185:Stanford University
166:Olympia, Washington
953:Civilization World
780:Rock Paper Shotgun
691:Dragon Age Legends
585:Starbreeze Studios
550:real-time strategy
511:Dragon Age Legends
247:designer-notes.com
1162:
1161:
976:
975:
754:www.gamasutra.com
733:
732:
554:Microsoft Windows
253:
252:
218:Years active
137:
136:
129:
111:
37:needs additional
1237:
928:
921:Civilization VII
884:Civilization III
857:
850:
843:
834:
791:
790:
788:
786:
771:
765:
764:
762:
761:
746:
646:Civilization III
630:
459:Civilization III
447:Civilization III
440:
436:Civilization III
429:Civilization III
426:
419:
415:Civilization III
411:Civilization III
403:Civilization III
397:Civilization III
287:Civilization III
249:
162:
158:
156:
139:
132:
125:
121:
118:
112:
110:
69:
50:reliable sources
27:
26:
19:
1245:
1244:
1240:
1239:
1238:
1236:
1235:
1234:
1165:
1164:
1163:
1158:
1117:
1038:
1018:Civil War games
1013:
972:
926:
914:Civilization VI
891:Civilization IV
866:
861:
800:
795:
794:
784:
782:
773:
772:
768:
759:
757:
748:
747:
743:
738:
661:Civilization IV
628:
620:
536:
489:Electronic Arts
485:
473:Christopher Tin
464:Civilization IV
452:Civilization IV
438:
424:
422:Civilization II
417:
388:
367:Civilization IV
362:Christopher Tin
344:Civilization II
339:
315:
310:
269:Civilization IV
260:game programmer
245:
200:Alma mater
168:
163:
160:
154:
152:
144:
133:
122:
116:
113:
76:"Soren Johnson"
70:
68:
47:
28:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1243:
1241:
1233:
1232:
1227:
1222:
1217:
1212:
1207:
1202:
1197:
1192:
1187:
1182:
1177:
1167:
1166:
1160:
1159:
1157:
1156:
1151:
1146:
1141:
1136:
1131:
1129:Brian Reynolds
1125:
1123:
1119:
1118:
1116:
1115:
1108:
1101:
1100:
1099:
1085:
1082:Haunted Hollow
1078:
1071:
1063:
1056:
1048:
1046:
1040:
1039:
1037:
1036:
1029:
1021:
1019:
1015:
1014:
1012:
1011:
1004:
997:
989:
987:
978:
977:
974:
973:
971:
970:
963:
956:
949:
942:
934:
932:
925:
924:
917:
910:
907:Civilization V
903:
902:
901:
887:
879:
877:
868:
867:
862:
860:
859:
852:
845:
837:
831:
830:
825:
816:
810:
799:
798:External links
796:
793:
792:
766:
756:. 11 July 2008
740:
739:
737:
734:
731:
730:
729:Lead Designer
727:
724:
716:
715:
714:Lead Designer
712:
709:
701:
700:
699:Lead Designer
697:
694:
686:
685:
684:Lead Designer
682:
679:
671:
670:
669:Lead Designer
667:
664:
656:
655:
652:
649:
641:
640:
637:
634:
627:
624:
619:
616:
607:Game Developer
548:: an economic
535:
532:
484:
481:
387:
384:
357:Knockout Kings
338:
337:College and EA
335:
314:
311:
309:
306:
251:
250:
243:
239:
238:
235:
231:
230:
227:
223:
222:
219:
215:
214:
211:
207:
206:
201:
197:
196:
182:
178:
177:
174:
170:
169:
164:
150:
146:
145:
142:
135:
134:
58:poorly sourced
31:
29:
22:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1242:
1231:
1228:
1226:
1223:
1221:
1218:
1216:
1213:
1211:
1208:
1206:
1203:
1201:
1198:
1196:
1193:
1191:
1188:
1186:
1183:
1181:
1180:Living people
1178:
1176:
1173:
1172:
1170:
1155:
1152:
1150:
1147:
1145:
1142:
1140:
1139:Soren Johnson
1137:
1135:
1132:
1130:
1127:
1126:
1124:
1120:
1114:
1113:
1109:
1107:
1106:
1102:
1098:
1097:
1096:Pacific Skies
1093:
1092:
1091:
1090:
1086:
1084:
1083:
1079:
1077:
1076:
1072:
1069:
1068:
1064:
1062:
1061:
1057:
1055:
1054:
1050:
1049:
1047:
1045:
1041:
1035:
1034:
1030:
1028:
1027:
1023:
1022:
1020:
1016:
1010:
1009:
1005:
1003:
1002:
998:
996:
995:
991:
990:
988:
985:
984:
979:
969:
968:
964:
962:
961:
957:
955:
954:
950:
948:
947:
943:
941:
940:
939:CivCity: Rome
936:
935:
933:
929:
923:
922:
918:
916:
915:
911:
909:
908:
904:
900:
899:
895:
894:
893:
892:
888:
886:
885:
881:
880:
878:
875:
874:
869:
865:
864:Firaxis Games
858:
853:
851:
846:
844:
839:
838:
835:
829:
826:
824:
820:
817:
814:
811:
809:
805:
802:
801:
797:
781:
777:
770:
767:
755:
751:
745:
742:
735:
728:
725:
723:
722:
718:
717:
713:
710:
708:
707:
703:
702:
698:
695:
693:
692:
688:
687:
683:
680:
678:
677:
673:
672:
668:
665:
663:
662:
658:
657:
653:
650:
648:
647:
643:
642:
638:
636:Year Released
635:
632:
631:
625:
623:
618:Personal life
617:
615:
613:
609:
608:
602:
600:
599:
594:
590:
586:
582:
578:
573:
571:
566:
562:
559:
555:
551:
547:
546:
541:
533:
531:
529:
525:
521:
518:released for
517:
513:
512:
506:
502:
500:
499:
494:
490:
482:
480:
478:
474:
470:
466:
465:
460:
455:
453:
448:
444:
437:
432:
430:
423:
416:
412:
407:
404:
399:
398:
393:
392:Firaxis Games
386:Firaxis Games
385:
383:
381:
375:
373:
369:
368:
363:
359:
358:
352:
350:
346:
345:
336:
334:
332:
328:
323:
320:
312:
307:
305:
302:
300:
296:
291:
289:
288:
283:
282:
277:
276:
271:
270:
265:
261:
257:
256:Soren Johnson
248:
244:
240:
236:
232:
229:Leyla Johnson
228:
224:
220:
216:
212:
210:Occupation(s)
208:
205:
202:
198:
194:
190:
186:
183:
179:
175:
171:
167:
161:(age 48)
151:
147:
143:Soren Johnson
140:
131:
128:
120:
109:
106:
102:
99:
95:
92:
88:
85:
81:
78: –
77:
73:
72:Find sources:
66:
62:
59:
55:
51:
45:
44:
40:
35:
30:
21:
20:
1138:
1110:
1103:
1094:
1087:
1080:
1073:
1065:
1058:
1051:
1031:
1024:
1006:
999:
992:
981:
965:
958:
951:
944:
937:
919:
912:
905:
898:Colonization
896:
889:
882:
873:Civilization
871:
783:. Retrieved
779:
769:
758:. Retrieved
753:
744:
719:
704:
689:
674:
659:
654:Co-Designer
644:
621:
605:
603:
596:
588:
580:
576:
574:
569:
564:
563:
543:
540:Mohawk Games
537:
534:Mohawk Games
509:
504:
503:
497:
486:
483:EA and Zynga
462:
458:
456:
451:
446:
435:
433:
428:
421:
414:
410:
408:
402:
395:
389:
380:Mohawk Games
376:
365:
355:
353:
342:
340:
327:Commodore 64
324:
316:
303:
298:
295:Mohawk Games
292:
285:
280:
273:
267:
255:
254:
221:1999–present
159:May 23, 1976
123:
117:January 2021
114:
104:
97:
90:
83:
71:
60:
43:verification
36:
1175:1976 births
1144:Geoff Knorr
1134:Jeff Briggs
1044:Other games
633:Video Games
173:Nationality
1169:Categories
1154:Jon Shafer
760:2020-05-23
736:References
593:Epic Games
516:Flash game
313:Early life
155:1976-05-23
87:newspapers
1149:Sid Meier
931:Spin-offs
808:MobyGames
721:Old World
598:Old World
581:10 Crowns
552:game for
469:Baba Yetu
372:Baba Yetu
331:Sid Meier
308:Biography
281:Old World
181:Education
39:citations
520:Facebook
234:Children
176:American
65:libelous
524:Google+
242:Website
101:scholar
1122:People
1070:(2004)
1001:XCOM 2
986:series
876:series
477:Grammy
278:, and
262:, and
226:Spouse
191:&
103:
96:
89:
82:
74:
785:9 May
676:Spore
639:Role
626:Works
528:Zynga
505:Spore
498:Spore
493:Maxis
439:'
425:'
418:'
108:JSTOR
94:books
32:This
983:XCOM
787:2020
726:2020
711:2016
696:2011
681:2008
666:2005
651:2001
558:OS X
556:and
522:and
514:, a
193:MSc.
149:Born
80:news
41:for
823:CVG
821:at
806:at
333:.
1171::
778:.
752:.
382:.
272:,
189:BA
157:)
52:.
856:e
849:t
842:v
789:.
763:.
491:(
237:3
195:)
187:(
153:(
130:)
124:(
119:)
115:(
105:·
98:·
91:·
84:·
67:.
46:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.