Sid Meier is a Canadian-American programmer, designer, and producer of several popular strategy video games. He is best known for creating the Civilization series, a turn-based strategy game that has sold over 35 million copies worldwide. Meier is also the co-founder of Firaxis Games, a video game development studio.
Date of birth | Nationality | Residence | Education | Occupation |
---|---|---|---|---|
February 24, 1954 | Canadian-American | Hunt Valley, Maryland, USA | University of Michigan | Programmer, designer, producer |
Sid Meier is a Canadian-American programmer, designer, and producer of several popular strategy video games. He is best known for creating the Civilization series, a turn-based strategy game that has sold over 35 million copies worldwide. Meier is also the co-founder of Firaxis Games, a video game development studio.
Meier was born in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada, on February 24, 1954. He attended the University of Michigan, where he studied computer science and history. After graduating in 1977, he began working as a programmer for various companies, including MicroProse, a video game development studio.
In 1991, Meier co-founded Firaxis Games with fellow MicroProse employees Jeff Briggs and Brian Reynolds. Firaxis is best known for its Civilization series, which Meier created and designed. The first game in the series, Sid Meier's Civilization, was released in 1991 and has since become one of the most successful strategy video games of all time.
The Civilization series is a turn-based strategy game in which the player takes on the role of a leader of a civilization and must guide it through the ages. The player must manage resources, build cities, research technologies, and wage war against other civilizations. The series has spawned numerous sequels and spin-offs, including Civilization II, Civilization III, Civilization IV, Civilization V, and Civilization VI.
In addition to the Civilization series, Meier has also designed and produced several other popular video games, including Pirates!, Railroad Tycoon, Alpha Centauri, and the Ace Combat series. He has also served as a consultant on various video game projects, including the SimCity series.
Sid Meier was born in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada, on February 24, 1954. He grew up in a family of engineers, and his father was a professor of engineering at the University of Michigan. Meier attended the University of Michigan, where he studied computer science and history. After graduating in 1977, he began working as a programmer for various companies, including MicroProse, a video game development studio.
Meier has been married twice. He married his first wife, Susan, in 1979, and they had two children together. They divorced in 1989. He married his second wife, Susan, in 1991, and they have two children together.
Meier began his career as a programmer for various companies, including MicroProse, a video game development studio. In 1991, Meier co-founded Firaxis Games with fellow MicroProse employees Jeff Briggs and Brian Reynolds. Firaxis is best known for its Civilization series, which Meier created and designed. The first game in the series, Sid Meier's Civilization, was released in 1991 and has since become one of the most successful strategy video games of all time.
The Civilization series is a turn-based strategy game in which the player takes on the role of a leader of a civilization and must guide it through the ages. The player must manage resources, build cities, research technologies, and wage war against other civilizations. The series has spawned numerous sequels and spin-offs, including Civilization II, Civilization III, Civilization IV, Civilization V, and Civilization VI.
In addition to the Civilization series, Meier has also designed and produced several other popular video games, including Pirates!, Railroad Tycoon, Alpha Centauri, and the Ace Combat series. He has also served as a consultant on various video game projects, including the SimCity series.
Meier has collaborated with several other prominent video game designers, including Will Wright, creator of the SimCity series, and Peter Molyneux, creator of the Fable series. He has also worked with film director Steven Spielberg on several video game projects, including the 2005 game, Boom Blox.
Meier is known for his quote, “A game is a series of interesting choices.” He has also said, “I think the most important thing in game design is to make sure that the player is having fun.”
Meier has been criticized for the violence in some of his games, particularly the Civilization series. Critics have argued that the game encourages players to wage war and conquer other civilizations, which could have a negative effect on players.
Meier is an avid golfer and has won several amateur tournaments. He is also a fan of the Detroit Tigers baseball team and has been known to attend their games.
Meier has been inducted into the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame and the Video Game Hall of Fame. He has also been awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Game Developers Association.