Firaxis Games

The story of Firaxis Games is a journey born from a passion for deep, strategic gameplay. It began in 1996 when three luminaries of the video game world, Sid Meier, Jeff Briggs, and Brian Reynolds, departed from their previous venture, MicroProse. They envisioned a new kind of studio, one that would operate as a 'design house' focused purely on the craft of making games. They chose to remain in the Baltimore, Maryland area, establishing a creative hub far from the burgeoning tech scene of Silicon Valley. The name 'Firaxis' itself is a fusion of 'fiery' and 'axis', a concept coined by Briggs to represent the dynamic and passionate process from which their groundbreaking games would emerge. This name perfectly encapsulated their mission: to build games that would truly stand the test of time.

Their debut title, 'Sid Meier's Gettysburg!', released in 1997, was an immediate critical and commercial success, validating their new model and setting the standard for the studio's future. This release also cemented the practice of using Sid Meier's name to signify a certain quality and depth of strategic gameplay, a tradition carried over from MicroProse. Over the years, Firaxis has become synonymous with some of the most beloved and enduring franchises in gaming history, most notably the 'Civilization' and 'XCOM' series. In 2005, the studio was acquired by Take-Two Interactive, becoming a key part of its 2K publishing label. This partnership provided the stability and resources for Firaxis to continue its mission on a global scale, expanding its teams and delivering its iconic, thought-provoking experiences to millions of players worldwide, consistently earning accolades and a reputation as a titan of the strategy genre.