Jon Van Caneghem

Last updated

Jon Van Caneghem
Jon Van Caneghem.jpg
Born1962or1963(age 61–62)
NationalityAmerican
Alma mater University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Occupation Game designer
Notable work Might and Magic series
Heroes of Might and Magic series
ChildrenAmanda (daughter)
Awards Computer Gaming World Hall of Fame [1]

Jon Van Caneghem (born 1962/1963) [2] is an American video game director, designer and producer. He is best known for launching development studio New World Computing in 1983, making his design debut in 1986 with Might and Magic Book One: The Secret of the Inner Sanctum . During the company's 20-year lifespan, Van Caneghem was involved in the creation and direction of several franchises, including the Might and Magic role-playing series and the spin-off Heroes of Might and Magic and King's Bounty strategy series.

Contents

Early life

Van Caneghem was raised on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, California, United States, by his mother, an artist, and his stepfather, a neurologist at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He attended grade school at Lycée Français de Los Angeles and his collegiate alma mater is UCLA, where he started as a pre-med student and graduated with a degree in computer science. [2]

Career

In 1983, Van Caneghem founded New World Computing, a publisher and developer of computer and console games.

Their first title was the medieval fantasy Might and Magic: Secret of the Inner Sanctum —one of the first role-playing games to feature detailed drawings of both indoor and outdoor locations. [3] It debuted in 1986 for the Apple II. [4] The series went on to include nine bestselling games, all of which Van Caneghem co-created. In 1990 Van Caneghem released King's Bounty , the forerunner of the Heroes of Might and Magic series of seven games which feature turn-based, fantasy-themed conflicts in which players control armies of mythical creatures.

In the following 20 years as president and CEO of New World Computing, Van Caneghem oversaw the publishing of more than 250 titles worldwide.

Van Caneghem sold New World Computing to developer and publisher 3DO in 1996 for US$13 million. [5] He remained with 3DO as president and "lead visionary" until 2003 when 3DO filed for bankruptcy and eliminated its New World Computing division. [6] The rights to the Might and Magic name were purchased for $1.3 million by Ubisoft, which revived the franchise with a new series under the same name. [7]

From 2004 to 2005, Van Caneghem worked at NCSoft as executive producer of a massively multiplayer online game. [8] In 2006 Van Caneghem left NCSoft and launched Trion World Network, headquartered in Redwood City, California, after securing more than $100 million [9] in investment capital from Time Warner, NBC Universal, GE and Bertelsmann. [10] Trion produces server-side games.

Van Caneghem left Trion in 2009 [11] and joined Electronic Arts where he headed the video game giant's Command & Conquer brand. [12] Van Caneghem was responsible for extending the series online. [13] On 29 October 2013, EA cancelled the development of the Command & Conquer game and closed the development studio. [14]

In 2014, Caneghem founded VC Mobile Entertainment (VCME) with the goal to produce and publish iOS and Android games. Caneghem secured $4.5 million in capital investment from companies like Tencent and Pacific Sky Investments. VCME is based in Los Angeles, and currently has around 15 employees.

Their first game, Creature Quest, is a mobile game focused on collection of creatures with which to quest and explore. It is an RPG with turn-based combat similar to Might & Magic and isometric exploration reminiscent of Heroes of Might & Magic. It was launched globally early 2017, after a successful limited test launch in selected countries in Europe and Australia.

As of February 2024, Creature Quest has been shut down indefinitely.

Awards

Van Caneghem was inducted into the Computer Gaming World Hall of Fame in 2004 for Strategy and Role-Playing. [1] The first Might and Magic game is number 44 in Computer Gaming World's Hall of Fame, [15] and Heroes of Might and Magic II is number 31. [16] Heroes of Might and Magic I won Strategy Game of the Year from Computer Gaming World, Turn-Based Strategy Game of the Year from Strategy Plus , Editor's Choice from PC Gamer, and Golden Triad from Computer Game Review .

Personal life

Van Caneghem lives in Los Angeles and has a daughter, Amanda.

Van Caneghem is an avid race car driver and has won or placed in races regularly since the 1990s. This hobby grew from his unofficial races down Mulholland Drive in the Hollywood hills and in the early '90s grew into a more serious hobby on racetracks across the country, [17] [18] including winning the West Coast Formula Ford championship. [19] He attended the Skip Barber Racing School during this time.

Van Caneghem has competed in over 100 races with dozens of wins with the Sports Car Club of America where he competed in GT2, CSR, DSR, S7, SGT, and Pro7. With Nasa Pro Racing, he competed in Mazda-GT, ST2, STR2. [20] Van Caneghem also won races with Cal Club, including the SGT2 Season Winner in 2005. [21]

Games

Related Research Articles

<i>Might and Magic</i> Video game series

Might and Magic is a series of role-playing video games in the science fantasy genre developed by New World Computing, which in 1996 became a subsidiary of The 3DO Company. The original Might and Magic series ended with the closure of the 3DO Company. The rights to the Might and Magic name were purchased for US$1.3 million by Ubisoft, which rebooted the franchise with a new series with no apparent connection to the previous continuity, starting with the games Heroes of Might and Magic V and Dark Messiah of Might and Magic.

Heroes of Might and Magic, known as Might & Magic Heroes in 2011–2024, is a series of video games created and developed by Jon Van Caneghem through New World Computing.

<i>Kings Bounty</i> 1990 video game

King's Bounty is a turn-based fantasy video game designed by Jon Van Caneghem and published by New World Computing in 1990. The game follows the player's character, a hero of King Maximus, appointed with the job of retrieving the Sceptre of Order from the forces of chaos, led by Arech Dragonbreath. King's Bounty is notably considered the forerunner of the Heroes of Might and Magic series of games.

<i>Might and Magic Book One: The Secret of the Inner Sanctum</i> 1986 video game

Might and Magic Book One: Secret of the Inner Sanctum is an early role-playing video game, first in the popular and influential Might and Magic franchise. It was released in 1986 as New World Computing's debut, ported to numerous platforms and re-released continuously through the early 1990s.

<i>Might and Magic III: Isles of Terra</i> 1991 role-playing video game

Might and Magic III: Isles of Terra is the third game in the role-playing video game series Might and Magic. Released in 1991, it is the predecessor to Might and Magic IV: Clouds of Xeen and the sequel to Might and Magic II: Gates to Another World. A Sega Genesis version was developed, but never released.

<i>Heroes of Might and Magic III</i> 1999 video game

Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Restoration of Erathia is a turn-based strategy game developed by Jon Van Caneghem through New World Computing originally released for Microsoft Windows by The 3DO Company in 1999. Its ports to several computer and console systems followed in 1999–2000. It is the third installment of the Heroes of Might and Magic series.

<i>Might and Magic IV: Clouds of Xeen</i> 1992 video game

Might and Magic IV: Clouds of Xeen is the fourth installment in the Might and Magic series by New World Computing.

<i>Might and Magic V: Darkside of Xeen</i> 1993 video game

Might and Magic V: Darkside of Xeen is a science fantasy role-playing video game published and developed for multiple platforms by New World Computing in 1993. Based on the Might and Magic III: Isles of Terra game engine, it is the fifth game in the Might and Magic series, and is a direct sequel to Might and Magic IV: Clouds of Xeen, concluding the story arc started in the original Might and Magic Book One: The Secret of the Inner Sanctum.

<i>Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven</i> 1998 video game

Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven, commonly abbreviated to Might and Magic VI or simply MM6, is a role-playing video game developed by New World Computing and published by 3DO in 1998. It is the sixth installment in the Might and Magic series, the sequel to Might and Magic V: Darkside of Xeen and the first of the Might and Magic titles to take place on the same planet as Heroes of Might and Magic. It continues the storyline of Heroes of Might and Magic II, and takes place at the same time as Heroes of Might and Magic III in the series chronology. The game was compared favorably to its peers, role-playing video games such as The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall. Critics praised it for its non-linear, user-friendly premise, an interactive, detailed game world and a polished, bug-free initial release. A Limited Edition version of the game was also released, including a cloth map of Enroth, a strategy guide and the first five games of the series on CD-ROM. It was followed by three sequels, with Might and Magic VII: For Blood and Honor directly continuing the story arc.

<i>Heroes of Might and Magic IV</i> 2002 video game

Heroes of Might and Magic IV is a turn-based strategy game developed by Gus Smedstad through New World Computing and published by the 3DO Company for Microsoft Windows-based personal computers in 2002. A Macintosh port was subsequently developed by Contraband Entertainment and released by the 3DO Company. The fourth installment of the popular Heroes of Might and Magic franchise, it is the sequel to Heroes of Might and Magic III, and was the last to be developed by New World Computing.

<i>Heroes of Might and Magic III: Armageddons Blade</i> 1999 video game

Heroes of Might and Magic III: Armageddon's Blade is the first of two expansion packs for the turn-based strategy game Heroes of Might and Magic III. It was developed by New World Computing for Microsoft Windows and released by The 3DO Company in 1999.

<i>Heroes of Might and Magic II</i> 1996 video game

Heroes of Might and Magic II: The Succession Wars is a turn-based strategy video game developed by Jon Van Caneghem through New World Computing and published in 1996 by the 3DO Company. The game is the second installment of the Heroes of Might and Magic series and is typically credited as the breakout game for the series. Heroes II was voted the sixth-best PC game of all time by PC Gamer in May 1997.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New World Computing</span> American development studio for computer games

New World Computing, Inc. was an American video game developer and publisher founded in 1984 by Jon Van Caneghem, his wife, Michaela Van Caneghem, and Mark Caldwell. It was best known for its work on the Might and Magic role-playing video game series and its spin-offs, especially Heroes of Might and Magic. The company was purchased by and became a division of The 3DO Company on July 10, 1996 from NTN Communications, after NTN purchased New World Computing for $10 million in stock.

<i>Heroes of Might and Magic: A Strategic Quest</i> 1995 video game

Heroes of Might and Magic: A Strategic Quest is a turn-based strategy game developed and published by New World Computing in 1995 for DOS. A spin-off of New World Computing's Might and Magic series of role-playing video games, the success of Heroes of Might and Magic led to a number of sequels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Mullich</span> American game producer and designer (born 1958)

David Mullich is an American game producer and designer. He created the 1980 adventure game The Prisoner, produced the 1995 adaptation I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream, and developed Heroes of Might and Magic III and Heroes of Might and Magic IV.

<i>Might and Magic IX</i> 2002 video game

Might and Magic IX is a role-playing video game, the last developed by New World Computing for Microsoft Windows and released in 2002 by The 3DO Company. It is the sequel to Might and Magic VIII: Day of the Destroyer. It is the first to feature a significant game engine overhaul since 1998's Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven. Powered by the Lithtech engine, it was also the first game in the series to feature fully three-dimensional graphics. During production, it was known by the working title of Might and Magic IX: Writ of Fate, and it is usually referred to by that title by fans of the series.

<i>Legends of Might and Magic</i> 2001 video game

Legends of Might and Magic is a first-person shooter video game developed by Jon Van Caneghem through New World Computing and published by The 3DO Company in 2001. As a spin-off of the Might and Magic franchise, Legends has a fantasy theme. Reviews likened the game to a medieval Counter-Strike, but criticized it for being a mediocre clone.

<i>Heroes Chronicles</i> 2000 video game

Heroes Chronicles is a series of turn-based strategy video games developed by Jon Van Caneghem through New World Computing and published by the 3DO Company. The series was intended to introduce a new audience, such as casual gamers, to the Heroes of Might and Magic series. As part of that strategy, each installment of Chronicles was released as a low-cost episode containing a relatively short single-player campaign, and the difficulty level of each game was kept low. All Chronicles games are based on a limited version of the Heroes of Might and Magic III game engine, although the ability to play scenario maps and multiplayer games is not included in any Chronicles title.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trion Worlds</span> American video game developer

Trion Worlds was an American video game developer. It focused primarily on MMOs, particularly of the MMORPG and MMORTS genres. The company was founded in 2006 by Lars Buttler and Jon Van Caneghem, who had each previously worked for NCSoft and left in 2009 to join Electronic Arts.

References

  1. 1 2 Classic Personal Computer (PC) Games » The Computer Gaming World Hall of Fame Archived 14 November 2016 at the Wayback Machine from GoldenAgeOfGames.com
  2. 1 2 AN EDUCATION IN GAME MARKET\33-year-old's magical touch has transformed passion for role playing\adventures into a lucrative reality Archived 16 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine from TheFreeLibrary.com
  3. ↑ DeMaria, Rusel (1 January 2004). High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games. McGraw-Hill/Osborne. p. 212. ISBN   9780072231724.
  4. ↑ The History of Computer Role-Playing Games Part 2: The Golden Age (1985-1993) Archived 11 November 2010 at the Wayback Machine from Gamasutra
  5. ↑ "3DO and NTN Inc. Complete New World Computing Acquisition". Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 6 August 2010.
  6. ↑ David Becker. "3DO files for bankruptcy".
  7. ↑ "Namco, Ubisoft and MS carve up 3DO assets". 18 August 2003.
  8. ↑ Curt Feldman. "Q&A: NCsoft executive producer Jon Van Caneghem".
  9. ↑ Eric Caoili. "Trion World Network Nets $70 Million More".
  10. ↑ "Q&A: Trion's Buttler Talks $30 Million Online World Funding".
  11. ↑ Dean Takahashi (22 October 2009). "Trion World Network plays executive musical chairs".
  12. ↑ Leigh Alexander. "Interview: Van Caneghem Talks EALA's Vision, Command & Conquer".
  13. ↑ Brightman, James. "Interview: Jon Van Caneghem on Reinventing Command & Conquer". Archived from the original on 22 March 2010.
  14. ↑ "EA cancels Command & Conquer, closes development studio". Polygon . 29 October 2013.
  15. ↑ Computer Gaming World Hall of Fame Archived 15 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine from 1up.com
  16. ↑ Computer Gaming World Hall of Fame Archived 15 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine from 1up.com
  17. ↑ 2005 2005 Regional Point Standings as of 27 November 2005 from CalClub.com
  18. ↑ Track Lap Records for Track Buttonwillow RP 25CCW from CalClub.com
  19. ↑ "The FX of Computer Entertainment". Computer Gaming World. March 1994. pp. 18–30.
  20. ↑ "We Drive Harder! - NASA".
  21. ↑ "CSCC".
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