Jordan Weisman
Founder of five game design companies, creator of BattleTech and Shadowrun.
via Wikipedia: Jordan Weisman · see source
Jordan Weisman is an American game designer, author, and serial entrepreneur who has founded five game design companies, each in a different game genre and segment of the industry.
- Role
- Game concept creator (Shadowrun, 1989)
- Affiliation
- FASA Corporation (co-founder, 1980), Harebrained Schemes (founder)
- First appears
- Shadowrun (1989, tabletop)
- Status
- Active in game development
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Weisman graduated from Francis W. Parker High School, in Chicago, Illinois. He went to the Merchant Marine Academy and briefly attended University of Illinois at Chicago, before leaving school to pursue his business interests. In 1980, he founded role playing game publisher FASA Corporation with partner L. Ross Babcock. FASA later produced the successful BattleTech and Shadowrun franchises. In 1987, Weisman and his father Morton Weisman founded Environmental Simulations Project — later renamed Virtual Worlds Entertainment. In 1995, Weisman founded FASA Interactive with Denny Thorley and Morton Weisman to personally take over the development and production of the hit MechWarrior PC games. Microsoft acquired both Virtual World Entertainment Group and FASA Interactive on January 7, 1999; Microsoft rebranded FASA Interactive as FASA Studio. In 2000, he founded WizKids. In 2003 he founded 42 Entertainment. In 2007 Weisman founded Smith & Tinker. In 2012 he started to raise money, through Kickstarter, for Shadowrun Returns. His new company is Harebrained Schemes. In June 2018, it was announced and completed Harebrained's acquisition by Paradox Interactive.
In Their Own Story
In 1980, Jordan Weisman and L. Ross Babcock made a few hundred photocopies of early adventures Weisman wrote for the pen and paper role-playing game Traveller, selling them to a local store in Chicago before sending them to nationwide distributors. Starting his business out of his basement, Weisman went on to co-found FASA Corporation, which produced the successful BattleTech and Shadowrun franchises. Shadowrun (1989) was Weisman's game concept, blending cyberpunk and fantasy into a single, gritty world. Decades later, in 2012, Weisman started raising money through Kickstarter for Shadowrun Returns, a new video game adaptation of his original tabletop game. Harebrained Schemes released Shadowrun Returns on July 25, 2013, followed by Shadowrun: Hong Kong in 2015, both earning critical acclaim.
Reader's Guide
Weisman has won more than 100 awards, including election to the Hall of Fame by the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design. In 2003 he was selected as the Pacific Northwest Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young. In 2022, The Peabody Awards announced a new category for digital and interactive storytelling, including legacy awards for notable projects. Weisman won for The Beast, along with Sean Stewart, Pete Fenlon, and Elan Lee.
Did You Know?
- Weisman founded FASA Interactive in 1995 to take over development of the MechWarrior PC games.
- The source article does not specify which company developed MechWarrior 2: 31st Century Combat (1995) or its expansions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Jordan Weisman?
Jordan Weisman is the visionary creator of the Shadowrun universe and a co-founder of FASA Corporation, where he established the franchise's core identity in 1989. He later founded Harebrained Schemes to continue developing new entries in the series while remaining an active figure in game design.
What role did Jordan Weisman play in Shadowrun?
As the original designer and writer, Weisman crafted the unique synthesis of high-tech cyberpunk and low-life fantasy that defines the setting. His work laid the essential mechanical foundations and narrative tone for both the tabletop RPG and subsequent video game adaptations.
Why is Jordan Weisman important to Shadowrun fans?
He is revered as the architect who successfully merged magic with machinery, creating a living world where noir storytelling meets futuristic warfare. Without his initial vision, the genre-defining blend of corporate espionage and shamanic rituals would not exist in its current form.
When did Jordan Weisman first introduce Shadowrun?
Weisman debuted the franchise with the original tabletop roleplaying game published by FASA Corporation in 1989. This release quickly expanded into a multimedia empire, including his influential work on the 1993 video game adaptation.
What is Jordan Weisman's current status regarding Shadowrun?
Weisman remains active in the industry as the founder of Harebrained Schemes, continuing to oversee new projects and expansions for the franchise. His ongoing involvement ensures that the legacy he built decades ago continues to evolve with modern audiences.
More in development
Elsewhere in the Shadowrun universe
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