Editing Greg Costikyan

{{Short description|American game designer (born 1969)}}
{{Infobox writer
| birth_name       = 
| image            = Greg Costikyan.jpg
| alt              = 
| caption          = Costikyan in 2006
| birth_date       = {{Birth date and age|1959|07|22|mf=y}}<ref name="contemporary"/>
| birth_place      = [[New York City]], U.S.<ref name="contemporary"/>
| death_date       = 
| death_place      = 
| occupation       = Game designer, science fiction writer
| pseudonym        = Designer X
| nationality      = 
| education        = [[Brown University]] ([[Bachelor of Science|BS]])
| period           = 
| genre            = [[Role-playing game]]s
| influences       = 
| spouse           = {{marriage|Louise Disbrow|September 4, 1986}}
| children         = 3
| relatives        = [[Edward N. Costikyan]] (father)
}}

'''Greg Costikyan''' (born July 22, 1959<ref name="contemporary"/>), sometimes known under the pseudonym '''Designer X''',<ref name=rpg>{{cite web
| url = http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/reviews/rev_2187.html
| title = Violence by Greg Costikyan, writing as "Designer X"
| author = Ed Hogg
| access-date = 2011-11-08
}}</ref> is an American [[game designer]] and [[science fiction]] writer.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.pen-paper.net/rpgdb.php?op=showcreator&creatorid=2142
|title=Greg Costikyan
|publisher= Pen & Paper RPG Database
|access-date=2012-04-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080602200043/http://www.pen-paper.net/rpgdb.php?op=showcreator&creatorid=2142|archive-date=2008-06-02 }}</ref>
Costikyan's career spans nearly all extant genres of gaming, including: hex-based [[wargaming|wargames]], [[role-playing games]], [[board games|boardgames]], [[card games]], [[computer games]], [[online games]], and [[mobile games]]. Several of his games have won [[Origins Awards]]. He co-founded [[Manifesto Games]], now out of business, with Johnny Wilson in 2005.

==Personal life and education==
Greg Costikyan was born in [[New York City]], the son of attorney and politician [[Edward N. Costikyan|Edward N.]] and Frances (Holmgren) Costikyan.<ref name="contemporary"/> He and game designer [[Warren Spector]] were friends since high school.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2003-04-07 |title=Games * Design * Art * Culture |url=http://www.costik.com/weblog/2003_03_01_blogchive.html#90613444 |access-date=2021-12-18 |website= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030407062255/http://www.costik.com/weblog/2003_03_01_blogchive.html#90613444 |archive-date=7 April 2003 |url-status=dead}}</ref> He is a 1982 graduate ([[Bachelor of Science|B.S.]]) of [[Brown University]].<ref name="contemporary">{{Cite book|chapter=Costikyan, Greg 1959-.|title=Contemporary Authors, New Revision Series|publisher=Gale|year=2006|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G2-3417700050.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130816065155/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G2-3417700050.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-08-16|access-date=2012-04-18}} (subscription required)</ref> He married Louise Disbrow (a securities analyst), September 4, 1986.<ref name="contemporary"/> They have three children.<ref name=personal>{{cite web
| url = http://www.costik.com/personal.html
| title = Personal Stuff
| author = Greg Costikyan
| access-date = 2009-02-05
}}</ref> He is a frequent speaker at game industry events including the [[Game Developers Conference]] and [[E³]].

==Career==
Greg Costikyan has been a game designer since the 1970s.<ref name="HG">{{Cite book | contribution=[[My Life with Master]] | title=[[Hobby Games: The 100 Best]] | last=Costikyan | first=Greg | editor-last=Lowder | editor-first=James | editor-link=James Lowder | publisher=[[Green Ronin Publishing]] | year=2007 | pages=204–208 | isbn=978-1-932442-96-0}}</ref> Costikyan worked at [[Simulation Publications|SPI]] until it was closed by [[TSR, Inc.|TSR]] in 1982; he came to [[West End Games]] in 1983.<ref name="designers">{{Cite book|author=Shannon Appelcline|title=Designers & Dragons|publisher=Mongoose Publishing|year=2011| isbn= 978-1-907702-58-7}}</ref>{{rp|186}} His 1983 game ''[[Bug-Eyed Monsters]]'' brought West End Games into the science-fiction and fantasy genres, and the following year he licensed his ''[[Paranoia (role-playing game)|Paranoia]]'' role-playing game to West End Games for publishing after trying unsuccessfully to find a publisher.<ref name="designers"/>{{rp|186–187}} Costikyan designed ''[[Toon (role-playing game)|Toon]]'' (1984) for [[Steve Jackson Games]] after developing it from an idea suggested by [[Jeff Dee]]; Costikyan felt that the game system was mostly "arbitrary" and that the theme of the game was far more important.<ref name="designers"/>{{rp|104}} West End Games acquired licensing to make a game based on ''[[Star Wars]]'', and Costikyan designed ''[[Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game]]'', published in 1987, assisted by Doug Kaufman and others.<ref name="designers"/>{{rp|190}}

Costikyan and [[Eric Goldberg (game designer)|Eric Goldberg]] left West End Games in January 1987, forming the short-lived Goldberg Associates.<ref name="designers"/>{{rp|191}} When West End Games declared bankruptcy in 1998, Costikyan and Goldberg tried to recover the rights to ''Paranoia''; although West End's founder [[Scott Palter]] tried to fight this, a judge gave the rights back to the creators in 2000.<ref name="designers"/>{{rp|194}} Costikyan designed the role-playing game ''[[Violence (role-playing game)|Violence]]'' (1999) under the pseudonym "Designer X" for [[Hogshead Publishing]], and made sure that the game would widely available by releasing it under a [[Creative Commons]] license.<ref name="designers"/>{{rp|306–307}} Costikyan and Goldberg licensed ''Paranoia'' to [[Mongoose Publishing]], which began producing new books for the game in 2004.<ref name="designers"/>{{rp|398}}

Costikyan was the CEO of [[Manifesto Games]], a start-up devoted to providing a viable path to market for independently developed computer games.<ref name="HG"/> He subsequently worked as a consultant for several years before joining Guerillapps as lead game designer in March 2010 to develop its game ''[[Trash Tycoon]]'' for [[Facebook]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://techcrunch.com/2011/06/08/multiplayer-facebook-game-trash-tycoon-trains-you-to-be-green-but-in-a-fun-way/ | title=Multiplayer Facebook Game Trash Tycoon Trains You To Be Green (But In A Fun Way) | publisher=Tech Crunch Network | date=8 June 2011 | access-date=23 November 2015}}</ref> In May 2011, he joined Disney Playdom as senior games designer and in January 2014 assumed the same role at Loop Drop. In June 2015, Costikyan joined [[Boss Fight Entertainment]] as senior games designer.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-costikyan-b07821 | title=Greg Costikyan Linkedin | publisher=Linkedin | access-date=23 November 2015}}</ref>

He has written on games, game design, and game industry business issues for publications including ''[[The New York Times]]'', the ''[[Wall Street Journal]]'', ''[[Salon (website)|Salon]]'', ''[[The Escapist (magazine)|The Escapist]]'', ''[[Gamasutra]]'', and the magazine ''[[Game Developer (magazine)|Game Developer]]''.<ref name="HG"/><ref name="DMW">{{cite web | url=http://www.dmwgames.com/east14/speakers/greg-costikyan/ | title=Digital Media Wire - Greg Costikyan | publisher=Digital Media Wire | access-date=23 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151124161556/http://www.dmwgames.com/east14/speakers/greg-costikyan/|archive-date=24 November 2015}}</ref>

He has lectured on game design at universities including the [[IT University of Copenhagen]], Helsinki University of Art & Design,{{clarify|date=May 2025}} [[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute]], and [[Stony Brook University]].<ref name="DMW"/>

In 2019, Costikyan and Goldberg joined Playable Worlds, a startup founded by [[Raph Koster]] focused on producing the [[massively multiplayer online role-playing game]] ''Stars Reach''.<ref name=playable">{{cite web | url=https://www.playableworlds.com/the-award-winning-designer-behind-ultima-online-and-star-wars-galaxies-says-its-time-for-his-dream-to-be-fulfilled/ | title=The award-winning designer behind Ultima Online and Star Wars Galaxies says it’s time for his ‘dream to be fulfilled.’ | date=3 October 2019 | accessdate=29 May 2025
| website=Playable Worlds }}</ref>

==Games==
Costikyan's notable works include:
*''[[Web and Starship]]'' (1984, a starships combat science fiction board game)<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/web_and_starship | title=Web and Starship | publisher=Gollancz SFE | access-date=23 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151124161826/http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/web_and_starship|archive-date=24 November 2015}}</ref>
*''[[Toon (role-playing game)|Toon]]'' (1984, a humor role-playing game)<ref name="HW"/>{{rp|251}}
*''[[Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game]]'' (Origins Award Winner for ''Best Role-playing Rules of 1987''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.originsgamefair.com/awards/1987/list-of-winners |title=Origins Award Winners (1987) |publisher=Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design |access-date=2007-10-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080415213134/http://www.originsgamefair.com/awards/1987/list-of-winners |archive-date=2008-04-15 |url-status=dead }}</ref>)<ref name="HW"/>{{rp|323}}
*''[[Pax Britannica (game)|Pax Britannica]]'' (Charles S. Roberts Award Winner for ''Best Pre-20th Century Game of 1985''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.originsgamefair.com/awards/1985/list-of-winners |title=Charles S. Roberts Award Winners (1985) |publisher=Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design |access-date=2007-10-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080307101410/http://www.originsgamefair.com/awards/1985/list-of-winners |archive-date=2008-03-07 |url-status=dead }}</ref>)
*[[Paranoia (role-playing game)|''Paranoia'']] (Origins Award Winner for ''Best Roleplaying Rules of 1984''<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.originsgamefair.com/awards/1984|title=1984 list of winners|publisher= Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design|access-date=2011-11-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080307115145/http://www.originsgamefair.com/awards/1984|archive-date=2008-03-07}}</ref>)
*''[[The Creature That Ate Sheboygan]]'' (Charles S. Roberts Award Winner for ''Best Fantasy or Science Fiction Game of 1979''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.originsgamefair.com/awards/1979/list-of-winners |title=Charles S. Roberts Award Winners (1979) |publisher=Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design |access-date=2007-10-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080415213102/http://www.originsgamefair.com/awards/1979/list-of-winners |archive-date=2008-04-15 |url-status=dead }}</ref>)
*''[[MadMaze]]''<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1J78hiHKaPoC&q=madmaze+game&pg=PT162 | title=On the Way to the Web: The Secret History of the Internet and its Founders | author=Banks, Michael | year=2008 | page=145 | publisher=Apress | isbn=978-1-4302-5074-6}}</ref>
*''[[Violence (role-playing game)|Violence: The Roleplaying Game of Egregious and Repulsive Bloodshed]]''<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/12/12402.phtml | title=Review of Violence: the Roleplaying Game of Egregious and Repulsive Bloodshed | publisher=RPG.com / Skotos Tech, Inc. | access-date=23 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151124162204/http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/12/12402.phtml|archive-date=24 November 2015}}</ref>
*''[[The Price of Freedom (role-playing game)|The Price of Freedom]]'' (1986)<ref name="HW">{{cite book|last=Schick |first=Lawrence|author-link=Lawrence Schick|title=Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Role-Playing Games|publisher=Prometheus Books |year=1991|isbn=0-87975-653-5}}</ref>{{rp|256}}

Costikyan's other RPG credits include ''[[Acute Paranoia]]'' (1986) for ''Paranoia'',<ref name="HW"/>{{rp|353}} and ''Your Own Private Idaho'' (1987) for ''The Price of Freedom''.<ref name="HW"/>{{rp|256}}

In addition, Costikyan is a widely published author on the subject of game design and the role of games in culture.  His essay "I Have No Words and I Must Design"<ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://www.costik.com/nowords.html 
 |title=I Have No Words and I Must Design 
 |author=Greg Costikyan 
 |year=1994 
 |url-status=dead 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080812015347/http://www.costik.com/nowords.html 
 |archive-date=2008-08-12 
}}</ref> is widely read as a conceptual approach to framing game design.

Costikyan worked on game design for many years, including writing and consulting for [[Nokia]]. In September 2005, he left Nokia to join with Johnny Wilson, former editor of ''[[Computer Gaming World]]'', in founding the startup indie game publisher [[Manifesto Games]].<ref>{{cite news
|url= http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2007/02/an_interview_with_greg_costikyan_the_maverick_of_manifesto_games.html
|title=An Interview With Greg Costikyan, the "Maverick" of Manifesto Games
|author=Dean Takahashi
|work=[[San Jose Mercury News]]
|date=14 February 2007 |access-date=2007-03-20
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071223035737/http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2007/02/an_interview_with_greg_costikyan_the_maverick_of_manifesto_games.html
|archive-date=2007-12-23}}</ref> He regularly contributed to the now defunct Manifesto Games' website, and was editor in chief of their now defunct offshoot game review blog ''Play This Thing''.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2007/09/manifesto_spins_off_play_this.php | title=Manifesto Spins Off 'Play This Thing!' Blog | publisher=UBM TechWeb | access-date=23 November 2015}}</ref>

In the 1970s and 1980s, Costikyan was a leading player of ''[[Slobbovia]]''. His novel ''One Quest, Hold the Dragons'' includes several stories about "crottled greeps", a Slobbovian [[meme]].{{citation needed|date=November 2015}}

In 1997, he designed the video game ''[[Evolution: The Game of Intelligent Life]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Costikyan |first1=Greg |title=Designer's Notes |url=http://www.costik.com/evdesnts.html |website=costik.com |access-date=July 10, 2023 |date=April 15, 1997}}</ref>

In February 2009, Costikyan updated the rules and re-released his 1979 [[space combat game]], ''[[Vector 3]]'', under a [[Creative Commons]] license as a free [[PDF]] download.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://playthisthing.com/vector-3
| title = Vector 3 – Tabletop Tuesday: Revised Version of My Old Game, Now for Free
| author = Greg Costikyan
| date = 3 February 2009
| access-date = 4 February 2009
| url-status= dead
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090205095803/http://playthisthing.com/vector-3
| archive-date = 5 February 2009
}}</ref>

==Books==
Costikyan has written four novels. The first two were [[parody|parodies]] of genre [[fantasy]]: ''Another Day, Another Dungeon'' (1990, {{ISBN|0-8125-0140-3}}) and its sequel ''One Quest, Hold the Dragons'' (1995, {{ISBN|0-8125-2269-9}}). ''By the Sword'' (1993, {{ISBN|0-312-85489-7}}) is another irreverent fantasy about a young [[barbarian]] who is forced by circumstances to make his way in the larger world; it was originally serialized on the Prodigy online service.

His latest novel, ''First Contract'' (in French : [[:fr:Space O.P.A.|Space O.P.A.]] - 2000, {{ISBN|0-312-87396-4}}), depicts (with much dry humor) the vast sociological and economic changes that happen after aliens arrive on Earth, and one entrepreneur's efforts to survive and make a new start.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.infinityplus.co.uk/nonfiction/firstcontract.htm|title=First Contract by Greg Costikyan| access-date = 2011-11-08}}</ref>

In 2013, Costikyan's non-fiction look at the role of uncertainty in game development ''Uncertainty in Games'' was published by MIT Press. A paperback edition was subsequently published in 2015. {{ISBN|9780262527538}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mitpress.mit.edu/index.php?q=books/uncertainty-games |title=Uncertainty in Cames |publisher=MIT Press |access-date=23 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151124162424/https://mitpress.mit.edu/index.php?q=books%2Funcertainty-games |archive-date=24 November 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Awards and recognition==
Costikyan is the winner of five [[Origins Awards]].<ref name="HG"/> On March 7, 2007, Costikyan received the [[Game Developers Choice Awards#Maverick Award|Game Developers Choice Awards Maverick Award]]. The award was given for his tireless efforts to create a viable channel for indie games.<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/2007-game-developers-choice-awards-to-honor-miyamoto-pajitnov
|title=2007 Game Developers Choice Awards To Honor Miyamoto, Pajitnov
|publisher=[[Gamasutra]] |access-date=2007-02-12}}</ref>
He was inducted into the Adventure Gaming Hall of Fame in 1999.<ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://www.originsgamefair.com/awards/1999 
 |title=Origins Awards (1999) 
 |publisher=Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design 
 |access-date=2007-10-09 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071105015139/http://www.originsgamefair.com/awards/1999 
 |archive-date=2007-11-05 
 |url-status=dead 
}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [http://www.costik.com Costikyan's personal website]
* {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928000525/http://www.gamezombie.tv/?page_id=92 |date=September 28, 2007 |title=Video Interview day after winning Maverick Award }}
*{{bgg designer|498}}
*{{isfdb name |name=Greg Costikyan}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Costikyan, Greg}}
[[Category:1959 births]]
[[Category:20th-century American essayists]]
[[Category:20th-century American male writers]]
[[Category:20th-century American novelists]]
[[Category:20th-century American short story writers]]
[[Category:21st-century American non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:American bloggers]]
[[Category:American male bloggers]]
[[Category:American male essayists]]
[[Category:American male novelists]]
[[Category:American male short story writers]]
[[Category:American people of Armenian descent]]
[[Category:American people of Swiss descent]]
[[Category:American science fiction writers]]
[[Category:American video game designers]]
[[Category:American board game designers]]
[[Category:Brown University alumni]]
[[Category:Creative Commons-licensed authors]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American role-playing designers]]
[[Category:Wargame designers]]