Editing Steve Jackson Games

{{Short description|American game publishing company}}
{{Infobox company
 |name             = Steve Jackson Games
 |logo             = Steve Jackson Games logo.png
 |logo_size        = 220px
 |type             = [[Privately held company|Private]]
 |genre            = 
 |foundation       = 1980
 |founder          = [[Steve Jackson (American game designer)|Steve Jackson]]
 |location_city    = [[Austin, Texas]]
 |location_country = United States
 |location         = 
 |locations        = 
 |area_served      = 
 |key_people       = [[Steve Jackson (American game designer)|Steve Jackson]]
 |industry         = Game publisher
 |products         = ''[[Munchkin (card game)|Munchkin]]'', ''[[Chez Geek]]'', ''[[Car Wars]]'', ''[[Ogre (board game)|Ogre]]'', ''[[GURPS]]''
 |services         = 
 |revenue          = US$3.5 million gross<ref name="stake2015">{{Cite web|url=https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/56733/steve-jackson-games-sales-slide|title=Steve Jackson Games Sales Slide|website=icv2.com}}</ref>
 |revenue_year     = 2023
 |operating_income = 
 |net_income       = 
 |assets           = 
 |equity           = 
 |owner            = [[Steve Jackson (American game designer)|Steve Jackson]]
 |num_employees    = 43 full time (2015)<ref name="stake2015" />
 |parent           = 
 |divisions        = 
 |subsid           = 
 |caption           = 
 |homepage         = [http://www.sjgames.com/ www.sjgames.com/]
 |footnotes        = 
 |intl             = 
}}
'''Steve Jackson Games''' ('''SJGames''') is a [[game]] company, founded in 1980 by [[Steve Jackson (American game designer)|Steve Jackson]], that creates and publishes [[role-playing game|role-playing]], [[board game|board]], and [[card game]]s, and (until 2019) the gaming [[magazine]] ''[[Pyramid (magazine)|Pyramid]]''.

==History==
Founded in 1980, six years after the creation of ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'', SJ Games created several role-playing and strategy games with [[science fiction theme]]s.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Gross |first=Joe |date=4 April 2019 |title=FnordCon celebrates 39 years of Steve Jackson Games |url=https://www.austin360.com/entertainmentlife/20190404/fnordcon-celebrates-39-years-of-steve-jackson-games |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201026213521/https://www.austin360.com/entertainmentlife/20190404/fnordcon-celebrates-39-years-of-steve-jackson-games |archive-date=26 October 2020 |access-date=2020-08-27 |website=Austin 360 |language=en}}</ref> SJ Games' early titles were [[microgame (board game)|microgames]] initially sold in 4×7&nbsp;inch [[Ziploc]] bags, and later in the similarly sized [[Pocket Box]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://maverick.brainiac.com/cmm/sjg.html |title=The Maverick's Classic Microgame Museum |access-date=2007-08-30}}</ref> Games such as ''[[Ogre (board game)|Ogre]]'', ''[[Car Wars]]'', ''[[Illuminati (game)|Illuminati]]'', and ''G.E.V.'' (an ''Ogre'' spin-off) were popular during SJ Games' early years. Game designers such as [[Loren Wiseman]] and [[Jonathan Leistiko]] have worked for Steve Jackson Games.<ref>{{Cite web|date=4 April 2017|title=Loren WISEMAN 1951 - 2017 - Obituary|url=https://www.legacy.com/amp/obituaries/statesman/184826828|access-date=2020-08-27|publisher=Austin American-Statesman|language=en|via=Legacy.com}}</ref>

Today SJ Games publishes a variety of games, such as [[card game]]s, [[board game]]s, [[strategy game]]s, and in different genres, such as [[fantasy]], [[science fiction]], and [[gothic fiction|gothic horror]]. It also published the book ''[[Principia Discordia]]'', the sacred text of the [[Discordianism|Discordian]] religion.

===Raid by the Secret Service===
{{Main|Steve Jackson Games, Inc. v. United States Secret Service}}

On March 1, 1990, the [[United States Secret Service|Secret Service]] raided the offices of Steve Jackson Games,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Markoff |first=John |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/06/03/us/drive-to-counter-computer-crime-aims-at-invaders.html |title=Drive to Counter Computer Crime Aims at Invaders |date=June 3, 1990 |work=The New York Times |access-date=2018-03-04 |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> seizing three computers, two laser printers, dozens of floppy disks, and the master copy of ''[[GURPS Cyberpunk]]''; a genre toolkit for cyberpunk games, written by [[Loyd Blankenship]], an employee at the time.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lewis |first=Peter H. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/09/09/business/the-executive-computer-can-invaders-be-stopped-but-civil-liberties-upheld.html |title=The Executive Computer; Can Invaders Be Stopped but Civil Liberties Upheld? |date=September 9, 1990 |work=The New York Times |access-date=2018-03-04 |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The Secret Service believed that Blankenship had illegally accessed [[Bell South]] systems, and uploaded a document possibly affecting [[9-1-1]] systems onto Steve Jackson Games's public [[bulletin board system]] and/or another board known as Phoenix which he also administered;<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://boingboing.net/2015/05/08/your-cyberpunk-games-are-dange.html |title=Your cyberpunk games are dangerous |last=Peterson |first=John |date=2015-05-08 |website=Boing Boing |language=en-US |access-date=2018-03-04}}</ref> and, furthermore, that ''GURPS Cyberpunk'' would help others commit computer crimes.<ref>{{Cite book |last=McGuire |first=Morgan |title=Creating games: mechanics, content, and technology |last2=Jenkins |first2=Odeste Chadwicke |date=2009 |publisher=A K Peters |isbn=9781568813059 |location=Wellesley, Mass. |pages=506 |oclc=212627362}}</ref> During their investigation, the Secret Service also read (and deleted) private emails on one of the computers.<ref name="Giallonardo 1">{{Cite journal |last=Giallonardo |first=Nicole |date=Fall 1995 |title=Steve Jackson Games v. United States Secret Service: The Government's Unauthorized Seizure of Private E-mail Warrants More Than the Fifth Circuit's Slap on the Wrist |url=https://repository.jmls.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1307&context=jitpl |journal=[[John Marshall J. Inf. Technol. Priv. Law]] |volume=14 |issue=1 |pages=179–208}}</ref> Though the materials were later returned in June, Steve Jackson Games filed suit in federal court, winning at trial.

The raid led to the formation of the [[Electronic Frontier Foundation]], which was founded in July 1990.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Sterling |first=Bruce |title=The hacker crackdown : law and disorder on the electronic frontier |date=1993 |publisher=Bantam |isbn=055356370X |location=New York |oclc=30469826}}</ref>

===Kickstarter project===
In April–May 2012, Steve Jackson Games ran a successful [[Kickstarter]] campaign for a new "Designer's Edition" of ''[[Ogre (board game)|Ogre]]''.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=James |first=Geoffrey |date=May 8, 2012 |title=Crowdfunding Lessons from a Kickstarter Success |url=http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/crowdfunding-lessons-from-a-kickstarter-success.html |magazine=[[Inc.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Kuchera |first=Ben |url=http://penny-arcade.com/report/editorial-article/steve-jacksons-ogre-wins-at-kickstarter-more-games-by-printed-and-each-game |title=Steve Jackson's Ogre wins at Kickstarter: more games will be printed, and each game will be better |date=May 9, 2012 |publisher=[[Penny Arcade]] Report}}</ref> The final game was planned to weigh 14 pounds or more, partly because the high level of extra funding achieved in the Kickstarter enabled significant game additions.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/847271320/ogre-designers-edition |title=Ogre Designer's Edition |publisher=[[Kickstarter]]}}</ref>

==Games published==
Steve Jackson Games' main product line, in terms of sales, is the ''[[Munchkin (card game)|Munchkin]]'' card game, followed by the role-playing system ''GURPS''.<ref>[http://www.sjgames.com/general/stakeholders/report07.html Steve Jackson Games 2007 Report to the Stakeholders] from SJGames' official website</ref>

===Card games===
* ''[[Battle Cattle: The Card Game]]'', a card game, compatible with the ''Car Wars'' card game, based on the Battle Cattle miniatures system.
* ''Burn in Hell'', a semi-satirical game centered on collecting 'circles' of notable historical and contemporary people's (sinners') souls that share common characteristics.
* ''[[Car Wars: The Card Game]]'', a card game version of the ''Car Wars'' miniatures system.
* ''[[Chez Geek]]'', a card-game parody of [[Geek]] culture with many spinoffs and expansions.
* ''Cowpoker'', a card game partly based on poker mechanics with a central theme of old west cattle ranchers. 
* ''Dino Hunt'', a card game where players travel through time to capture dinosaurs. Features over a hundred dinosaurs with color drawings and accurate scientific data on each one.
* ''[[Hacker (card game)|Hacker]]'', a modern-day card game based on the mechanics of ''[[Illuminati (game)|Illuminati]]''.
** ''Hacker II: The Dark Side''
* ''[[Illuminati (game)|Illuminati]]'', a game of competing conspiracies, based largely on the ''[[Illuminatus! Trilogy]]'' by [[Robert Anton Wilson]]. Originally published in microgame format followed by three numbered expansions. Later published in a full-sized box with expansions 1 and 2 as ''Deluxe Illuminati''. Expansion 3 would later be reprinted as ''Illuminati: Brainwash''.
** ''Illuminati: Y2K'': All-card expansion for ''Deluxe Illuminati''
** ''Illuminati: Bavarian Fire Drill'': All-card expansion for ''Deluxe Illuminati''
** ''[[Illuminati: New World Order]]'' (''INWO''), the [[collectible card game]] based on concepts in ''Illuminati''.
*** ''INWO Subgenius'': Expansion based on [[Church of the Subgenius]] concepts which can also be played stand-alone.
** ''Illuminati Crime Lords'', a mafia-based variation on Illuminati which combines gameplay elements of the original ''Illuminati'' and ''INWO''.
* ''King's Blood'', a Japanese card game originally published by Kadokawa Shoten.
* ''[[Lord of the Fries (card game)|''Lord of the Fries'' (card game)]]'', a game of zombies attempting to assemble orders in a fast-food restaurant. Originally designed by [[James Ernest]] and published by [[Cheapass Games]].
* ''[[Munchkin (card game)|Munchkin]]'', a card-game parody of hack-and-slash roleplaying with many spinoffs and expansions.
* ''Nanuk'', a game of bidding and bluffing, centered on [[Inuit]] hunters.
* ''[[Ninja Burger]]'', a fast-paced ninja delivery card game based on the Ninja Burger website.
* ''Space Pirate Amazon Ninja Catgirls'' (SPANC), a light-hearted competition between starship crews of cat girls in search of toys and loot.
* ''Spooks'', a [[Halloween]]-themed card game where players try to get rid of cards from their hands.

===Board games===
* ''[[The Awful Green Things from Outer Space]]'', designed by Tom Wham and originally published by [[TSR, Inc.|TSR]].
* ''[[Car Wars]]'', futuristic battles between automobiles.
* ''Dork Tower'', a fantasy game that takes place in the world the ''[[Dork Tower]]'' characters play their games in.
* ''[[Frag (game)|Frag]]'', "a first-person shooter without a computer".
* ''[[Globbo]]'', a black comedy game about a murderous alien babysitter.
* ''GreedQuest'', a light, randomized romp through a simple dungeon to gain loot.
* ''[[Knightmare Chess]]'', a [[chess variant]] played with cards. Translation of the French ''Tempête sur l'Echiquier'' published by [[Ludodelire]].
* ''[[Kung Fu 2100]]'', a simple game of hand-to-hand combat where players use martial arts to smash their way into the CloneMaster's fortress.
* ''Munchkin Quest'', a board game variation of the ''Munchkin'' card games
* ''[[Necromancer (board game)|Necromancer]]'', a fantasy game for two players, in which each player becomes a powerful wizard controlling the forces of the [[Undead]].
* ''[[Ogre (board game)|Ogre]]'', the classic simulation of future war involving a cybernetic armored juggernaut firing nuclear weapons. Designed by Jackson, and originally published by [[Metagaming Concepts]].
** ''[[Battlesuit (game)|Battlesuit]]'', a spin-off of ''Ogre'' and ''G.E.V.'' featuring infantry using powered armor inspired by ''[[Starship Troopers]]''.
** ''[[G.E.V. (board game)|G.E.V.]]'', a spin-off of ''Ogre'' focusing on futuristic but "conventional" infantry, artillery, and armor units.
** ''Shockwave'', an ''Ogre''/''G.E.V.'' expansion set with new units and a new map.
** ''Ogre Reinforcements Pack'', an ''Ogre''/''G.E.V.'' expansion set with new rules and replacement pieces and maps.
** ''Battlefields'', an ''Ogre''/''G.E.V.'' expansion set with new rules, pieces, and maps.
* ''One Page Bulge'', a simulation of the German Ardennes Offensive in 1944, with the rules printed on a single page.
* ''Proteus'', a chess variant using dice to represent normal chess pieces.
* ''Revolution'', a blind-bidding area-majority game.
* ''Snits'', two classic [[Tom Wham]] games, ''[[Snit's Revenge]]'' and ''Snit Smashing'', both originally published by [[TSR, Inc.|TSR]].
* ''Star Traders'', a game where players race through space to deliver cargoes.
* ''The Stars Are Right'', a board game where players attempt to change a 5×5 tileboard through the use of cards, and gaining victory points based on certain constellations of symbols.
* ''[[Strange Synergy]]'', a game where teams of warriors battle with a different set of powers each game.
* ''Tile Chess'', a multiplayer chess variant played without a chess board.
* ''X-Bugs'', a combat game where futuristic bugs are represented by colorful tiddlywinks.

===Role-playing games===
* ''[[GURPS]]'', the ''Generic Universal Role Playing System''.
* ''[[GURPS Traveller]]'', GDW's ''Traveller'' based upon GURPS.
* ''[[In Nomine (role-playing game)|In Nomine]]'', a game about [[Angels]] and [[Demon]]s based on the popular [[France|French]] [[role-playing game]], ''[[In Nomine Satanis / Magna Veritas]]''.
* ''[[Killer: The Game of Assassination]]'', a variant of [[assassin (game)|Assassin]].
* ''[[Munchkin RPG]]'', a series of ''[[d20 System|D20]]'' supplements based on the ''Munchkin'' card game.
* ''[[Toon (role-playing game)|Toon]]'', the cartoon role-playing game.
* ''[[Transhuman Space]]'', a near-future science fiction setting spanning the [[Solar System]].
* ''Tribes'', players play [[European early modern humans|cave men]] (and women) trying to protect and nurture their descendants. Partly designed by science fiction author [[David Brin]].

===Miniatures===
* ''Ogre & G.E.V'' have also been published as in [[Miniature figure (gaming)|miniatures]] war gaming format.
* ''[[Cardboard Heroes]]'', paper miniatures.

===Computer games===
* ''[[Autoduel]]'', an action arcade game with role-playing elements. Published by [[Origin Systems, Inc.]]
* ''[[Ogre (video game)|Ogre]]'' A computer version of the ''Ogre'' board game. Published by Origin Systems, Inc.
* ''[[Ultracorps]]'' An online space strategy game originally developed by VR-1.

===Dice games===
* ''[[Cthulhu Dice]]'', a custom dice game where the faces are Cthulhu symbols, including the [[Eye of Horus]], the [[Yellow Sign]], the [[Elder Sign (card game)|Elder Sign]], [[Cthulhu]], and [[Tentacle]]. You roll the dice to compete with others to be the last sane person left.
* ''Proteus'', a custom dice game where the faces of the dice represent chess pieces. The goal is to change your pawns into higher pieces and take over all your buddies' pieces.
* ''[[Zombie Dice]]'', a custom dice game where the faces are Brains, Shotgun Blasts and Feet. The goal is to push your luck stacking up zombie kills before your buddies.

==Magazines==

===Publication history===
Gaming magazines produced by Steve Jackson Games have included:<ref name="designers">{{Cite book |last=Shannon Appelcline |title=Designers & Dragons |publisher=Mongoose Publishing |year=2011 |isbn=978-1-907702-58-7 |pages=102–113}}</ref>

* ''[[The Space Gamer]]'' (1980–1985): Steve Jackson took over the magazine from [[Metagaming Concepts]] with issue #27, and transferred the magazine to Steve Jackson Games in 1982; the final issue from Steve Jackson Games was #76 in 1985, and the rights were sold to Diverse Talents Inc.
* ''[[Fire & Movement]]'' (1982–1985): A wargaming magazine purchased from Baron Publishing—sold to Diverse Talents in 1985
* ''[[Autoduel Quarterly]]'' (1983–1992): Home for ''Car Wars'' material moved from ''The Space Gamer''
* ''Fantasy Gamer'' (1983–1984): Short-lived magazine split from ''Space Gamer''
* ''Roleplayer'' (1986–1993): Replaced ''The Space Gamer'' as the company's periodical for their fan base until SJGames started the new generalist magazine ''Pyramid''
* ''[[Pyramid (magazine)|Pyramid]]'' (1993–1998): Published for 30 issues as a print magazine
* ''Pyramid'', volume 2 (1998–2008): Published weekly as a subscription-based online magazine
* ''[[Journal of the Travellers Aid Society]]'' (starting 2000): SJ Games resurrected [[Game Designers' Workshop]]'s earlier periodical as an online magazine
* ''d20 Weekly'' (2002–2003): An online magazine devoted to the [[d20 System|d20]] market
* ''Pyramid'', volume 3 (starting 2008): A PDF-only version of the magazine

==Mentions in third-party media==
In ''[[Uplink (video game)|Uplink]]'', a 2001 [[Hacker (computer security)|computer hacking]] simulation game by British software company [[Introversion Software]], there is a company named Steve Jackson Games. While this company may occasionally offer hacking contracts to the player, its main feature is a Public Access Server which, if accessed, displays the following information:

<blockquote>'''<big>Steve Jackson Games</big>'''
Public Access Server

{{smalldiv|ATTENTION

This computer system has been seized<br />
by the United States Secret Service<br />
in the interests of National Security.

Your IP has been logged.}}</blockquote>

This jokingly refers to the [[Steve Jackson Games, Inc. v. United States Secret Service|1990 raid by the US Secret Service]]. As noted in the Ultimate Uplink Guide, this was "put into the game because of the Secret Service Raid on the company, for supposedly making a 'Hacking Guide'. This guide was actually a work of total fiction for a game the company was making, and contained technology that didn't even exist".<ref>[http://guide.modlink.net/section5.php The Ultimate Uplink Guide]. Retrieved 2014-10-07.</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.sjgames.com Steve Jackson Games' official web site]
* [http://www.sjgames.com/general/news_stories/880418_fantasy.html "Fantasy for Fun and Profit"]: an article about the company from the ''[[Austin American-Statesman]]'', April 18, 1988
* {{bgg publisher|19}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jackson, Steve}}
[[Category:Board game publishing companies]]
[[Category:Card game publishing companies]]
[[Category:American companies established in 1980]]
[[Category:Privately held companies based in Texas]]
[[Category:Role-playing game publishing companies]]
[[Category:Companies based in Austin, Texas]]