CV

 

For press kit or bio materials for speaking engagements or otherwise, please visit the Press Kit page.

For a less detailed but similar set of information, please visit my LinkedIn profile.

Raphael R. Koster

Summary

A professional game designer and frequent writer on issues of interactive design, Raph Koster was named an Online Game Legend at the GDC Online Awards in 2012. He is currently the founder and CEO of Playable Worlds, Inc., a developer of immersive online worlds.

He was the original creative lead on the seminal online world ULTIMA ONLINE, which first brought online worlds to the mass market. From June 2003 to March 2006 he was Chief Creative Officer for Sony Online Entertainment, makers of EVERQUEST, where he previously led the design of STAR WARS GALAXIES.

After departing SOE, Koster founded Metaplace, a virtual world startup funded by Crescendo Ventures, Charles River Ventures, and Marc Andreessen & Ben Horowitz. Metaplace created groundbreaking patented technology that allowed the creation of cloud-based games and virtual worlds, making games “work the way the web does.” Metaplace operated a portal site, METAPLACE.COM, where users could create their own worlds. Metaplace then moved into social games, creating ISLAND LIFE and MY VINEYARD before being acquired by Playdom in 2010.

He worked as Vice President of Creative Design at Playdom/Disney, where he served as creative director for DEEP REALMS and unannounced titles, as well as continuing to work on technology. He departed Disney/Playdom in April of 2013. For the next six years he worked as an independent designer and consultant, as well an advisor to a variety of startups. His clients included Facebook, Google, Activision, Unity, Wooga, and more.

In 2018 he founded Playable Worlds to develop the next generation of immersive online worlds.

His essays and writings on online world design include widely reprinted and influential pieces such as “Declaring the Rights of Players,” “The Laws of Online World Design,” and “A Story About a Tree.” He is in demand as a speaker and lecturer on issues of game design, community building, and online society. He is a regular speaker at the Game Developers Conference, and is the maintainer of the canonical history of virtual worlds at his website, https://www.raphkoster.com. His book A THEORY OF FUN FOR GAME DESIGN was published in 2004 by Paraglyph Press (now from O’Reilly), with a 10th anniversary edition in 2014, and is used in several university courses as study material and available in a half-dozen languages. In 2015 he released a poetry collection, SUNDAY POEMS, and in 2018 the first volume of his selected essays, POSTMORTEMS.

Degrees

1995:

1992:

  • B.A., Magna cum laude, English and Spanish (departmental honors in both), Washington College, Chestertown, MD
    • Thesis: An Extended Family (short stories) — honors
    • Thesis: The Path (translation from Spanish of El Camino by Miguel Delibes) — honors

Career

2018-present

2021:

  • WADDLE DOWNTOWN, tabletop game co-designed with Isaac Shalev and published by WizKids.

2020:

2013-2018

  • Independent designer and consultant, with clients including
    • Google
    • Unity
    • Facebook
    • Activision
    • Wooga
    • NTN Buzztime
    • Vicarious Visions
    • Bartlet Jones Supernatural Detective Agency
    • Next Games
    • Blitz
    • and more
  • Board of Advisors, PullString, formerly Toytalk
  • Board of Advisors, Gamxing
  • Board of Advisors, ArtCraft
  • Board of Advisors, Bit Fry

2018

  • While serving as a design consultant to Google, we launched two multiplayer AR games where I was involved in detailed design work:

2017

  • MVEM Build 15, a new version of the emulator for the Milton Bradley Microvision.

2015

2014-2015

2010-2013

  • Playdom/Disney
    • Vice President of Creative Design. Internal design consultant, occasionally led titles.
    • Member of Disney Interactive’s internal creative council.
    • Creative Director, DEEP REALMS
    • Creative Director, unannounced/not shipped titles

2006-2010

  • Metaplace Inc, also known as Areae Inc
    • President and Chairman. Founded the company, fundraised successfully from Silicon Valley, ideated core technology. Eventually sold to Playdom.
    • METAPLACE.COM
    • ISLAND LIFE
    • MY VINEYARD
    • LEGENDARY TREASURE

2003-2006

  • Sony Online Entertainment
    • Chief Creative Officer. Worked with teams at key milestones. Troubleshooter for troubled projects. Managed R&D department for speculative technologies; developed new patentable tech. Substantial company PR work. Developed pitches and interfaced with potential licensors in Hollywood and other media.
    • Additional Writing, UNTOLD LEGENDS

2000-2003:

1995-2000:

  • Origin Systems

    • Designer/Creative Lead (1995-1997). Responsible for designing game systems, narrative, worldbuilding, some technical art, leading team creatively.
    • Lead Designer (1997-2000). Responsible for managing design team while working closely with art and programming. Significant involvement in community relations.

1994:

  • Designer of NEXUS, shareware game published by Moraffware.

Distinctions

2023:

  • Featured in THE MAKING OF KARATEKA, by Digital Eclipse

2021:

  • Featured in THROUGH THE MOONGATE, PART II, by Andrea Contato

2019:

2018:

  • Featured in BRAVING BRITANNIA by Wes Locher
  • Featured in GALAXIES: AN EMPIRE REMEMBERED by James Crosby

2017:

2016:

2015:

2014:

2013:

2012:

  • Online Game Legend Award, Game Developers Conference Online 2012
  • All-TIME 100 Video Games, ULTIMA ONLINE, Time Magazine

2011:

2009:

  • Top 20 Most Influential People in the MMO industry, Beckett MMO Gamer Magazine

2008:

2007:

  • METAPLACE.COM, Audience Award at TechCrunch 40.

2006:

2005:

2004:

  • STAR WARS GALAXIES, SpikeTV Game Awards
    • Nominee, Game of the Year
    • Nominee, Best Online Game
    • Nominee, Best Fantasy Game
  • STAR WARS GALAXIES, Online Game of the Year
    • Game Industry News
    • 1up.com (Electronic Gaming Monthly, Computer Gaming World, etc) Reader’s Choice
    • 1up.com, Editor’s Choice
    • IGN Editor’s Choice
    • IGN Reader’s Choice
  • STAR WARS GALAXIES, Game of the Year
    • Cinescape

2003:

  • STAR WARS GALAXIES, Game Critics Awards (Electronic Entertainment Expo)
    • Nominee, Best Online Multiplayer Game

2002:

2001:

  • STAR WARS GALAXIES, Game Critics Awards (Electronic Entertainment Expo)
    • Runner-up, Best of Show
    • PC Game of Show
    • Best Online Multiplayer

1998:

  • Online Game of the Year, ULTIMA ONLINE: THE SECOND AGE, The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences

1997:

  • Online Game of the Year, ULTIMA ONLINE
    • The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences
    • C|NET Gamecenter
    • Online Gaming Review (Editor’s Choice)
    • Online Gaming Review (Player’s Choice)
    • AllAbout Games (Gamer’s Choice Award)
    • GAME.EXE Magazine (Russia) Finalist/nominee
    • Computer Games Strategy Plus
  • Game of the Year nominee, ULTIMA ONLINE
    • Computer Gaming World (reader’s choice)
  • Game of the Year runner-up, ULTIMA ONLINE
    • GAME.EXE Magazine (Russia)
  • Roleplaying Game of the Year, runner-up/nominee/honorable mention
    • Academy of Gaming Arts and Design
    • PC Gamer (Gamer’s Choice Award)
    • Online Gaming Review (Editor’s Choice)
    • Computer Gaming World (Reader’s Choice)
  • Computer Game Developers’ Association (Spotlight Award)
  • C|NET Award for Internet Excellence, ULTIMA ONLINE
  • CESA (Computer Entertainment Software Academy, Japan)
    • Special Recognition Award for Outstanding Accomplishment in a New Arena, ULTIMA ONLINE

1993-1995:

1992-1993:

  • Graduate Council Fellowship, University of Alabama

1992:

  • George Washington Medal (awarded to the senior displaying greatest promise of understanding and realizing in life and work the ideals of a liberal education), Washington College
  • Henry Salloch Prize (given each year to a student or students in recognition of academic achievement and personal commitment to the understanding of other cultures), Washington College
  • Emil J. C. Hildenbrand Memorial Medal, English Dept. Prize & honors, Washington College

1990:

  • Sophie Kerr Scholar, Washington College, Chestertown, MD

Publications

2023:

2022:

  • A THEORY OF FUN FOR GAME DESIGN, Ukrainian edition. Published by ArtHuss.
  • A THEORY OF FUN FOR GAME DESIGN, Spanish edition. Published by Parramon.

2018:

2017:

  • A THEORY OF FUN FOR GAME DESIGN 2nd Ed., Simplified Chinese.
  • A THEORY OF FUN FOR GAME DESIGN 2nd Ed., Traditional Chinese.
  • A THEORY OF FUN FOR GAME DESIGN 2nd Ed., Korean.

2015:

  • A THEORY OF FUN FOR GAME DESIGN, new Chinese edition. Published by Posts & Telecom.
  • SUNDAY POEMS, published by Altered Tuning Press.
  • “On Getting Criticism” in TABLE TOP GAME DESIGN FOR VIDEO GAME DESIGNERS, by Ethan Ham.

2013:

2009:

2008:

2006:

2004:

2003:

2001:

  • Acoustic guitar soundtrack to television shows PASSION MOTONEIGE (Reseau des Sports) and QUEBEC EN MOTONEIGE (Canal Evasion).

1994:

1991-92:

  • Various publications of poetry and fiction in college magazines
  • Editorship of various college magazines

Presentations

2023:

2022:

2021:

2020:

2019:

2018:

2017:

2016:

2015:

2014:

2013:

2012:

2011:

2010:

2009:

2008:

2007:

2006:

2005:

2004:

2003:

2002:

2001:

2000:

1999:

  • “Current and Future Developments in Online Games” Opening address (never delivered, had to cancel at the last moment), Online Games ’99 (London, November)
  • “Building A Better World: Managing Online Gaming Communities Effectively” Panelist, VR Worldcon, September ’99
  • Special guest, VR Worldcon ’99- part of AussieCon3, 57th WorldCon)
  • “Virtual Worlds: A Live Interactive Presentation” Lecture, Austin Museum of Art, April 22nd
  • “The Laws of Massively Multiplayer Online Worlds” Co-presenter, Game Developers Conference, March 20-24
  • “Managing Deviant Behavior in Online Communities”Panelist, MediaMOO Conference, March

1998:

  • “The Rules of Massively Multiplayer Games” Co-presenter, Austin RoadTrip Game Developers Conference, November

Major Interviews, Articles, and Press

2023:

2022:

2021:

2020:

2019:

2018:

2017:

2016:

  • Interview, Getting2Alpha
  • Interview, GameAssembly

2015:

2014:

2013:

2011:

2010:

2009:

2008:

2007:

2006:

2005:

2002:

2001:

2000:

1999:

1998:

Professional Memberships and Advisory Panels

Hobbies

  • Songwriting and playing guitar. One CD released, AFTER THE FLOOD, 1999. Music used on television for two series.
  • Writing (mostly speculative) fiction and poetry. Past member of Turkey City, the seminal Austin cyberpunk writing workshop.
  • Avid reading of SF and fantasy.
  • Retro game emulation, including contribution to emulator software projects.