''Mohawk Games'' is an American

video game developer A video game developer is a software developer specializing in video game development – the process and related disciplines of creating video games. A game developer can range from one person who undertakes all tasks to a large business with em ...

based in

Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...

, known for releasing the

strategy video game Strategy video game is a major Video game genres, video game genre that focuses on analyzing and strategizing over direct quick reaction in order to secure success. Although many types of video games can contain strategic elements, the strategy ...

s ''

Offworld Trading Company ''Offworld Trading Company'' is a real-time strategy (RTS) video game developed by Mohawk Games and published by Stardock. The game was released for Microsoft Windows and OS X in April 2016. Gameplay ''Offworld Trading Company'' is a science fic ...

'' and ''

Old World The "Old World" () is a term for Afro-Eurasia coined by Europeans after 1493, when they became aware of the existence of the Americas. It is used to contrast the continents of Africa, Europe, and Asia in the Eastern Hemisphere, previously ...

''.

History

Mohawk games was co-founded in 2013 by

Firaxis Firaxis Games, Inc. is an American video game developer based in Sparks, Maryland. The company was founded in May 1996 by Sid Meier, Jeff Briggs, and Brian Reynolds following their departure from MicroProse, Meier's earlier venture. They we ...

veterans Soren Johnson and Dorian Newcomb. The studio is based in

Hunt Valley, Maryland Hunt Valley is an unincorporated area, unincorporated community in Baltimore County, Maryland, Baltimore County, Maryland, United States, near the site of the Maryland Hunt Cup Steeplechase (horse racing), Steeplechase. It lies just north of th ...

, home to several video game studios that could trace their lineage back to

Microprose MicroProse is an American video game publisher and video game developer, developer founded by Bill Stealey, Sid Meier, and Andy Hollis in 1982. It developed and published numerous games, including starting the ''Civilization (series), Civilizat ...

from the 1980s, a studio that itself had veterans who formed Firaxis. The studio was founded as part of the Stardock strategic investment fund to promote strategy game development. According to later President Leyla Johnson, "the small studio once comprised solely white men" early in its foundation, as part of an industry trend in the early 2010s. The studio's first effort was an economic

real-time strategy game Real-time strategy (RTS) is a subgenre of strategy video games that does not progress incrementally in turns, but allow all players to play simultaneously, in "real time." By contrast, in turn-based strategy (TBS) games, players take turns to pl ...

called ''

'', for the PC. Johnson has said that he prefers developing for the PC because of the lack of gatekeepers. The game was published by Stardock Entertainment. ''Offworld Trading Company'' featured music from

Grammy The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...

-award-winning composer

Christopher Tin Christopher Chiyan Tin (born May 21, 1976) is an American composer of art music, composing for film, television, and video game soundtracks. His work is primarily orchestral and choral, often with a world music influence. He is a two-time Gramm ...

, an old roommate of Soren Johnson who also provided the soundtrack for

Civilization IV ''Civilization IV'' (also known as ''Sid Meier's Civilization IV'') is a 2005 4X turn-based strategy video game developed by Firaxis Games and published by 2K. It is the fourth installment of the ''Civilization'' series and was designed by S ...

. ''Offworld Trading Company'' entered

Steam Steam is water vapor, often mixed with air or an aerosol of liquid water droplets. This may occur due to evaporation or due to boiling, where heat is applied until water reaches the enthalpy of vaporization. Saturated or superheated steam is inv ...

Early Access Early access, also known as alpha access, alpha founding, paid alpha, or game preview, is a funding model in the video game industry by which consumers can purchase and play a game in the various pre-release Software release life cycle, developm ...

program in 2015, and was eventually released in 2016. After its launch, Brad Wardell, who has served as President stepped down and promoted Dorian Newcomb as President. In 2018, Mohawk announced a new strategy game published by

Starbreeze Starbreeze AB is a Swedish video game developer and Video game publisher, publisher based in Stockholm. The studios's notable games developed include ''The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay'', ''Payday 2'' and ''Brothers: A Tale o ...

called ''10 Crowns'', a title which they later changed to ''

''. Mohawk used ''Old World'' as an opportunity to improve on Johnson's work on '' Civilization 3'', focusing on AI and diplomacy that would feel more immersive and less like a game. In 2019, their Sweden-based publisher encountered financial issues, and sold the rights to Mohawk's upcoming game back to them. Soren Johnson stepped down as CEO and was succeeded by Leyla Johnson, who prioritized greater gender equity at the studio and in the broader game industry. By 2020, the studio had announced that it had successfully diversified their team and published a code of conduct.

Games developed

References

External links

* {{official website, https://mohawkgames.com/ 2013 establishments in Maryland American companies established in 2013 Companies based in Baltimore County, Maryland Video game companies established in 2013 Video game companies of the United States Video game development companies