Soren Johnson, game designer (Civ III, Civ IV, Spore, Old World)

Soren Johnson is an American programmer and game designer whose work has helped shape the modern strategy genre. After earning a master’s degree in Computer Science from Stanford University, he joined Firaxis Games, where he worked as both a programmer and designer on Civilization III before going on to lead the design of Civilization IV, one of the most celebrated strategy games yet made.

Over the years he has contributed to a wide range of projects, including Spore, Dragon Age Legends, and Offworld Trading Company, bringing a distinctive blend of historical insight, systemic thinking, and player-driven design. Today he is the founder and design director of Mohawk Games, where he recently led the development of the acclaimed historical strategy game Old World. Alongside his development work, he continues to explore the craft of game design through his long-running blog and podcast, both of which are titled “Designer Notes”.

Soren Johnson – website & podcast

Soren Johnson – Designer Notes blog

Designer Notes podcast – episode archive

Designer Notes – Apple Podcasts

Designer Notes – Spotify

Mohawk Games & Old World

Mohawk Games – official site

Old World – official page

Old World – Steam

Old World – GOG