Jeff Strain

'''Jeff Strain''' is an American entrepreneur, CEO, and founder of three independent video game studios, most recently Possibility Space.

In 2000, Strain cofounded ArenaNet, where he worked as an executive producer and programmer on the popular online roleplaying game ''Guild Wars''. ArenaNet was acquired by NCSoft in 2002, and Strain went on to become President of Product Development for the company's North American and European operations.

Strain left NCSoft in 2009<ref>{{Cite web |last=Magrino |first=Magrino |date=August 12, 2009 |title=Guild Wars cocreator leaves NCsoft |website=GameSpot |url=http://uk.gamespot.com/news/6215166.html?tag=latestheadlines;title;1 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110917200819/http://uk.gamespot.com/news/6215166.html?tag=latestheadlines;title;1 |archive-date=2011-09-17 |access-date=2009-08-12}}</ref> and founded Undead Labs, creators of zombie survival series ''State of Decay.'' Microsoft acquired Undead Labs in 2018, and Jeff Strain left the studio shortly after in 2019.<ref>{{cite web |last=Gach |first=Ethan |date=March 31, 2022 |title=Allegations Of Sexism, Bullying, And Burnout: Inside The Microsoft Studio Behind State Of Decay 3 |website=Kotaku |url=https://kotaku.com/state-of-decay-3-xbox-series-x-s-sexism-microsoft-undea-1848728682 |access-date=January 10, 2026}}</ref> As of August 2021, ''State of Decay 2'' had over 10 million players worldwide.

In August of 2021, Strain published an open letter, calling for full unionization in the games industry.<ref>{{cite web |last=Kim |first=Matt |title=Former Blizzard Developer and ArenaNet, Undead Labs Founder: "We Need Unionization" |website=IGN |date=30 July 2021 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/jeff-strain-its-time-letter-unionize-games-industry |language=en |access-date=2021-11-22}}</ref>

In 2021, Jeff founded Possibility Space, a distributed studio based in New Orleans, LA. According to a press release, Strain and his team were working on "a joyful game that's been [his] dream for many years."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Announcement {{!}} Possibility Space |url=https://www.possibility.co/announcement |access-date=2021-11-22 |website=www.possibility.co}}</ref> In an interview, Strain said the game would be a AAA title.<ref>{{cite web |last=McCaffrey |first=Ryan |title=State of Decay Studio Founder Jeff Strain Starts New Studio, Possibility Space |website=IGN |date=13 October 2021 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/possibility-space-new-studio-jeff-strain-undead-labs-microsoft-blizzard-arenanet |language=en |access-date=2021-11-22}}</ref> On April 12, 2024, Strain closed the studio citing "cancellation of the publishing relationship" and an as-yet-unpublished article from Kotaku reporter Ethan Gach,<ref>{{Cite tweet |last=Carpenter |first=Nicole |date=April 12, 2024 |user=sweetpotatoes |title=In a bizarre studio closure and layoff message to staff, Possibility Space owner Jeff Strain blamed the studio closure on employees leaking information to the press. |language=en |number=1778837645797335183}}</ref> which had also allegedly prompted the closure of Crop Circle Games, a related studio and part of Strain's umbrella corporation, Prytania Media, a few days earlier.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Strain |first=Annie Delisi |date=April 4, 2024 |title=A Statement by Former Prytania Media CEO Annie Delisi Strain |url=https://cropcircle.co/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240404231634/https://cropcircle.co/ |archive-date=April 4, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Sinclair |first=Brendan |date=2024-04-12 |title=Possibility Space shuts down |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/possibility-space-shuts-down |access-date=2024-04-12 |website=GamesIndustry.biz |language=en}}</ref>

Strain previously worked as a lead programmer on Blizzard Entertainment's MMORPG ''World of Warcraft;'' he also created the ''StarCraft'' campaign editor and worked on ''Diablo'' and ''Warcraft III.''

==References== {{reflist}}

== External links == * [http://www.guildwars.com/events/tradeshows/gc2007/gcspeech.php How to Create a Successful MMO], Strain's 2007 Games Convention speech * [http://www.mmozed.com MMOZed], Community website following Undead Labs

{{DEFAULTSORT:Strain, Jeff}} Category:Video game programmers Category:American video game designers Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people)