Bill Roper | |
---|---|
Born | |
Occupation(s) | Game designer, voice actor |
Bill Roper (born March 27, 1965) is an American video game designer and producer. He is a co-founder and the current Chief Creative Officer at AuthorDigital / Arcadia Games. Previously, he was Chief Creative Officer at Improbable. Roper was Vice President/GM at Disney Interactive Studios from 2011–2016, [3] and headed video game studios and creative and development departments for two decades, including divisions at Blizzard Entertainment, Flagship Studios, and Cryptic Studios. He is also an accomplished musician, and a founding member of the folk band The Poxy Boggards. [4]
Roper worked at Blizzard North and Blizzard Entertainment from 1994 to 2003, and was Vice President at Blizzard North at the time of his departure. [5] He served in senior production and design capacities on the Warcraft, StarCraft, and Diablo series. He also provided voice-over talent for numerous games. [6]
After his departure from Blizzard, Roper co-founded and held the position of CEO for Flagship Studios, the developer of Hellgate: London and Mythos (which was later released by HanbitSoft). [7] In early 2008, amidst rumors of layoffs within the company, [8] the company dissolved and lost the rights to both Mythos and Hellgate: London to Hanbitsoft and Comerica [9] respectively, after it secured financing with Texas-based Comerica Bank to support the continuing development of its franchises. [10] HanbitSoft currently owns the intellectual property rights to Mythos and Hellgate: London. [11]
In November 2008 Roper joined Cryptic Studios as Design Director and Executive Producer of their newest project, Champions Online. [12] In March 2010, Roper was promoted to Chief Creative Officer of Cryptic, replacing Jack Emmert after the latter transitioned to the role of Chief Operations Officer. [13] On August 16, 2010, Roper announced his departure from Cryptic Studios to join Disney. [14]
Roper was brought on to head the Marvel Franchise games created by Disney Interactive. [15] He was then promoted to VP/GM, Core Games when Alex Seropian left Disney. [16] While in this role, his Core Games group released Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two, Fantasia: Music Evolved, and Disney Infinity, the latter quickly rising to high levels of critical and commercial success. [17]
Roper was formerly Chief Creative Officer at Improbable. [18] In an interview with VentureBeat, Bill Roper unveiled the name of a new studio he founded, Lunacy Games, which is currently developing an "open world survival RPG set in the post-apocalyptic American West" as well as a sequel to 2007's Hellgate: London, codenamed Hellgate: Redemption [19]
Roper was named #41 in IGN's Top 100 Game Creators of All Time. [20]
Roper has worked on the following titles: [21]
Bill Roper | |
---|---|
Born | |
Occupation(s) | Game designer, voice actor |
Bill Roper (born March 27, 1965) is an American video game designer and producer. He is a co-founder and the current Chief Creative Officer at AuthorDigital / Arcadia Games. Previously, he was Chief Creative Officer at Improbable. Roper was Vice President/GM at Disney Interactive Studios from 2011–2016, [3] and headed video game studios and creative and development departments for two decades, including divisions at Blizzard Entertainment, Flagship Studios, and Cryptic Studios. He is also an accomplished musician, and a founding member of the folk band The Poxy Boggards. [4]
Roper worked at Blizzard North and Blizzard Entertainment from 1994 to 2003, and was Vice President at Blizzard North at the time of his departure. [5] He served in senior production and design capacities on the Warcraft, StarCraft, and Diablo series. He also provided voice-over talent for numerous games. [6]
After his departure from Blizzard, Roper co-founded and held the position of CEO for Flagship Studios, the developer of Hellgate: London and Mythos (which was later released by HanbitSoft). [7] In early 2008, amidst rumors of layoffs within the company, [8] the company dissolved and lost the rights to both Mythos and Hellgate: London to Hanbitsoft and Comerica [9] respectively, after it secured financing with Texas-based Comerica Bank to support the continuing development of its franchises. [10] HanbitSoft currently owns the intellectual property rights to Mythos and Hellgate: London. [11]
In November 2008 Roper joined Cryptic Studios as Design Director and Executive Producer of their newest project, Champions Online. [12] In March 2010, Roper was promoted to Chief Creative Officer of Cryptic, replacing Jack Emmert after the latter transitioned to the role of Chief Operations Officer. [13] On August 16, 2010, Roper announced his departure from Cryptic Studios to join Disney. [14]
Roper was brought on to head the Marvel Franchise games created by Disney Interactive. [15] He was then promoted to VP/GM, Core Games when Alex Seropian left Disney. [16] While in this role, his Core Games group released Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two, Fantasia: Music Evolved, and Disney Infinity, the latter quickly rising to high levels of critical and commercial success. [17]
Roper was formerly Chief Creative Officer at Improbable. [18] In an interview with VentureBeat, Bill Roper unveiled the name of a new studio he founded, Lunacy Games, which is currently developing an "open world survival RPG set in the post-apocalyptic American West" as well as a sequel to 2007's Hellgate: London, codenamed Hellgate: Redemption [19]
Roper was named #41 in IGN's Top 100 Game Creators of All Time. [20]
Roper has worked on the following titles: [21]