Posted in: Games, Video Games | Tagged: Civilization, Civilization V, entertainment, games, Jon Shafer, paradox Interactive, video games

Civilization 5 Lead Designer Leaves Paradox Interactive After 6 Months

When Jon Shafer joined Paradox Interactive, it made a lot of sense. The lead designer of Civilization V joining the developer seemed like a match made in heaven. Both at the head of the 4X genre, in theory it could have produced some excellent content.

Sadly, it seems like it just didn't work out. After around six months, Shafer and the developer have decided to call it quits and go their separate ways. In a statement made by Paradox Interactive, creative differences seemed to be the reasoning for the departure. Executive Vice President of Studios Mattias Lilja said:

Jon is an ambitious person with a lot of drive and passion and he has led some good discussions in our teams over the past few months. However, during the course of these discussions, it has become clear that we want different things creatively and we have therefore taken the mutual decision that it is best to part ways. We wish Jon the very best in the next part of his career and would like to thank him for his efforts during his time with us.

Shafer has now announced in a post that he is going back to his successfully Kickstarted game At The Gates. In the statement, he also claims creative differences were the reason for the departure:

In the end it really was creative and cultural differences – I can't go into details and will simply leave it at that. I still love Paradox and its games, but things sadly just didn't work out. I'll still always be rooting for all my friends over there, and wish them the best of luck.

It's a shame. I'd have loved to see what he could have done with the developer.

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!