Will Wright - Definition and Overview

Will Wright (born 1960 in Atlanta, Georgia) is an American computer game designer and co-founder of Maxis. He is best known as the original designer of the two ground-breaking computer games SimCity and The Sims.

Wright's start at game design was an unconventional one. Beginning with a start at an architecture degree, followed by mechanical engineering, he fell into computers and robotics. Five years of college later did not produce a degree. His path did, however lead him to create the best-selling SimCity and eventually to the best selling computer game of all time, The Sims.

In 2002, Wright became the fifth person to be inducted into the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences' Hall of Fame. The first to receive that honor was Shigeru Miyamoto from Nintendo.

In an interview published in February 2003, Will claims that games were absorbing so much of his time, he decided that perhaps making games was the way to go. Wright's first game was Raid on Bungeling Bay for the Commodore 64. He hopes to inspire others to take risks in game creation.1

For bringing simulations to the mass market, Wright was awarded the PC Magazine Lifetime Acheivement Award in January 2005.

External links

• MobyGames' entry on Wright (http://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId=4217/)
• IGN intereview with Wright (http://pc.ign.com/articles/095/095879p1.html), circa June 2001
• GameSpy interview with Wright on Sims 2 (http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/the-sims-2/541453p1.html), circa Aug 2004
• PC Magazine article on their award to Wright (http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1744186,00.asp)