Who founded Decipher, Inc. and when was it established?
Warren Holland founded Decipher, Inc. in 1983 in Norfolk, Virginia. The company began by designing and marketing contest puzzle games.
Questions about Decipher, Inc.
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What was the first major collectible card game Decipher, Inc. released?
Decipher's first major collectible card game was the Star Trek: The Next Generation Customizable Card Game, released in November 1994. The license was acquired from Paramount in December 1993, and the game was first previewed at Gen Con in August 1994.
How did Decipher, Inc. lose the Star Wars card game license?
Decipher lost the Star Wars license at the end of 2001, which ended production on all three of its Star Wars card games simultaneously. The source does not specify the party that acquired the license or the reason it was not renewed.
What happened with the embezzlement scandal at Decipher, Inc.?
Rick Eddleman, VP of Finances at Decipher since 1993 and the brother-in-law of founder Warren Holland, pleaded guilty in March 2009 to embezzling over $1.5 million from the company since the year 2000. On the 27th of July 2009 he was sentenced to six years and five months in prison, and Decipher won a civil settlement of $8.9 million against him.
What Origins Awards did Decipher, Inc. games win?
Decipher won the 2001 Origins Award for Best Trading Card Game for The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game, the 2002 Origins Award for Best Role-playing Game for The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying Game, and the 2003 Origins Award for Best Tradeable Card Game for the .hack//Enemy Trading Card Game.
What is the Star Wars Customizable Card Game Players Committee?
The Star Wars Customizable Card Game Players Committee, known as the SWCCGPC, was formed by Decipher employees and volunteers after Decipher lost the Star Wars license in 2001. Decipher donated over one million dollars in product, promotional materials, and financial backing to support the organization, which has created several new virtual card sets for the game since 2002.