Van Caneghem started New World Computing in 1983 and grew it to become one of the largest development houses in the computer games industry. The company was later acquired by 3DO. Van Caneghem created the Might and Magic and Heroes series and turned them into two of the industry's most successful titles, with more than 20 million units in combined sales. Each title holds hall of fame status and has been ported to virtually every gaming platform available. They have also been translated into more than fifteen languages. At NCsoft he'll begin work on a new, unannounced online game project.
"NCsoft has quickly established itself as a creative and technical leader in the online games industry," said Van Caneghem. "They clearly understand where the online games business is going and see the huge potential that is has to offer. I'm excited to be joining a company with such expertise and I look forward to working with Richard Garriott and NCsoft's talented team of designers to create the next generation of massively multiplayer online games."
NCsoft executive, Richard Garriott, said, "I've always admired Jon's innovative approach to game design. His impressive background in the entertainment industry complements and further broadens the capabilities of our strong studio development team. I look forward to working with him to create the most innovative titles the industry has to offer."