

At one point, he was on the brink of homelessness, living in cheap motel rooms. He spoke fluent German, enjoyed composing sacred music, and was a tireless campaigner for public transportation. Photo courtesy of Kari Ann OwenĮventually, Warner drifted out of gaming, using his talents with computers in a variety of jobs. Owen says her time with Warner was the happiest days of her life. His roles at those companies were mostly as a coder and technology problem-solver, not as a game designer. He had no interest in celebrity, only in computers. But many who knew him say he was socially awkward, and would often react to praise of his games with bemusement. Being 6-foot-9 and more than 300 pounds added to a sense that he was a towering figure.

Those who recall working with Warner, including Firaxis founder Sid Meier and famed gaming musician Tommy Tallarico, say he was sometimes treated as a minor celebrity by co-workers who admired his games. Warner’s creation is now one of the most recognizable names in gaming.Īfter Muse collapsed, Warner went on to work at games various companies, including MicroProse and Virgin Interactive. Since 2014, the company has released four Wolfenstein games, including this year’s Wolfenstein: Youngblood.
Castle wolfenstein 3d maps software#
Carmack and Romero went on to create Doom, and to make a fortune.īethesda Softworks bought id Software in 2009, and so acquired the rights to Wolfenstein. That game was a prime mover in the developing popularity of first-person shooters, which continues to this day. Two of the company’s co-founders, John Carmack and John Romero, had both been fans of the original games, and wanted the name for their new World War II shooter, Wolfenstein 3D. In 1992, id Software bought the Wolfenstein name from the broker for $5,000. Its assets, including the Wolfenstein name, were picked up by a broker. He wasn’t much of a businessman, and the company went broke in 1987. Warner was trading as Muse Software during the time of his greatest successes. But unlike those who found fame and fortune from their work, he remains a somewhat obscure figure. Warner was one of the early game design pioneers. Silas Warner and Kari Ann Owen on their wedding day, March 23, 1996.
