Cryptic Studios logo
Founded in 2000 and based in Los Gatos, CA, Cryptic Studios is a wholly owned Perfect World subsidiary and developer of massively-multiplayer online games, one of which is Star Trek Online. Cryptic first developed the games City of Heroes and City of Villains, both run by Paragon Studios until November 30, 2012, as well as the superhero-themed Champions Online. Their current projects include Neverwinter Online and a development of Magic: The Gathering.
On May 18, 2011 Atari announced it intended to sell Cryptic Studios as Atari planned to focus on other markets. On May 31, Perfect World Entertainment announced they would buy Cryptic and the acquisition was completed August 9 for a total price of $49.8 million.
About Cryptic Studios[ | ]
Cryptic Studios is a developer of massively multiplayer online role playing games, with a signature style being extreme versatility in player customization. It developed the innovative and successful City of Heroes, as well as its subsequent expansion, City of Villains. Their titles have received several major rewards:
- City of Heroes: GameSpy's Game of the Year (2004), Games Magazine: Game of the Year (2004), Spike TV 2004 Video Game Awards: MMORPG Game of the Year (2004), Computer Gaming World: MMORPG Game of the Year (2004), Beckett Massive Online Gamer: Best Sci-Fi/Superhero Game (2009)
- City of Villains: WarCry's Best Expansion E3 (2004)
- Star Trek Online: Massive Online Gamer's Best New MMO (2010)
Star Trek Online team[ | ]
Developers[ | ]
| Position | Name | Handle | Forum posts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Producer | Andre Emerson | |||
| Principal Lead Designer | Al Rivera | CaptainGeko | crypticgeko | CaptainGeko |
| Lead Artist | Michael Panov | |||
| Lead Ship/UI Artist | Thomas Marrone | ThomastheCrypticCat | crypticttc | Cryptic_TtC |
| Ship Artist | Ian Richards | JamJamz | captjamjamz | STO_JamJamz |
| Senior Character Artist | Ian Castaneda | |||
| Character Artist | Joe Jing | crypticjoejing | ||
| Junior Character Artist | Jorge Castillo | |||
| Senior Concept Artist | Hector Ortiz | |||
| Lead Environmental Artist | Scot Boyd | |||
| Senior Environmental Artist | Nick Duguid | Tacofangs | tacofangs | Tumerboy |
| Environmental Artist | Samuel Wall | S_Wall | SWall_Art | |
| Environmental Artist | Adam Flores | |||
| Environmental Artist | Donny Versiga | |||
| Principal Artist | Jeremy Mattson | |||
| VFX Artist | Chris Menard | |||
| Staff Game Designer | Jesse Heinig | JHeinig | jheinig | JesseHeinig |
| Lead Systems Designer | Jeremy Randall | BorticusCryptic | borticuscryptic | BorticusCryptic |
| Senior Systems Designer | Phil Zeleski | Gorngonzolla | gorngonzolla | |
| Staff Systems Designer | Robert Hrouda | |||
| Systems Designer | Jette Leavens | crypticspartan | ||
| Systems Designer | Matthew Campbell | |||
| Staff Content Designer | Ryon Levitt | melange | LevittOrLeaveIt | |
| Staff Content Designer | Jaddua Ross | quantummeerkat | ||
| Content Designer/Writer | Paul Reed | |||
| Content Designer | Tiffany Chu | |||
| Staff Writer | Jay Turner | |||
| Quality Assurance | ??? | chrian | chrian | |
| Audio Director/Sound Designer | Michael Henry | |||
| Staff Programmer | Mark Blattel | |||
| Programmer | ??? | trythree | trythree | |
| Programmer | ??? | engineerb4 | engineerb4 |
Support[ | ]
| Position | Name | Handle | Forum Posts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lead Game Master | GMDestra | |||
| Game Master | GMNova | |||
| Game Master | GMPalontir | |||
| Game Master | GMTiyshen | Cryptic_Tiyshen | ||
| Game Master | GMDrannic | |||
| Game Master | XLibraX | |||
| Community Manager | Mike Fatum | ambassadorkael | AmbassadorKael | |
| Community Manager (German) | "Nevandon" | pwnevandon | sto_nevandon | |
| Forum Moderator | InfoNinja | |||
| Forum Moderator | Q | |||
| Forum moderator | zaaerus | |||
| Chad | Chaddington | |||
| Tech Support | darthpanda16 | |||
| Selaphiel | ||||
| Mapolis | ||||
| Blue-Crusader | ||||
| Blue_Fire | ||||
| Red-Ice | ||||
| Zodiac | ||||
| munkyboi | ||||
| Red_Panda |
Cryptic associates[ | ]
- Chief Executive Officer - Stephen D'Angelo
Major project responsibilities[ | ]
(Strikethrough indicates a developer no longer performing that role.)
- Crafting: Borticus
- Department Head system: CaptainGeko
- Dilithium economy: JHeinig
- Duty officer system:
Heretic;Archon; Borticus - Fleet starbase:
Heretic; JHeinig - PvP:
Gozer;Chris Dods - STO Gateway:
POZ
No longer on the Star Trek Online team[ | ]
| Last Position | Name | Handle | Forum Posts | Departure | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Producer | Stephen 'Steve' Ricossa Jr | Salami_Inferno | salamiinferno | Salami_Inferno | 2018 |
| Lead Producer | Maria Rosseau | ZeroniusRex | zer0niusrex | 2018 | |
| Associate Producer | Kiera Castner | doctorbeepboop | 2018 | ||
| Content Designer | Kate Bankson | Shelana | KateMakesStuff | Mar 2017 | |
| Content Designer | Sean McCann | CommanderAnder | commanderander | Feb 2017 | |
| Community Manager | Morrigan | pwlaughingtrendy | pwlaughingtrendy | LaughingTrendy | Feb 02, 2017 |
| Content Designer | Chris Dods | mrodds | Nov 2016 | ||
| Lead Character Artist | Matt Highison | mhighison | CrypticMatt | Nov 2015 | |
| Senior Character Artist | Steven Ekholm | Sep 2015 | |||
| Lead Writer | Christine Thompson | Kestrel | cryptickestrel | Cryptic_Kestrel | July 24, 2015 |
| Quality Assurance | JTFrost | crypticfrost | crypticfrost | July 24, 2015 | |
| Ship Artist | Nick Quackenbush | crypticquack | _quackles | June 05, 2015 | |
| Community Manager | Trevor McNesby | pwecaptainsmirk | TheCaptainSmirk | March 16, 2015 | |
| Designer | Matt Miller | ManyThingsDeck | March 16, 2015 | ||
| Executive Producer | Stephen D'Angelo | sdangelo | February 02, 2015 | ||
| Ship Artist | Jeff Miller | lcdrmiller | JMiller_Artist | November 17, 2014 | |
| Lead Producer | Andy Velasquez | June 2014 | |||
| Community Manager | Brandon Felczer | PWE_BranFlakes | pwebranflakes | PWE_BranFlakes | April 11, 2014 |
| Executive Producer | Daniel Stahl | dstahl | January 14, 2014 | ||
| Content Designer | Josh Ferguson | Jan 2014 | |||
| Systems Designer | Andrew Rowe | Archon | archoncryptic | Aug 2013 | |
| Environmental Artist | Denis Osmanbegovic | CrypticDenis | Aug 2013 | ||
| Lead Content Designer | Scott Shicoff | Goatshark | goatshark | July 2013 | |
| Environmental Artist | Sam Rucks | May 2013 | |||
| Programmer | Rehpic | rehpic | 2013 | ||
| Content Designer | Dan Griffis | Gozer | devgozer | Dev_Gozer | August, 2012 |
| Senior Systems Designer | Geoff Tuffli | Heretic | crypticheretic | June 22, 2012 | |
| Ship Artist | Adam Williams | CapnLogan | CapnLogan | March 20, 2012 | |
| Quality Assurance | Michael Brown | Beltoram | Beltoram | December 8, 2011 | |
| Online Community Representative | Gesine Fischer | WishStone | Cryptic_Wishy | August 19, 2011 | |
| Community Manager (German) | Stefan Recht | Denadoro | StefanRecht | 2012 | |
| Assistant Producer | Vincent Malley | Terramak | Terramak | June 2011 | |
| Combat Systems Designer | Steve Nix | Snix | March 2011 | ||
| Executive Producer | Craig Zinkievich | Zinc | July 2010 | ||
| Environmental Artist | Roman Stepanov | May 2010 | |||
| Online Community Representative | Joe Blancato | Rekhan | joeblancato | ||
| Online Community Representative | David Bass | Daeke | |||
| Quality Assurance | DScotty | ||||
| Infrastructure Programmer | coderanger | ||||
| UI Programmer | Matthew Kenneally | mkenneally | |||
| Staff Systems Designer | Jonathan Steady | crypticrock | |||
| Lead Quality Assurance | Phil Fark | Farktoid5000 | farktoid5000 | CrypticEQAH | 2016 |
| Lead Programmer | Daniel Razza | flyingtarg | |||
| UI Programmer | Joshua Moline | FallingSky | crypticfallingsky | ||
| Lead Content Designer | Charles Gray | ||||
| Programmer | CrypticCliff | crypticCliff | |||
| Quality Assurance | Rose Willard | 2019(?) |
- Former Cryptic associates
Chief Executive Officer - Jack EmmertChief Operating Officer - Craig ZinkievichChief Financial Officer - Hindol Datta