Stieg Hedlund Computer and video game developer, artist, writer Date of Birth: 01.01.1985

1. Stieg Hedlund: A Visionary Game Designer and Artist
2. Early Career and Passion for Design
3. The Blizzard Years and Diablo's Legacy
4. Post-Blizzard Projects
5. Personal Philosophy

Stieg Hedlund: A Visionary Game Designer and Artist

Born in 1985 in Portland, Oregon, Stieg Hedlund is a renowned game developer, artist, and writer with over two decades of experience in the electronic entertainment industry. Known for his expertise in action-RPG games, he has also contributed to strategy, shooter, action-adventure, and beat 'em up genres.

Early Career and Passion for Design

Hedlund's passion for game design ignited at an early age. In high school, he co-authored a successful comic book, and by the age of sixteen, he had become a pen-and-paper game designer, honing his skills in scenario writing, rule-making, and game balance.

His career in the industry began in 1987 with Infinity Software, a publisher of games for Macintosh, Commodore 64, and Amiga systems. He later joined Koei Corporation, where he developed titles such as "Liberty or Death," "Celtic Tales: Balor of the Evil Eye," "Gemfire," and "Saiyuki: Journey West."

The Blizzard Years and Diablo's Legacy

After a brief stint at Condor Software, Hedlund joined Sega Technical Institute, where he oversaw projects like "Die Hard Arcade," "Comix Zone," and "Sonic X-treme." His time at Sega was marked by his experience in Japan, which influenced his hiring by the company.

In 1996, Hedlund returned to Condor Software (later renamed Blizzard North) as the lead designer on "Diablo." The game's release was a critical and commercial success, setting new sales records and establishing Hedlund as a major force in the industry.

Building on the success of "Diablo," Hedlund developed "Diablo II" in 2000, which surpassed its predecessor in both sales and critical acclaim. The game became the second best-selling PC game worldwide, the best-selling PC RPG, and the fastest-selling game in history, according to the 2003 Guinness World Records.

Post-Blizzard Projects

After leaving Blizzard, Hedlund joined Konami as Creative Director, overseeing projects in the "Frogger" and "Contra" franchises. He later worked at Ubisoft/Red Storm Entertainment, contributing to "Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon 2" and "Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Lockdown."

Subsequent appointments included Perpetual Entertainment and the founding of his independent game company, Turpitude.

Personal Philosophy

Despite his renowned career, Hedlund has remained humble and appreciative of his colleagues. He prioritizes player feedback over industry accolades and believes in fostering a collaborative environment where all voices are heard. This approach has contributed to his enduring success and the creation of some of the most unforgettable video games in history.