Decipher, Inc.
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Gaming |
| Founded | 1983 |
| Founder | Warren Holland |
| Headquarters | Norfolk , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Warren Holland (founder) |
| Products | Collectible card games, role-playing games, party games, Pente sets |
Number of employees | Up to 90 (before layoffs in 2005) (2005) |
Decipher, Inc. is a gaming enterprise based in Norfolk, Virginia, United States. The company’s origins trace back to the release of three puzzles collectively known as "Decipher." Over time, their portfolio grew to include party games and Pente sets. Post-1994, Decipher redirected its efforts toward collectible card and role-playing game products, notably producing the enduring How to Host a Murder Mystery series. From 2002 onward, Decipher expanded into licensed role-playing games, including titles like the Star Trek RPG and The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying Game.
History
Established in 1983 by Warren Holland, Decipher’s initial focus was on puzzle contests that combined elements of jigsaw puzzles and cryptograms. This concept eventually evolved into their party game series How to Host a Murder. The company also acquired the rights to Pente from Parker Brothers, securing a lasting position within the gaming industry.
In 1993, designers Tom Braunlich and Rollie Tesh pitched a collectible card game centered on a media license to Decipher. Subsequently, the company obtained the license from Paramount for a Star Trek: The Next Generation CCG, officially launching it in November 1994 following a preview at Gen Con. Building on this success, Decipher secured the Star Wars Customizable Card Game license from Lucasfilm in 1995. Both titles consistently ranked among the top five collectible card games during their production periods, with Star Wars frequently trailing only behind Magic: The Gathering. In 1996, Decipher renegotiated its agreement with Paramount to broaden the Star Trek license beyond just TNG, encompassing other live-action series and films.
To appeal to younger demographics amid increasing competition from games like Pokémon, Decipher introduced the Young Jedi Collectible Card Game in 1999. This game featured visuals from recent Star Wars movies while retaining the original trilogy-based Star Wars CCG. That same year, they attempted to combine party and card gaming formats through the licensed Austin Powers Collectible Card Game, which was discontinued shortly after its initial launch due to poor reception.
In 2001, Decipher released the computer-generated image-based Jedi Knights Trading Card Game and obtained licenses for the new Lord of the Rings films. However, later that year they lost the Star Wars license, which resulted in halting production of all related games.
Venturing into role-playing games in 2002, Decipher acquired assets from Last Unicorn Games, enabling them to develop both the Star Trek and Lord of the Rings RPGs utilizing their proprietary CODA System. Additionally, they reintroduced the Star Trek CCG with a streamlined 2nd Edition.
In 2003, aiming at younger players amid dominance by Yu-Gi-Oh!, Decipher launched licensed CCGs based on .hack and Beyblade. While the Beyblade title had a brief lifespan, .hack maintained a presence for several years. In 2004, they developed a children’s game inspired by Mega Man NT Warrior, alongside debuting their first original card game titled Wars, which incorporated mechanics refined from their successful Star Wars CCG.
By 2005, mounting financial difficulties arose due to industry-wide declines coupled with internal embezzlement losses amounting to millions. This situation forced layoffs affecting up to 40 employees and led to cancellation of various product lines including RPGs and digital projects. Consequently, Decipher concentrated on its remaining franchises: Star Trek and Lord of the Rings. With these licenses set to expire in 2007, final expansions were released before both lines were officially discontinued.
Late in 2007, Decipher hinted at pursuing a new strategy described as "a player revolution," which culminated in February 2009 with the launch of Fight Klub. This innovative collectible card game featured characters drawn from multiple film licenses such as Rambo and Chuck Norris and utilized an unconventional marketing approach.
By January 2012, signs indicated Decipher intended to revive their long-standing How to Host a Murder series after nearly ten years without new releases.
Embezzlement and financial challenges
In March 2009, Rick Eddleman, who had served as Decipher, Inc.'s Vice President of Finance since 1993 and was the founder Holland's brother-in-law, admitted to embezzling more than $1.5 million from the company dating back to 2000. He exploited his role by issuing checks to himself and charging personal expenses on company credit cards. This breach of trust was a key factor leading to the termination of over 90 employees.
Eddleman was charged with 12 counts of embezzlement, facing a potential sentence of up to 12 years in prison, along with an $8.9 million civil lawsuit filed by Decipher. On July 27, 2009, he received a prison term of six years and five months.
WARS Fiction
Decipher collaborated with science fiction writers Michael A. Stackpole and Chuck Kallenbach to create a range of eBook-exclusive short stories connected to its WARS game. Subsequently, the company teamed up with Grail Quest Books to release a trilogy set during the Battle of Phobos; however, only two novels were published.
In 2021, Decipher entered into a strategic alliance with Arcbeatle Press to produce five anniversary short stories and reissue the entire Battle of Phobos trilogy under the collective name WARSONG. This partnership also introduced the spin-off series Academy 27.
This collaboration resulted in the debut of the first crossover novel within the WARS universe, titled And Today, You, which merges Arcbeatle's original series 10,000 Dawns with the independent Doctor Who spin-off Cwej: The Series.
Player-driven spin-off groups
Following Decipher’s loss of the Star Wars license in 2001, employees and volunteers established the "Star Wars Customizable Card Game Players Committee" (SWCCGPC). Decipher supported this committee by providing over one million dollars in products, promotional items, and financial aid to maintain tournaments and community engagement. Since 2002, this group has developed multiple new virtual card sets to keep player interest alive.
Comparable player-led organizations operate for other franchises as well: a Continuing Committee for the Star Trek CCG has been active since 2008, while a Player's Council for the Lord of the Rings TCG was founded in 2020, illustrating sustained community involvement in supporting these properties.
Card games
- Star Trek Customizable Card Game (1994–2007)
- Star Trek Online Customizable Card Game
- Tribbles Customizable Card Game
- Star Wars Customizable Card Game (1995–2001)
- Young Jedi Collectible Card Game (1999–2001)
- Austin Powers Collectible Card Game (1999)
- Jedi Knights Trading Card Game (2001)
- The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game (2001–2007) — Recipient of the 2001 Origins Award for Best Trading Card Game
- .hack//ENEMY Trading Card Game (2003–2005) — Winner of the 2003 Origins Award for Best Tradeable Card Game
- Beyblade Trading Card Game (2003)
- MegaMan NT Warrior Trading Card Game (2004–2005)
- WARS Trading Card Game (2004–2005)
- Fight Klub (2008)
- Boy Crazy
This collection highlights Decipher’s extensive range aimed at various enthusiast segments within the collectible card game sector, reflecting its strategic approach to capitalizing on licensed intellectual properties across international markets.
Role-playing games
- Star Trek Roleplaying Game (active 2002–2003, resumed in 2005)
- The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying Game (published 2002–2003, with a revival in 2005), honored with the 2002 Origins Award for Best Role-playing Game