The Stockholm-based game developer and publisher Paradox Interactive have announced that ex-Firaxis designer Jon Shafer will be joining their ranks. Shafer's list of accomplishments is long and filled with an impressive number of projects like Sid Meier's Civilization V (except for its two expansions which were spearheaded by Civilization VI's design lead Ed Beach), for which Shafer got a BAFTA. Shafer will start working on an as of yet unannounced grand strategy title in development at Paradox Interactive right now.

Bringing Jon Shafer onto our team is exciting for all of us; there’s probably nobody here who hasn’t personally played and enjoyed his work. Adding a new designer to our studio is always a significant challenge. Our fans have very high expectations for us based on the games they play – deep, complex titles with long-lasting, replayable experiences. I’ve known Jon for 15 years no w , and I’m excited to have him join us. Jon has the expertise to create more of those experiences, and he shares our core design philosophies ; we can’t wait to share his games with our fans. Johan Andersson, EVP of Creative Direction at Paradox Development Studio

I’ve been a fan of Paradox’s games for years now, and moving onto the team behind some of my favorite titles is an exhilarating m oment for me. I’ve been drawn to strategy games for as long as I can remember, and it’s harder to find a better selection of rich strategy experiences than at Paradox. I look forward to working on the next big title in their catalog – stay tuned!

The press release announcing Shafer's new role as Game Director at Paradox Interactive team also includes a quote from the man himself:While Civilization V might be the game he's famous for, Shafer has been working on a ton of other projects during his 12 years in the industry. Shafer has also been instrumental in the development of Civilization IV as well as that game's expansions.

Shafer will be splitting his time at Paradox with working on the successfully Kickstarted grand strategy game At the Gates, which is a game Shafer has been working on for years now. In At the Gates, players will be taking control of a Barbarian tribe in a bid to initiate the fall of the Roman Empire in North-Western Europe. The game was supposed to have come out back in 2014, but the game is still in development with no official release date in sight.