Civilization 5 Lead Designer Starts New Studio

 The lead designer behind the wildly popular “Sid Meier’s Civilization V” strategy game. Jon Shafer, has announced that he is founding his own game production studio. Conifer Games will be based out of Farmington, MI and has already their first project, “Jon Shafer’s At the Gates.”

Set in the waning days of the Roman Empire, “Jon Shafer’s At the Gates” casts you as the leader of a barbarian tribe, ready to fill the power vacuum left by a great power in decline. You must compete not only against other nations, but with an environment that does not eagerly feed your people and armies. The resources of the world you are constantly depleting, requiring you to move your tribe in search of new ones – or to pillage those of your neighbors.

And what would a new independent game be without a Kickstarter campaign. I mean, it’s what all the cool kids are doing these day. “At the Gates” launched a Kickstarter campaign today with an end goal of $40,000.