Michael Hengst

Developer BIO

Michael Hengst worked in the games industry since 1988. While being editor and editor in-chief of the famous German magazines POWER PLAY and Video Games, he worked also on various games in various roles. One of his earliest works was the translation of the in game text and the manual of the SSI Role Playing Game Buck Rogers. He worked also as a tester for the German version of Landstalker, which he, funnily enough, played first in Japanese. That fact has been brought to the attention of the European boss of Sega, at that time. During an ECTS, Michael had the chance to convince him to bring Landstalker into Germany.

In addition he was – in a certainly strange way – responsible for bringing the RPG Wizardry 7: Crusaders of the Dark Savant into the German market. By visiting the developer Sir-Tech in the early nineties, he became a close friend the co-owner of Sir-Tech, Robert Sirotek. Wondering why Wizardry has never been released in Germany, he brought together Robert and Jürgen Goeldner, the Managing Director of the German publisher Softgold. As a result the Game was released 1993 in Germany in a fully localised version.

Michael worked between 1995 and 1996 for the well known Developer Sunflowers, and than as a freelancer before opening his own business in 1998. During that time, Michael Hengst brought successful strategy guides into the German market, which sold well. In addition he did some press folders and brochures on different games, like Diablo II.

Michael worked for the Austrian based Publisher/Developer JoWooD Software AG in various roles. He helped bolstering JoWooD into becoming multi platform publisher and took on different projects, like Ski Racing 2005: Featuring Hermann Mayer, which has been developed by the Swedish developer Coldwood Interactive on three different platforms.

Right now, Michael is working as a freelancer for various companies. For JoWooD Software AG, together with the Slovenian developer Zootfly and US Designer Bob Bates, he works on the new game Panzer Elite Action (working title).

Websites

• Interview (2008) -- Interview on the German website kultboy.com

Games Credited

• Aggression: Reign over Europe (2008), Playlogic International N.V.
• Sacred 2: Fallen Angel (2008), Deep Silver
• Ancient Wars: Sparta (2006), Russobit-M
• Evil Days of Luckless John (2006), Akella
• First Battalion (2006), JoWooD Productions Software AG
• Sacred Gold (2005), ASCARON Entertainment GmbH
• Sacred Underworld (2005), Take-Two Interactive Software Europe Ltd.
• Ski Racing 2006 - Featuring Hermann Maier (2005), JoWooD Productions Software AG
• Neighbors from Hell: On Vacation (2004), Russobit-M
• S3: Silent Storm - Sentinels (2004), 1C Company
• SpellForce: The Breath of Winter (2004), JoWooD Productions Software AG
• Against Rome (2003), JoWooD Productions Software AG
• Cold Zero: No Mercy (2003), Deep Silver, JoWooD Productions Software AG
• Neighbors from Hell (2003), JoWooD Productions Software AG
• Soccer Manager Pro (2003), JoWooD Productions Software AG
• Arx Fatalis (2002), JoWooD Productions Software AG
• Europa 1400: The Guild (2002), JoWooD Productions Software AG
• Far West (2002), JoWooD Productions Software AG
• Gothic II (2002), JoWooD Productions Software AG
• Gangsters: Organized Crime (1998), Eidos Interactive Ltd.
• American Dream (1997), Sunflowers Interactive Entertainment Software GmbH