Joe Ybarra
aka:
Joseph Ybarra
Moby ID: 1745
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Joe’s career started at Apple Computer in 1980, and has held senior positions at Electronic Arts, Mediagenic/Activision, Ybarra Productions, Creative Insights, The 3DO Company, Ensemble Studios, Ubisoft Entertainment, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment..
After meeting Trip Hawkins (who Joe wasn't aware was his co-worker at Apple), Joe joined Electronic Arts as their first producer and was later promoted to Vice President, Interactive Stories . At that time, the concept of a video game "producer" directing a game developer as a music producer directs a recording artist was new to the video game industry. Joe Ybarra's methods for game production were adopted by EA and are still used today.
While at EA, Joe produced several acclaimed games such as: M.U.L.E., Larry Bird and Michael Jordan go One on One, The Bard's Tale, Starflight, and John Madden Football .
Some of his titles, such as Bards Tale, M.U.L.E., Starflight and Wasteland have been elected to Computer Gaming World's Hall of Fame.
Julius Erving and Larry Bird Go One-on-One were in second place on Billboard's software best-seller chart throughout its two-year life span and The Shadow of Yserbius was awarded on-line game of the year in 1993 by Computer Gaming World.
Joe Ybarra has since produced over 50 computer and videogame titles such as: Seven Cities of Gold, Wasteland, Bard's Tale 2, & 3, Legacy of the Ancients, Heart of Africa, Arctic Fox, Archon, Rad Gravity (Nintendo), The Shadow of Yserbius, Fates of Twinion, Alien Legacy, Meridian 59 , Zork Zero, Ghostbusters II, F-14 Eagle Flight Simulator, Deathtrack, Cosmic Osmo, Mechwarrior, Might & Magic, High Heat Baseball, and Army Men.
Joe has produced three MMO titles, Shadow of Yserbius (1993 online game of the year, Computer Gaming World), The Matrix Online and Stargate Worlds.
Joe Ybarra has recently held the program chair position for the game design department of Collins College in Phoenix, AZ.
Credited on 38 games
Displaying most recent · View all
Killing Time: Resurrected (2024, Windows) | Executive Producer |
Age of Mythology: Retold (2024, Windows Apps) | Special Thanks to (Friends and Families) |
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition (2019, Windows) | Quality Assurance & Playtesting |
The Bard's Tale Trilogy (2018, Windows) | Producer |
Age of Empires II: HD Edition (2013, Windows) | Quality Assurance, Playtesting |
Kung Fu Panda: Legendary Warriors (2008, Nintendo DS) | QA Testers |
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows - Amazing Allies Edition (2008, PSP) | QA Testers |
The Matrix Online (2005, Windows) | Senior Producer |
Codename: Kids Next Door - Operation: S.O.D.A. (2004, Game Boy Advance) | Special Thanks |
Uru: To D'ni (2004, Windows) | VP of Production |
Uru: Ages Beyond Myst (2003, Windows) | Ubisoft |
Shadowbane (2003, Windows) | Executive Producer |
Age of Mythology (2002, Windows) | Special Thanks To (friends and families) |
Age of Empires II: The Conquerors (2000, Windows) | Quality Assurance & Playtesting |
Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings (1999, Windows) | Quality Assurance & Playtesting |
Killing Time (1996, Windows) | Executive Producer |
Mortal Coil: Adrenalin Intelligence (1995, DOS) | Thanks for Design Input to |
Blade Force (1995, 3DO) | For additional Producer-type work and being the complaint department |
Star Trek: The Next Generation - Future's Past (1994, SNES) | Special Thanks |
Alien Legacy (1994, DOS) | Producer |
[ full credits ]

Frequent Collaborators
People- 7 games with David Warhol
- 6 games with Dave Pottinger
- 6 games with Scott Winsett
- 6 games with Don Gagen
- 6 games with Thonny S. Namuonglo
- 6 games with David Rippy
- 6 games with Paul Delany
- 6 games with Kevin M. McMullan
- 6 games with Doug Brucks
- 6 games with Roy Charles Rabey Jr.
Companies
- 11 games with Electronic Arts, Inc.
- 6 games with Microsoft Corporation
- 6 games with Valve Corporation
- 5 games with Ensemble Studios Corporation
- 5 games with Xbox Game Studios
- 5 games with Activision Publishing, Inc.
- 5 games with Ariolasoft UK
- 4 games with Interplay Entertainment Corp.
- 4 games with Ubisoft Entertainment SA
- 4 games with Electronic Arts Ltd.
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