Decipher Inc., the Virginia-based CCG powerhouse, announced that it has hired the former staff of Last Unicorn Games.  The seven-person team, headed by former Last Unicorn President Christian Moore, will constitute Decipher's RPG and miniatures division.  They will be working out of Los Angeles, where they will concentrate on the development of the Star Trek RPG.  Under the Last Unicorn banner, this same crew produced some 20 Star Trek RPG products as well as the RPG based on Frank Herbert's Dune.

 

Decipher acquired the rights to produce a Star Trek RPG last year, outfoxing Wizards of the Coast, which purchased Last Unicorn Games last year, but was unable to acquire the Star Trek RPG license.  So, one year later, Decipher has the Star Trek RPG license as well as the experienced staff from Last Unicorn.  In addition to the acquisition of the Last Unicorn team, Decipher has also recently acquired the staff and assets of Fantastic Media, the longtime founders and operators of the Star Trek Fan Clubs.  Decipher will now manage the Star Trek Fan Club, operate the online Star Trek store, and publish the bi-monthly Star Trek Communicator magazine.

 

Decipher, which also produces the Star Trek CCG, is now heavily invested in the long-running TV and movie series.  The science fiction orientation fits in well with Decipher's other major CCG license -- Star Wars (WOTC has acquired the Star Wars RPG license).  In addition to the two top science fiction CCG licenses, Decipher has also acquired the rights to the Lord of the Rings CCG, a top fantasy license, which is tied closely to the release of the first of three Lord of the Rings movies at the end of this year  (see 'Decipher Adds Rings').  By this time next year the intense Decipher/WOTC rivalry will extend from outer space to the realm of fantasy where Decipher's LOTR card game will be squared off against WOTC's Harry Potter CCG.