GAME DESIGNER
Jordan Mechner
1964 - Today

Jordan Mechner
Jordan Mechner (born June 4, 1964) is an American video game designer, graphic novelist, author, screenwriter, filmmaker, and former video game programmer. A major figure in the development of cinematic video games and a pioneer in video game animation, he began his career designing and programming the bestselling 1984 martial arts game Karateka for the Apple II while a student at Yale University. He followed it with the platform game Prince of Persia five years later; it was widely ported and became a hit. Both games used rotoscoping, where actors shot on film by Mechner were drawn over to create in-game animation. Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in 22 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 21 in 2024). Jordan Mechner is the 55th most popular game designer (down from 43rd in 2024), the 12,853rd most popular biography from United States (down from 10,942nd in 2019) and the 17th most popular American Game Designer.
Memorability Metrics
Page views of Jordan Mechner by language
Among GAME DESIGNERS
Among game designers, Jordan Mechner ranks 55 out of 77. Before him are Ron Gilbert, Ed Boon, Neil Druckmann, Yoshinori Kitase, Al Lowe, and David Cage. After him are Goichi Suda, Mark Cerny, Éric Chahi, Keiichiro Toyama, John Tobias, and Michel Ancel.
Most Popular Game Designers in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsRon Gilbert
1964 - Present
HPI: 50.34
Rank: 49
Ed Boon
1964 - Present
HPI: 50.34
Rank: 50
Neil Druckmann
1978 - Present
HPI: 50.31
Rank: 51
Yoshinori Kitase
1966 - Present
HPI: 50.09
Rank: 52
Al Lowe
1946 - Present
HPI: 50.02
Rank: 53
David Cage
1969 - Present
HPI: 50.00
Rank: 54
Jordan Mechner
1964 - Present
HPI: 49.56
Rank: 55
Goichi Suda
1968 - Present
HPI: 49.52
Rank: 56
Mark Cerny
1964 - Present
HPI: 49.28
Rank: 57
Éric Chahi
1967 - Present
HPI: 49.04
Rank: 58
Keiichiro Toyama
1970 - Present
HPI: 48.65
Rank: 59
John Tobias
1969 - Present
HPI: 48.25
Rank: 60
Michel Ancel
1972 - Present
HPI: 47.79
Rank: 61
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1964, Jordan Mechner ranks 589. Before him are Raimo Helminen, Jimmy Chamberlin, Gloria Siebert, Derek Hay, Brad Anderson, and Mouncif El Haddaoui. After him are Jostein Flo, Ola Lindgren, Gaetano Manfredi, Jean-François Copé, Buzz Osborne, and Adam Shankman.
Others Born in 1964
Go to all RankingsRaimo Helminen
HOCKEY PLAYER
1964 - Present
HPI: 49.62
Rank: 583
Jimmy Chamberlin
MUSICIAN
1964 - Present
HPI: 49.61
Rank: 584
Gloria Siebert
ATHLETE
1964 - Present
HPI: 49.61
Rank: 585
Derek Hay
PORNOGRAPHIC ACTOR
1964 - Present
HPI: 49.60
Rank: 586
Brad Anderson
FILM DIRECTOR
1964 - Present
HPI: 49.60
Rank: 587
Mouncif El Haddaoui
SOCCER PLAYER
1964 - 2024
HPI: 49.57
Rank: 588
Jordan Mechner
GAME DESIGNER
1964 - Present
HPI: 49.56
Rank: 589
Jostein Flo
SOCCER PLAYER
1964 - Present
HPI: 49.56
Rank: 590
Ola Lindgren
HANDBALL PLAYER
1964 - Present
HPI: 49.56
Rank: 591
Gaetano Manfredi
POLITICIAN
1964 - Present
HPI: 49.54
Rank: 592
Jean-François Copé
POLITICIAN
1964 - Present
HPI: 49.54
Rank: 593
Buzz Osborne
MUSICIAN
1964 - Present
HPI: 49.53
Rank: 594
Adam Shankman
FILM DIRECTOR
1964 - Present
HPI: 49.52
Rank: 595
In United States
Among people born in United States, Jordan Mechner ranks 12,857 out of 20,380. Before him are Pat Crowley (1933), Emma Caulfield (1973), Dorothy Ashby (1932), Diane Neal (1976), Big Joe Williams (1903), and Jessica Meir (1977). After him are Jane Withers (1926), Todd Bridges (1965), Marion Jones (1975), Bruce Baumgartner (1960), Bill Fagerbakke (1957), and George Walsh (1889).
Others born in United States
Go to all RankingsPat Crowley
ACTOR
1933 - 2025
HPI: 49.57
Rank: 12,851
Emma Caulfield
ACTOR
1973 - Present
HPI: 49.57
Rank: 12,852
Dorothy Ashby
MUSICIAN
1932 - 1986
HPI: 49.56
Rank: 12,853
Diane Neal
ACTOR
1976 - Present
HPI: 49.56
Rank: 12,854
Big Joe Williams
MUSICIAN
1903 - 1982
HPI: 49.56
Rank: 12,855
Jessica Meir
BIOLOGIST
1977 - Present
HPI: 49.56
Rank: 12,856
Jordan Mechner
GAME DESIGNER
1964 - Present
HPI: 49.56
Rank: 12,857
Jane Withers
ACTOR
1926 - 2021
HPI: 49.56
Rank: 12,858
Todd Bridges
ACTOR
1965 - Present
HPI: 49.56
Rank: 12,859
Marion Jones
BASKETBALL PLAYER
1975 - Present
HPI: 49.56
Rank: 12,860
Bruce Baumgartner
WRESTLER
1960 - Present
HPI: 49.56
Rank: 12,861
Bill Fagerbakke
ACTOR
1957 - Present
HPI: 49.55
Rank: 12,862
George Walsh
ACTOR
1889 - 1981
HPI: 49.55
Rank: 12,863
Among GAME DESIGNERS In United States
Among game designers born in United States, Jordan Mechner ranks 17. Before him are John Romero (1967), Dave Arneson (1947), Jeff Kaplan (1972), Scott Cawthon (1971), Ron Gilbert (1964), and Ed Boon (1964). After him are Mark Cerny (1964), John Tobias (1969), Amy Hennig (1964), Tim Schafer (1967), Tom Hall (1964), and Rebecca Heineman (1963).
John Romero
1967 - Present
HPI: 53.69
Rank: 11
Dave Arneson
1947 - 2009
HPI: 52.85
Rank: 12
Jeff Kaplan
1972 - Present
HPI: 51.32
Rank: 13
Scott Cawthon
1971 - Present
HPI: 50.60
Rank: 14
Ron Gilbert
1964 - Present
HPI: 50.34
Rank: 15
Ed Boon
1964 - Present
HPI: 50.34
Rank: 16
Jordan Mechner
1964 - Present
HPI: 49.56
Rank: 17
Mark Cerny
1964 - Present
HPI: 49.28
Rank: 18
John Tobias
1969 - Present
HPI: 48.25
Rank: 19
Amy Hennig
1964 - Present
HPI: 47.75
Rank: 20
Tim Schafer
1967 - Present
HPI: 47.60
Rank: 21
Tom Hall
1964 - Present
HPI: 45.29
Rank: 22
Rebecca Heineman
1963 - 2025
HPI: 44.66
Rank: 23












































