Sid Meier launched his first game company, Microprose, in 1982 on a dare from friend Bill Stealy. Over the next decade, Meier and Stealy created flight simulator games and developed a solid reputation for making games that had simple but addictive gameplay. By 1996, Micrprose had grown into a multi-million dollar company, but Meier, always the creative force, grew disenchanted with the business. He left Microprose to start his own small development company, Firaxis Games, which has allowed Meier to create fun and intelligent computer games, enjoyed by millions.