About Boris

Boris Schneider-Johne is a formative figure in the German video game industry, often referred to as one of its "elder statesmen." His career, spanning over four decades, is a unique mosaic that has led him through nearly every facet of the industry: from his beginnings as a programmer on the C64 to his role as a pioneering journalist and culturally significant translator, to a long and influential tenure as a senior manager at a global technology corporation. Today, he continues his journey with a new entrepreneurial focus, returning to his roots in the gaming industry.

Schneider-Johne's professional career can be defined by three central themes: fundamental pioneering work in establishing German gaming culture, remarkable adaptability in dealing with profound technological and corporate changes, and a principled critical perspective born from his deep industry knowledge. His self-appointed title "Director of Enthusiasm" and his stated interest in human psychology, which surpasses his fascination with pure technology, provide important insight into his approach to marketing, communication, and product management.

Although Schneider-Johne himself describes his career as a "product of strange coincidences" and emphasizes that he never had professional plans, a chronological analysis reveals a pattern of strategic foresight and continuous skill development. The individual phases of his career build logically upon one another, testifying less to chance and more to an intuitive ability to recognize industry trends and seize opportunities. His technical skills as a programmer formed the foundation for his work as a journalist. His reputation as a journalist and industry expert gave him the credibility for his translation and production activities. This industry-wide reputation, in turn, made him an ideal candidate for Microsoft's ambitions in the gaming sector. His success with the Xbox brand earned him the internal standing to move into the core business of Windows and later into the future-oriented cloud division, Azure. This progression is not a random path but evidence of exceptional strategic agility and professional adaptability.

Chronological Career Overview: Boris Schneider-Johne

The Founding Years: From the C64 Kernel to Game Magazines (1978–1988)

Boris Schneider-Johne's professional journey began long before his first official job. In 1978, his father brought home a Commodore PET 2001, on which the young Schneider-Johne taught himself the programming language BASIC. This early, self-directed engagement with computer technology laid the foundation for his later career. His first commercially relevant work came in 1984, while he was still attending high school in Vaterstetten. Together with Karsten Schramm, he developed Hypra Load, a fast-loading software for the then-ubiquitous Commodore 64. The program was published as the "Listing of the Month" in 64'er magazine, marking his transition from hobbyist to recognized developer.

His entry into journalism followed in 1985, when he started as an intern and shortly thereafter as an editor at 64'er magazine, published by Markt+Technik Verlag. His focus quickly shifted from purely technical topics to the emerging field of computer games, for which he became responsible within the sister magazine Happy Computer. This was the birth of one of the most formative partnerships in German games journalism: together with Heinrich Lenhardt, he conceived the magazine Power Play in 1987. Initially just a supplement to Happy Computer, it quickly evolved into an independent and influential publication, appearing as a standalone magazine from 1990 onwards. During this time, he also co-authored the comic "Starkiller - Die Geißel der Galaxis" (Starkiller - The Scourge of the Galaxy), which was published in the magazine.

Pioneer of Localization and Producer (1986–1992)

Parallel to his journalistic activities, Schneider-Johne did pioneering work in an area that would become crucial for the German games market: localization. In 1986, on his own initiative, he translated the Activision adventure Murder on the Mississippi into German. Without access to the game's source code, he used a hex editor to change the texts directly in the program code—a technically demanding undertaking that is considered one of the first professional game translations in Germany.

This innovative move opened the door to an official position as a translator for Lucasfilm Games (later LucasArts), which he held from 1987 to 1992. During this time, he created the German versions of some of the most iconic point-and-click adventures in gaming history, including Maniac Mansion (1987), Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders (1988), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), Loom (1990), and the legendary titles The Secret of Monkey Island (1990) and Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge (1991). His work was distinguished by its ability to preserve not only the words but also the unique wit and cultural context of the originals for the German audience, which earns him great recognition from the fan community to this day.

In 1988, he briefly interrupted his editorial work to work as a game producer at Rainbow Arts in Düsseldorf. There, he met other key figures of the early German development scene, such as composer Chris Hülsbeck and designer Teut Weidemann, and gained valuable experience in game development. After this period and during his civilian service with the German Red Cross (1991/1992), he remained loyal to the industry as a freelance author, writing for magazines like Gamers as a "secret author."

The Era of Print Magazines: Market Leadership with PC Player (1993–1997)

After his civilian service, Schneider-Johne returned to journalism with full force and launched what was arguably the most successful chapter of his publishing career. In 1993, he once again co-founded the magazine PC Player with Heinrich Lenhardt. The magazine captured the spirit of the times and quickly became one of the leading publications for PC games in Germany.

The success was overwhelming: in 1996, PC Player achieved the status of the best-selling PC gaming magazine in Europe, with a peak circulation of 140,000 copies. The editorial duo of Schneider and Lenhardt gained cult status in the German gaming scene for their competent, humorous, and opinionated articles. Parallel to his work at PC Player, he took on the position of editor-in-chief at Hyper! magazine in 1995, which focused on the emerging topics of the internet and multimedia. This demonstrates his early sense for the next technological wave that would transform the media and entertainment landscape. He remained with PC Player until 1997 before making a radical career move and leaving the gaming industry for the time being to take on a new challenge at Microsoft.

The significance of Schneider-Johne's early career extends far beyond that of a mere participant. At a time when the German gaming industry was still in its infancy, he was instrumental in building its cultural and informational infrastructure. By founding magazines like Power Play and PC Player, he not only created sources of information but also central platforms for discourse and community building for an entire generation of gamers. At the same time, through his translation work, he made iconic international games accessible and culturally understandable for the German market, thereby setting a quality standard for localization that has had a lasting impact on the industry. He was thus not just a chronicler, but also an architect of German gaming culture.

A Career at Microsoft: From Gamer to Global Strategist (1997–2022)

In 1997, Boris Schneider-Johne began a 25-year career at Microsoft Germany that impressively demonstrates his ability to adapt to new technologies and business areas. His career at Microsoft can be read as a reflection of the corporation's strategic transformation during this period.

The Xbox Decade (2000–2010)

He first joined Microsoft 1997 in market research as a "Portfolio Planner," with the stated intention of distancing himself from the video game industry. However, this plan failed when Microsoft launched its major offensive in the console market. In 2000, he was appointed to the newly formed Xbox team. He took on the role of PR Manager for the launch of the first Xbox console in Germany in 2002 and was appointed Product Manager for the introduction of Xbox Live in 2003.

In the following years, he was a central figure for the Xbox brand in Germany. He was instrumental in the successful launch of the Xbox 360 in 2005 and, as Product Manager, was responsible for the entire Xbox product portfolio until the end of 2009. In this capacity, he led marketing campaigns for major exclusive titles like Forza Motorsport and even appeared in his own video shows on Xbox Live under his gamertag "KugelBlitz." His ten-year tenure with the Xbox team ended in 2010 after his involvement in the European launch of the Kinect motion controller.

The Windows & Consumer Marketing Era (2010–2016)

In 2010, Schneider-Johne made a remarkable internal move from the gaming division to the core of the Microsoft corporation: the Windows team. At a time when Microsoft's operating system was being challenged by the rise of mobile devices, he was responsible for key marketing initiatives in the consumer sector. He led campaigns for the Windows 7 upgrade, the controversial launch of Windows 8 in 2012, and finally the introduction of Windows 10 in 2015.

A particular success during this period was the "PC Life Tour" in 2011, an innovative PR and retail project that took place in twenty German cities. For the conception and management of this campaign, he received the "Microsoft Platinum Circle of Excellence Award" in 2012, the company's highest internal honor for employees. During this phase, he was an important public face for Microsoft's consumer products and had the challenging task of convincing the media and the public that "Windows 8 is not as bad as its reputation."

The Azure & Cloud Era (2016–2022)

In July 2016, the next major career step followed, taking him from the business-to-consumer (B2C) to the strategic business-to-business (B2B) sector. He moved to the Microsoft GPS division and took on the role of Senior Partner Development Manager for the cloud platform Microsoft Azure. His task was to support and advise software companies and developers on the use of cloud technologies, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence. This move reflected the company-wide "Cloud First" strategy, which became the top priority under CEO Satya Nadella. Schneider-Johne thus positioned himself once again in one of the corporation's most important growth areas and remained in this role until his departure from Microsoft in February 2022.

Boris Schneider-Johne's career at Microsoft was not a static position but a dynamic journey that took him to the forefront of the company's most important strategic initiatives. He accompanied Microsoft's entry into the console market, defended its core business during a time of upheaval, and finally helped build the company's future in the cloud business. This development testifies not only to his personal flexibility but also to the extraordinary trust the company placed in his ability to quickly learn and succeed in fundamentally different business areas for over two decades.

Return to the Gaming Industry and Entrepreneurship (2023–Present)

After his departure from Microsoft, Schneider-Johne made a brief foray into a new field for him in 2023, working as a Senior Product Manager for municipal administrative software at AKDB in Landshut. This interlude, however, was short-lived. In September 2024, he returned to the gaming industry, "to his own surprise," as he put it.

He accepted a position as Product Manager at the Regensburg-based developer studio CipSoft. There, he is responsible for building and managingMultiPayer, a new payment service provider solution specifically tailored to the needs of online games, scheduled to launch in 2025. This new entrepreneurial role combines his decades of industry experience with a focus on the business and technical infrastructure of modern online gaming. In parallel, he cultivates his passion for the early days of computer technology, describing himself as a part-time C64 programmer, which underscores his deep connection to his roots.

Public Profile and Industry Engagement

In addition to his professional work, Boris Schneider-Johne has always been actively involved in public discourse, sharing his expertise in various formats.

Media Presence and Teaching Activities

From 2009 to 2014, he was a key founding member of the popular retro gaming podcast Spieleveteranen. Together with other pioneers of German games journalism like Heinrich Lenhardt and Jörg Langer, he discussed current industry topics and reminisced about classic games.

Furthermore, he is a sought-after speaker and lecturer. He has given guest lectures at the Salzburg University of Applied Sciences (2009) and the New European College in Munich (2019). As a speaker at conferences like Digital Dragons, re:publica and beyond tellerrand, he regularly shares his knowledge on marketing, technology trends, and the psychology behind industry developments.

Social and Political Engagement

His engagement extends beyond the tech industry. In 2020, he ran for the FDP (Free Democratic Party) in the city council elections in his adopted hometown of Landshut, thus taking on political responsibility at the municipal level. Until June 2020, he was also a member of the high-IQ society Mensa in Germany and has publicly discussed the topic of high intelligence.

Jury and Advisory Roles

Due to his high standing in the industry, his expertise is regularly sought after for important committees. In 2018, he was a member of the main jury for the Deutscher Computerspielepreis, the most important award for video games in Germany. As early as 2014, he served as an advisor for the "Film and Games" exhibition, helping to illuminate the cultural connection between these two media. He contributed to another national exhibition about pirates, opening late 2025.

Philosophy, Criticism, and Core Competencies

From his long and multifaceted career, Boris Schneider-Johne has developed a well-founded and often critical perspective on the video game and technology industries, which he publicly advocates.

The Critical Voice of the Industry

Schneider-Johne is an outspoken critic of established practices in games journalism. His statement "the game review is dead" is well-known in the industry. He calls numerical ratings an "anachronism that should be abolished" and criticizes review aggregators like Metacritic as a "distorted image of distorted images" because they eliminate context and nuance.

He is also very critical of modern business models in the gaming industry. He particularly condemns free-to-play mechanics and loot boxes, as he believes they use "psychological tricks" to "get money out of users' pockets for junk." This contrasts with the earlier "clear deal," where a fixed price was paid for a complete product. For him, this development is a major reason why he no longer enjoyed working in certain areas of the industry.

Another notable stance is his complete withdrawal from social media. He has deliberately deleted his profiles on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Xing, and LinkedIn. He cites the book "So You've Been Publicly Shamed" by Jon Ronson as one of the triggers. He characterizes Facebook as a company "without a spark of respect for its users" and Twitter as an "inscrutable behemoth without a business model, but with other dubious methods."

These critical positions are not those of a bitter veteran but the expression of a coherent philosophy rooted in his entire career. His professional life began in the "product era," where the value of software, magazines, or translations was tangible, and the exchange between provider and customer was transparent. His criticism is consistently directed against systems he perceives as non-transparent and manipulative: aggregated review scores that suggest false objectivity, and monetization models based on psychological influence rather than product value. His withdrawal from social media follows the same logic—he rejects platforms whose business models he considers dishonest and disrespectful to the user. Against this backdrop, his current work on MultiPayer appears as a logical consequence. Instead of dealing with the consumer-facing monetization practices he criticizes, he is working on a B2B infrastructure solution, allowing him to be active in the industry without compromising his principles.

Synthesis of Core Competencies

An analysis of his career reveals four key areas of competence:

• Strategic Marketing & Product Management: His time at Microsoft, especially the successful market launches of multiple Xbox generations, Kinect, and Windows versions, demonstrates his ability to successfully position complex products in the market. The "Circle of Excellence Platinum Award" is official recognition of his outstanding marketing achievements.

• Communication & Public Relations: Whether as a journalist, PR manager, podcaster, or public speaker, Schneider-Johne possesses the rare ability to communicate complex technical and business matters in an understandable and convincing manner.

• Localization and Cultural Translation: His legendary work for LucasArts goes far beyond mere language transfer. It shows a deep understanding of humor, tonality, and cultural nuances, and has set a standard for high-quality game localization in Germany that remains valid today.

• Adaptability and Lifelong Learning: The successful transitions from journalism to corporate marketing, from consumer electronics to enterprise cloud solutions, and finally to entrepreneurship, testify to an extraordinary ability to quickly familiarize himself with new topics and master complex new domains. He describes himself as someone who learns very quickly and is not afraid to do things he has never done before. His hobbies include AI-generated Art, Magic and Illusions, supporting museums and, most recently, first steps into standup comedy.

Appendix: List of Works and Awards

List of Game Translations (Selection)

• Murder on the Mississippi (1986)
• Maniac Mansion (1987)
• Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders (1988)
• Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
• Loom (1990)
• The Secret of Monkey Island (1990)
• Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge (1991)
• Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis (1992)
• Thimbleweed Park (2017)

Key Journalistic Roles and Foundations

• Editor at 64'er and Happy Computer
• Co-founder of Power Play magazine
• Author for Gamers magazine
• Co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of PC Player magazine
• Editor-in-Chief of Hyper! magazine
• Creator of the official german Xbox blog dreisechzig.net
• Creator and presenter of the official german Xbox video channel Kugelblitz Kanal
• Co-founder of Spieleveteranen Podcast

Recent Speaking Engagements

• Munich, March 28th 2025, GG Bavaria
• Krakow (Poland), May 19th 2025, Digital Dragons / Krakow Technology Park
• Frankfurt, July 9th 2025, German Dev Days
• Munich, September 14th 2025, Lucky Punch Comedy Club
• Munich, October 24th 2025, Medientage

Awards and Honors

• Microsoft Platinum Circle of Excellence Award (2012) for the conception and management of the "PC Life Tour" project.
• Personal recognition from Phil Spencer (CEO, Microsoft Gaming): "You've been an awesome member of the team, someone who always spoke truth and helped us navigate to where we are today in the industry."

Links

• Profile of Boris Schneider-Johne on Mobygames
• Profile of Boris Schneider(-Johne) on Standup Republic
• Profile of Boris Schneider-Johne on IMDB
• Boris Schneider-Johne at GDC 2013
• German-language entry in Wikipedia