Decipher

Decipher, Inc. is an American privately held games and entertainment company based in Norfolk, Virginia. It was founded in 1983 by Warren Holland and initially operated as a distributor and publisher of role-playing game materials and board games. The company rose to prominence in the 1990s as one of the leading publishers of collectible card games (CCGs), a category it helped popularize alongside competitors such as Wizards of the Coast. Decipher's breakthrough came with its licensed Star Trek collectible card game, followed by the highly successful Star Wars Customizable Card Game, which became one of the best-selling CCGs of the 1990s. The company also published games based on other licensed properties, including The Lord of the Rings, and later developed original titles. Decipher expanded into the broader hobby games market, producing board games, role-playing game supplements, and related merchandise. In the 2000s, Decipher's licensed CCG business declined as major licenses shifted to other publishers, and the company diversified into other entertainment ventures, including film production and online gaming. It remains a private company and continues to hold and license intellectual property related to its game catalog. Decipher is remembered as a key player in the golden age of collectible card games and for its role in bringing major film and television licenses into the tabletop gaming market.

Decipher, Inc. was founded in 1983 in Norfolk, Virginia, by Warren Holland. In its early years the company operated as a distributor and publisher serving the hobby games trade, handling role-playing game products and board games. The company's fortunes changed in the 1990s with the rise of collectible card games. Decipher secured the license to produce a Star Trek collectible card game, which found a dedicated audience among fans of the franchise. This was followed by the Star Wars Customizable Card Game, released in the mid-1990s, which became one of Decipher's most commercially successful products and one of the best-selling CCGs of the decade. The company built a substantial organized-play program around these titles, supporting tournaments and a competitive player community. Decipher continued to acquire licenses and publish games tied to major entertainment properties, including a trading card game based on The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. It also produced original and licensed board games and expanded its catalog of hobby games. As the 2000s progressed, the licensed CCG market contracted and key licenses moved to other publishers, reducing Decipher's core business. The company diversified into other entertainment activities, including film production and digital gaming initiatives, while continuing to manage its intellectual property. Decipher remains a privately held company and is remembered for its role in popularizing licensed collectible card games during the 1990s.

• 2001

  The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game published alongside the film trilogy.

• 1995

  Star Wars Customizable Card Game released, becoming a best-selling CCG.

• 1994

  Star Trek Collectible Card Game published, establishing Decipher in the CCG market.

• 1983

  Decipher, Inc. founded in Norfolk, Virginia by Warren Holland.

Licensed collectible card game publisher and hobby games company

• Star Trek Collectible Card Game

• Star Wars Customizable Card Game

• The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game

• Unconfirmed

  Reported2026.10.26

  CIP sets up Decipher as an energy trading company[1]CIP设立能源交易公司Deciphernews.google.com

  CIP set up Decipher as an energy trading company.

• Unconfirmed

  Reported2026.08.13

  Burson acquires cognitive AI company Limbik[2]博雅公关收购认知人工智能公司Limbikadgully.com

  Burson, the global communications agency, has acquired Limbik Inc., the cognitive-AI company behind Decipher, Burson's predictive intelligence platform. The acquisition brings Limbik's proprietary cognitive AI capabilities, engineering team and AI research team fully in-house, and Limbik co-founders Zach Schwitzky and Josh Levin will join Burson in global innovation roles.

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1. 1CIP设立能源交易公司Deciphernews.google.com
2. 2博雅公关收购认知人工智能公司Limbikadgully.com