Andrew Gower

Andrew Christopher Gower (born 2 December 1978) is the lead developer and co-founder of Jagex Ltd., a Java-based game distributor and creator. One of his most famous creations is the MMORPG game RuneScape, created during his time at the University of Cambridge.

Life and career
Gower has programmed a variety of games, often creating the graphics and music with the help of his brothers, Paul and Ian Gower. In 1995, he created a 3D platform game called Parallax Painter for the Atari ST. This was followed in 1996 by a 3D first-person shooter called Destruction Imminent for the same system. He then began programming in Java, and created a series of Java games from 1997 to 1999, most of which appeared on the website Games Domain. This included several single player games and a 3D castle (called Games Domain Castle with an interface similar to that of Wolfenstein 3D) with a variety of classic multiplayer games. Games Domain was later bought out by Yahoo! and was eventually shut down.

He then created an isometric RPG, again in Java, called DeviousMUD. This game was the fore-runner to RuneScape, which he created from a similar concept, this time as an MMORPG, in 2001. The original version of RuneScape is now better known as RuneScape Classic, which is now kept online but only with limited access. With the help of the company he founded to develop and operate the game, Jagex, a graphical and engine rewrite was completed in 2004, which was named RuneScape 2 in development and is now commonly known as RuneScape.

In December 2010, Andrew left the Jagex board of directors. As of 2011, he is the principal architect of Jagex.

Recognition
The Sunday Times Rich List 2007 ranked Andrew and his brother Paul as the 654th richest entrepreneurs in the UK, worth £106 million. In 2008, The Daily Telegraph listed them as the UK's eleventh richest young entrepreneurs. Andrew and Paul Gower were awarded the Industry Legend prize at the 2010 Develop Awards.