Firaxis Games

Logo descriptions by TM123

Photos by TM123Editions by SnowflakesOmega

Background: Firaxis is an American video game developer based in Sparks, Maryland. It was founded by Sid Meier and his fellow developers in 1996, known for the Civilization games, as well as other strategy titles. The company primarily produces strategy games. It is a subsidiary of 2K Games.

1st Logo (1997-1999)
Nicknames: "Razor-Swirl", "The Fire Wheel", "Early Fire Wheel"

Logo: We see a blue grid on a dark background, then the camera zooms out and looks forward to reveal the "FIRAXIS" text in front of a bright light. The grid "transforms" into the blue line in the logo and the light diminishes to reveal a red circular vortex above the company name. The vortex then turns into a swirl with razor-like edges, and the word "GAMES" is formed below the blue line.

Variant: In Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri, the logo is seen on a tiled block with two robotic arms pressing on it. When the tile is inserted, the arms move away from the block. Robotic movement sounds similar to the one heard in the other variant is heard when the arms are in motion.

FX/SFX: CGI animation.

Music/Sounds: A robotic movement sound effect, a post-boom explosion sound, and a "beam" synth in the last effect.

Availability: The normal logo is seen on the intros of Sid Meier's Gettysburg! and Sid Meier's Antietam!, and the variant is only seen on the intro of Alpha Centauri.

Editor's Note: None.

2nd Logo (2001-)
Nickname: "The Fire Wheel II"

Logo: The Firaxis logo is colored gold and its swirls are much more slender than the previous logo. It also lacks a dark colored interior. In its debut in Civilization III, it fades in from a white background.

Variants:
 * In the opening of Sid Meier's SimGolf, the logo is seen from a blimp passing by the screen.
 * In Sid Meier's Pirates!, a pirate (probably the player) discovers an old piece of paper with the logo adorned.
 * In Civilization IV, its expansions, and CivCity: Rome, the logo spawns above an old piece of paper that details fighters on a desktop.
 * In Sid Meier's Railroads!, the logo spawns in a model train layout, with the same audio from Civilization IV plus model train sounds.
 * In Civilization Revolution, the logo is drawn by a caveman in rock along with the 2K Games logo.
 * In Civilization IV: Colonization, the logo fades in from a dark background with a slightly different sound from the first logo.
 * In Civilization V and its expansions, the logo also appears in a dark background, but fades in/out with a swiping effect. It also has a more distinctive synth sound played.
 * In XCOM: Enemy Unknown, the logo appears on an electrostatic surface and is colored light blue with static and sinister noises. Here, the logo gets erased by an electric shortage.

FX/SFX: CGI in most variants.

Music/Sounds: The variants as well as few others has a gentle synth sound playing. The remainder often has a song playing from the clip it was seen.

Availability: Common. The games remain to be a staple to PC gaming, and most titles remain to be easily found. The games can be downloaded from Steam and other services.

Editor's Note: It could be a favorite among 4X genre fans.