Photo: Michael Dunn / CC BY 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
John Tobias is a programmer, graphic designer and video game designer. John Tobias was born on August 24, 1969 in Chicago, Illinois, United States. That works out to 56 years old in 2026. Education on record includes Whitney M. Young Magnet High School and American Academy of Art College. Notable works include Mortal Kombat.
My Take
To me, John Tobias is an unsung architect of gaming culture. A Chicago native who was an artist, designer, and writer all at once, he co-created Mortal Kombat with Ed Boon, and that lineage alone earns my respect. I love that his lifelong love of comics fed directly into the game's bold, theatrical visual identity; the over-the-top spectacle was built on real draftsmanship. Tobias proves that a single title can shape a whole medium and even pop culture itself. He is a reminder that great games are born from genuine artistic obsession, not just clever code, and I find that deeply admirable.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- John Tobias
- Name (Japanese)
- ジョン・トビアス
- Reading
- じょん・とびあす
- Born
- August 24, 1969 (age 56)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Virgo / Rooster
- Origin
- Chicago, Illinois, United States
- Occupation
- programmer / graphic designer / video game designer / comics artist / screenwriter
2. Background
- High school
- Whitney M. Young Magnet High School
- University
- American Academy of Art College
3. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Mortal Kombat | — |
4. Links
- Official sitehttps://www.mortalkombat.com/
- Xhttps://x.com/therealsaibot
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John%20Tobias
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q664637
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was John Tobias born?
Born August 24, 1969 (age 56).
Where is John Tobias from?
John Tobias is from Chicago, Illinois, United States.
What does John Tobias do?
John Tobias works as programmer, graphic designer, video game designer, comics artist, screenwriter.
What is John Tobias known for?
Notable works include Mortal Kombat.
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