Majestic Twelve Games was founded in 1788 by a portly Viennese shopkeeper who little suspected the juggernaut into which his wenig Liebhaberei would develop. Initial forays into the infant Kriegspiel market were disappointing: witness the violently negative response to MJ12's first product, Wars of the Swedish Impressionists, which resulted in the company's warehouse being put to the torch.

While this was regarded as a minor inconvenience by the excessively-optimistic MJ12, it unfortunately resulted in a 200-year hiatus before the company's next release. In 1994, Starmada was unveiled to the general public as a "freeware" game via the rec.games.design Usenet board. As this event triggered neither widespread rioting nor arson, MJ12 considered it a resounding success.

Since then, MJ12 has shown itself to be a leader in the small-press wargaming community. Starmada is regularly cited as a favorite among starship combat gamers, and games such as Defiance: Vital Ground, For The Masses, and Iron Stars have carved out sizeable niches among discriminating leadheads.

Majestic Twelve Games is a sole proprietorship, currently doing business in Castle Rock, Colorado.