Keeping up with the constant flow of hires, departures, and promotions in the video‑game sector can be a real challenge. That’s why we put together periodic round‑ups that capture the most notable personnel moves across the industry.
If you know of any recent appointments or transitions that belong in this list, please forward the name, new title, new company, as well as the previous role and employer to newhires@gamesindustry.biz. Tim Coombs has been named head of brand marketing for Amazon Luna.
Coombs brings a rich background in gaming brand strategy, having spent six years at Xbox where he rose to director of brand management before leaving in July 2026. He originally joined Xbox in 2020 as senior manager for brand strategy, and prior to that he served as product marketing manager for Amazon Lumberyard beginning in 2017.
He later advanced to senior product marketing manager and team lead for Amazon Game Tech, a position he held until April 2020. His experience spans both console and cloud‑gaming ecosystems, making him a strong fit to steer Luna’s brand presence in an increasingly competitive market. Erik Mogensen has exited Hasbro and its subsidiary Wizards of the Coast after a three‑year stint as senior director of business development for digital gaming.
Before his time at Hasbro, Mogensen devoted 23 years to Games Workshop, where he culminated his career as head of business development and consumer‑product licensing. "It’s not lost on me how special it’s been to have worked on, and for, my favourite brands," Mogensen reflected.
"From the original Warhammer to the modern giants—Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, Transformers—the list goes on. I’m eager to see what the next chapter holds, wherever it may lead." Ryan Rubin joins Blizzard Entertainment as a senior producer.
Rubin’s résumé includes senior production work at Netflix, where he helped launch two mobile titles—Squid Game: Unleashed and Selling Sunset. Earlier, he spent five years at Riot Games, contributing to creative development across the League of Legends franchise. His blend of live‑service expertise and narrative‑driven production is expected to bolster Blizzard’s expanding portfolio of online experiences. Andrey Odintsov has been appointed head of marketing at Battlestate Games.
Odintsov previously managed user acquisition for Multicast Games and currently operates as an independent growth and go‑to‑market consultant for various gaming projects. His data‑driven approach to player acquisition should help Battlestate sharpen its positioning for titles such as Escape From Tarkov. Dan Lazarides takes on the role of chief marketing officer at Frontier Developments.
Lazarides arrives from Sega Europe, where he served as senior vice president of marketing. He succeeds Jo Cooke, who moved into the CEO role at Frontier earlier this year. "We are delighted to welcome Dan to Frontier, who brings a wealth of experience on some of the industry's largest IPs," said Cooke. "His leadership will sustain Frontier’s upward momentum, and his appointment underscores our commitment to community‑first publishing.
Dan will be at the heart of our player‑first strategy, ensuring our teams champion player creativity and celebrate the ways gamers engage with our titles." Karen Ionescu has been named digital sales manager for Kalypso Media UK. Ionescu’s background includes a sales manager position at Numskull Games and prior roles at Nintendo and Rising Star Games.
Managing director Andrew Johnson commented, "Karen brings extensive commercial experience and long‑standing relationships across both retail and digital channels, making her a fantastic addition to the team." Hannah Barrett earned a promotion to senior account executive at esports and gaming communications agency Swipe Right. Barrett originally joined the firm as an account executive in December 2025 and has quickly demonstrated the client‑service acumen required for the senior role.
Supercell appointed Anni Pyy as contract manager. Pyy previously spent four years in the same capacity at Metacore, where she oversaw licensing agreements and partnership negotiations for mobile titles. Nathan Solbrandt has been named senior vice president of business development at fintech platform ZBD.
Solbrandt’s prior experience includes senior account executive work at Motorica and a vice‑president role in Americas business development at Xsolla. Olivia Lee takes on the position of internal events producer at Riot Games.
Lee previously served as associate producer for internal events and programs, coordinating large‑scale employee gatherings and community‑building initiatives. Ciarah Pritchard joins Xsolla as an account coordinator after serving as account performance manager at Playback Rewards, where she optimized client ROI and streamlined reporting processes. Tracey Thompson returns to Bethesda as vice president of communications.
Thompson first joined Bethesda in 2009 as director of publications, later becoming associate VP of communications. She left in 2019 for Electronic Arts, where she headed product and studio integrated communications. "I’m looking forward to partnering with the talented people across Bethesda and Xbox, supporting the teams behind some of the most iconic franchises in entertainment, and helping bring their creativity and vision to players around the world," Thompson said.
Maddie Richter has been appointed social media marketing manager at Nintendo of America. Richter previously managed social media for Alaska Airlines, where she honed her skills in audience engagement and brand storytelling.
Dana Duffield joins Yotta Games as a narrative designer. Duffield comes from Series Entertainment, where she served as senior narrative designer, crafting story arcs and character development for indie titles.
Yogscast Games, a UK‑based publisher, announced three new hires: Charlotte Willis, Robin Mawhinney, and Charlotte Pang. Willis becomes PR and influencer manager after working at Diva Agency as creator and community director. Mawhinney joins as production coordinator, having been a junior producer at Atelier 11.
Pang steps in as publishing coordinator; her background includes production, animation, and art roles at Team Gramps and Queensguard, as well as teaching game design, animation, and coding at Submarine Art School and The Code Zone. Steffen Holm and Chris Kruger have joined Roblox’s Foundation AI team to support the platform’s mobile‑first AI creation tool, Build, in New Zealand. The duo previously co‑founded Jars AI, an interactive AI platform, in 2023 and secured $3.5 million in funding from Google and other investors.
"At Jars AI we saw hundreds of thousands of creators use AI to shape weird new worlds and stories, and we’re excited to keep pushing the boundaries of AI entertainment in our new roles," Holm explained. Sathvik Sudireddy becomes marketing manager for live services at Rockstar Games.
Sudireddy’s prior experience includes product management on Call of Duty at Activision and an internship in business development at the same developer, giving him a solid foundation in live‑ops and player engagement. Joe Chard has been appointed lead product manager at Netflix Games.
Chard previously held the titles of vice president, studio general manager, and head of product at Jam City for six years, and has also occupied senior positions in gaming divisions at The Walt Disney Company and Warner Bros. Entertainment. These appointments, departures, and promotions illustrate the dynamic nature of talent movement within the gaming sector, reflecting both the industry's rapid growth and the continual reshaping of its creative and commercial leadership.