Tracking the ebb and flow of personnel across the video‑game sector can be a daunting task, which is why we publish periodic employment round‑ups to keep the community informed. If your organization has recent hires, promotions, or departures that belong in this bulletin, please forward the individual's name, new title, new employer, as well as their previous position and company to newhires@gamesindustry.biz. Tim Coombs has been named the head of brand marketing for Amazon Luna. Coombs spent the previous five years at Microsoft’s Xbox division, where he advanced from senior manager of brand strategy (2020) to director of brand management, a role he held until July 2026.
Prior to his Xbox tenure, Coombs joined Amazon's gaming arm in 2017 as product marketing manager for Amazon Lumberyard, later moving up to senior product marketing manager and leading the Amazon Game Tech team until April 2020. His blend of console and cloud‑gaming experience positions him to steer Luna’s brand identity as the service expands its library and global reach. 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 Hasbro appointment, Mogensen devoted 23 years to Games Workshop, culminating in the role of head of business development and consumer product licensing.
Reflecting on his career, Mogensen said, "It’s not lost on me how special it’s been to have worked on, and for, my favourite brands. From the original Warhammer to the latest Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, Transformers… the list goes on. I’m very much looking forward to my next chapter, whatever and wherever that may be." His departure underscores a broader trend of veteran talent seeking fresh challenges after long tenures at legacy publishers.
Ryan Rubin joins Blizzard Entertainment as a senior producer. Rubin previously held a senior producer position at Netflix, where he oversaw the launch of two mobile titles—*Squid Game: Unleashed* and *Selling Sunset*. He also spent five years at Riot Games, contributing to creative development across the expansive League of Legends franchise. Rubin’s background in both streaming‑centric titles and competitive esports titles should complement Blizzard’s push to diversify its live‑service portfolio and explore new monetization models.
Andrey Odintsov has been appointed head of marketing at Battlestate Games. Odintsov’s most recent role was user acquisition manager at Multicast Games, and he currently operates as an independent growth and go‑to‑market consultant for various gaming projects. His expertise in performance marketing and community‑driven acquisition strategies is expected to help Battlestate amplify the visibility of its tactical shooter titles. Dan Lazarides steps into the role of chief marketing officer at Frontier Developments.
Previously, Lazarides served as senior vice president of marketing for Sega Europe, and he succeeded Jo Cooke after her promotion to CEO of Frontier in January. Cooke commented, "We are delighted to welcome Dan to Frontier, who brings with him a wealth of experience on some of the industry's largest IP. His leadership in this genre will continue Frontier's upward momentum, and his appointment to the role of CMO highlights our focus on our communities. Dan will be at the heart of our player‑first strategy, ensuring our publishing team champions player creativity and celebrates the way in which they play our games." The statement reinforces Frontier’s commitment to community‑centric development and a publishing approach that values user feedback.
Karen Ionescu has taken the position of digital sales manager at Kalypso Media UK. Ionescu’s prior experience includes a sales manager role at Numskull Games and earlier stints at Nintendo and Rising Star Games. Managing director Andrew Johnson said, "We're delighted to welcome Karen to Kalypso Media UK. She brings a wealth of commercial experience and long‑standing relationships across both retail and digital sales channels, making her a fantastic addition to the team." Ionescu’s blend of console and indie publishing experience should aid Kalypso’s push to broaden its digital distribution footprint across Europe.
Hannah Barrett has been promoted to senior account executive at the esports and gaming communications agency Swipe Right. Barrett originally joined the firm as an account executive in December 2025 and has since demonstrated a strong ability to manage client relationships and deliver integrated campaign strategies for competitive gaming brands. Supercell announced the appointment of Anni Pyy as contract manager. Pyy comes from a four‑year tenure at Metacore, where she oversaw contract negotiations and partnership agreements for the mobile developer’s hit titles.
Nathan Solbrandt has been named senior vice president of business development at fintech platform ZBD. Solbrandt’s background includes a senior account executive role at Motorica and a prior vice‑president position overseeing business development for the Americas at Xsolla, giving him a deep understanding of payment solutions and publisher services within the gaming ecosystem. Olivia Lee is now the internal events producer at Riot Games, having previously served as associate producer for internal events and programs. Her role will focus on cultivating a vibrant internal culture through curated events that celebrate the company’s diverse talent.
Ciarah Pritchard joins Xsolla as an account coordinator, after working as an account performance manager at Playback Rewards where she optimized client metrics and revenue streams. Tracey Thompson returns to Bethesda as vice president of communications.
Thompson initially joined Bethesda in 2009 as director of publications, later becoming associate VP of communications. She departed in 2019 for Electronic Arts, where she led product and studio integrated communications. Upon her return, Thompson said, "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." Her reappointment reflects Bethesda’s emphasis on cohesive storytelling and brand consistency across its flagship series. Maddie Richter has been appointed social media marketing manager at Nintendo of America.
Richter previously managed social media for Alaska Airlines, bringing corporate‑level expertise in audience engagement to the iconic gaming brand. Dana Duffield joins Yotta Games as a narrative designer.
Duffield’s most recent role was senior narrative designer at Series Entertainment, where she crafted story arcs for indie titles. The UK publisher Yogscast Games revealed three new hires: Charlotte Willis, Robin Mawhinney, and Charlotte Pang. Willis becomes the PR and influencer manager after serving as creator and community director at Diva Agency. Mawhinney joins as a production coordinator, previously a junior producer at Atelier 11.
Pang takes on the publishing coordinator role; her background includes production, animation, and art positions 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 been added to Roblox’s Foundation AI team to support the platform’s mobile‑first AI creation tool, Build, in New Zealand. The duo co‑founded the AI interactive platform Jars AI in 2023 and secured $3.5 million in funding from Google and other investors.
Holm remarked, "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." Sathvik Sudireddy joins Rockstar Games as marketing manager for live services. Sudireddy previously served as a product manager on *Call of Duty* at Activision after completing an internship in business development at the same developer, giving him a solid foundation in live‑ops strategies and community engagement. Joe Chard has been named lead product manager at Netflix Games. Chard’s prior experience includes a six‑year tenure as vice president, studio general manager, and head of product at Jam City, as well as senior roles at The Walt Disney Company and Warner Bros.
Entertainment, where he oversaw product pipelines and cross‑platform initiatives. These movements illustrate the fluid nature of talent within the interactive entertainment sector, where leaders frequently shift between publishing giants, independent studios, and emerging technology firms.
Such transitions often bring fresh perspectives, cross‑industry expertise, and innovative approaches to marketing, product development, and community management, ultimately shaping the next wave of gaming experiences for players worldwide.