Keeping up with the constant flow of hires, promotions, and departures in the video‑game sector can be a real challenge. That’s why we put together periodic round‑ups that capture the most noteworthy personnel moves across the industry.
If you know of a colleague or a peer who has recently changed roles and you think the news belongs in this list, please forward the name, new title, new company, as well as the previous position and employer to newhires@gamesindustry.biz. Tim Coombs has been named the head of brand marketing for Amazon Luna. Coombs brings a rich background in gaming brand strategy to the streaming service.
Prior to this appointment, he spent six years at Microsoft’s Xbox division, where he rose to the role of director of brand management before leaving in July 2026. He originally joined Xbox in 2020 as a senior manager overseeing brand strategy, and before that he cut his teeth at Amazon’s internal game‑engine team. In 2017 he became product marketing manager for Amazon Lumberyard, later advancing to senior product marketing manager and team lead for Amazon Game Tech, a position he held until April 2020. 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, culminating in the role of 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," he reflected. "From the original Warhammer to recent titles like Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, and Transformers… the list goes on. I’m excited for the next chapter, wherever it may lead." Ryan Rubin has joined Blizzard Entertainment as a senior producer.
Rubin’s résumé includes a senior producer position at Netflix where he helped launch two mobile titles, *Squid Game: Unleashed* and *Selling Sunset*. He also spent five years at Riot Games, contributing to creative development across the massive League of Legends intellectual property. Andrey Odintsov is now the head of marketing at Battlestate Games. Odintsov previously managed user acquisition at Multicast Games and currently works as an independent consultant specializing in growth and go‑to‑market strategies for game publishers.
Dan Lazarides has taken the role of chief marketing officer at Frontier Developments. Before arriving at Frontier, Lazarides served as senior vice president of marketing for Sega Europe. He succeeded Jo Cooke, who was promoted to CEO of Frontier in January.
Cooke praised the appointment, stating, "Dan brings a wealth of experience from some of the industry's biggest IPs. His leadership will sustain Frontier’s momentum and reinforce our player‑first philosophy. He will ensure our publishing team champions player creativity and celebrates the diverse ways our community engages with our games. This focus is essential to our position as a leading creative‑management simulation studio and will help us continue delivering unforgettable experiences." Karen Ionescu has been appointed digital sales manager at Kalypso Media UK.
Ionescu’s background includes a sales manager role at Numskull Games and prior positions at Nintendo and Rising Star Games. Managing Director Andrew Johnson welcomed her, noting, "Karen’s extensive commercial expertise and long‑standing relationships across retail and digital channels make her a fantastic addition to our 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 strategic insight needed for the senior role. Supercell announced the hiring of Anni Pyy as contract manager. Pyy previously spent four years in the same capacity at Metacore, where she oversaw licensing agreements and partnership contracts for a portfolio of 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 business development for the Americas at Xsolla. Olivia Lee joins Riot Games as internal events producer.
Lee’s earlier responsibilities at Riot involved associate production for internal events and employee programs, giving her a solid foundation for overseeing larger, company‑wide initiatives. Ciarah Pritchard is now an account coordinator at Xsolla, after serving as account performance manager at Playback Rewards where she optimized client metrics and drove revenue growth. 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. After a decade away—most recently heading product and studio integrated communications at Electronic Arts—she is back to support the studios behind some of the most iconic entertainment franchises.
"I’m eager to partner with the talented teams at Bethesda and Xbox, helping bring their creative visions to players worldwide," Thompson said. Maddie Richter has taken the position of social media marketing manager at Nintendo of America.
Before Nintendo, Richter managed social media for Alaska Airlines, where she honed her skills in community engagement and brand storytelling. Dana Duffield joins Yotta Games as a narrative designer. Duffield previously served as senior narrative designer at Series Entertainment, crafting storylines and character arcs for several indie projects.
Yogscast Games, a UK‑based publisher, announced three new hires: Charlotte Willis, Robin Mawhinney, and Charlotte Pang. Willis becomes the PR and influencer manager, coming from Diva Agency where she acted as creator and community director. Mawhinney joins as production coordinator after a junior producer stint at Atelier 11, while Pang steps in as publishing coordinator, bringing experience as a producer, animator, and artist for 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 bolster 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. "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 previously worked as a product manager on *Call of Duty* at Activision and began his career with an internship in business development at the same studio.
Joe Chard has been appointed lead product manager at Netflix Games. Chard’s extensive background 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.
These appointments, promotions, and departures illustrate the fluid nature of talent within the gaming ecosystem. As studios expand into new platforms, explore emerging technologies like AI, and double down on community‑centric strategies, the movement of experienced professionals continues to shape the industry's direction. Staying informed about these shifts helps companies, partners, and fans alike understand where creative and business leadership is heading in the months and years ahead.