Keeping up with the constant flow of personnel changes in the video‑game sector can be a daunting task, which is why we regularly compile these updates into concise round‑ups. If you know of any recent hires, promotions, or departures that belong in this list, please forward the individual's name, new title, new company, and previous role to newhires@gamesindustry.biz. In a notable move, former Epic Games executive Ben Board has been installed as chief executive officer of The Performance Guys, the optimisation arm of CodeDev Group.
Board’s resume includes a stint as business development director for the Epic Game Store and Unreal Engine, a role he assumed after joining Epic in 2017 as a developer‑support manager. Earlier in his career he held senior positions at iconic studios such as Bullfrog Productions, Lionhead, and BossAlien, giving him a deep‑rooted understanding of both legacy and modern development pipelines.
"Ben is a genuine heavyweight in our industry; his reputation and technical credibility precede him," remarked Myke Parrot, CEO of CodeDev Group. "He has seen game creation from every perspective – from writing engine scripts to overseeing developer relations for the world’s largest platforms. Appointing Ben as CEO of The Performance Guys sends a crystal‑clear signal to publishers and studios: if you encounter performance bottlenecks on any engine, you’re partnering with the most capable team on the planet to resolve them." James Turner has re‑joined The Pokémon Company International, taking the helm as creative director of Pokémon Art and Design. Turner originally left Game Freak in 2022 to co‑found All Possible Futures alongside Jonathan Biddle; the studio’s debut title, The Plucky Squire, launched in September 2024 and earned praise for its inventive mechanics and whimsical art direction.
Billy King steps into the role of lead concept artist at Respawn Entertainment. King previously led concept teams at ZeniMax Online Studios and served as a senior concept artist for Amazon Games, where his work helped define visual identities for several high‑profile live‑service titles. Sam Duncombe has been named brand marketing manager for Team17.
Before joining the UK‑based publisher, Duncombe spent time as product manager for games and film at Warner Bros. Discovery, where he oversaw cross‑media initiatives and brand‑centric campaigns. Cansu Karahan Can joins Loom Games as people and culture manager, bringing experience from a similar role at Stoikk (formerly Kompanion).
Her focus will be on nurturing talent and shaping an inclusive workplace as Loom expands its indie portfolio. Christopher Wulf receives a promotion to senior business development manager at Fellow Traveller.
Wulf, who entered the company in 2021, previously worked for The Triple‑i Initiative as senior business and event manager, where he coordinated large‑scale industry gatherings. Julie Derhak is appointed producer for Dungeons & Dragons at Wizards of the Coast.
Derhak spent seven years at Epic Games, contributing to Fortnite Tech Art and the Lego‑themed Fortnite experience, before moving into tabletop RPG production. Alvaro Menéndez becomes international social lead for Mojang Studios. He transitions from a senior marketing manager position at Epic Games in Madrid, where he helped launch global community initiatives for Minecraft. Linus Johnsson is promoted to senior audio designer at Frontier Developments.
Johnsson began his career at Frontier in 2022 as a graduate audio designer and has since risen through the ranks, contributing to the soundscapes of titles such as Elite Dangerous and Planet Coaster. After a seven‑year tenure, Nate Nanzer departs Epic Games to assume the role of executive vice‑president, head of commercial & marketing at Paramount Games. Nanzer’s most recent Epic responsibilities included senior vice‑president of partnerships and monetisation. "The scale of ambition and vision for what's next at Paramount is incredibly exciting," Nanzer explained.
"I've spent my career at the crossroads of games, entertainment, and fandom, and the chance to help shape the future there was simply too compelling to pass up." Julia Gutnik steps into the position of head of media at Amazon Gaming. Gutnik previously led media, social, and analytics for Kia America and spent over six years within Amazon’s broader media ecosystem, including senior roles at Prime Video and Amazon Studios, where she oversaw digital advertising technology. Lorna Antoniazzi is appointed art producer at Studio MDHR, best known for Cuphead. Antoniazzi previously produced at Roarty Digital, contributing to Fortnite Battle Royale and Lego Fortnite visual pipelines.
Aysu Kutbay becomes product manager at Grand Games after a successful stint at Rollic, where she managed the lifecycle of several mobile hits. David Bailey returns to Games Workshop as lead commercial manager – licensing.
Bailey originally joined the Warhammer powerhouse in 2019 as senior licensing manager, left in 2021 for a director role at Sumo Digital, and now says, "It's a privilege to return to the vast and evergreen Warhammer universes to help spearhead new licensing opportunities." Liana Murphy takes the role of account director for U.S. operations at Second Stage, after previously juggling COO and PR head duties at Vicariously and V Publishing.
Tim Coombs is named head of brand marketing for Amazon Luna. Coombs moved from Xbox, where he served as director of brand management until July 2026, and earlier held product marketing positions for Amazon Lumberyard and Amazon Game Tech. Erik Mogensen exits Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast after three years as senior director of business development for digital gaming. Mogensen’s prior 23‑year career at Games Workshop culminated in heading business development and consumer product licensing.
"It's not lost on me how special it’s been to work on my favourite brands – Warhammer, Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, Transformers – and I look forward to the next chapter, wherever it leads," he reflected. Ryan Rubin joins Blizzard Entertainment as senior producer. Rubin previously produced two mobile titles for Netflix – Squid Game: Unleashed and Selling Sunset – and spent five years at Riot Games working on creative development for the League of Legends franchise.
Andrey Odintsov becomes head of marketing at Battlestate Games. He previously managed user acquisition at Multicast Games and now operates as an independent growth and go‑to‑market consultant. Dan Lazarides is appointed chief marketing officer at Frontier Developments.
Lazarides arrives from Sega Europe, where he was senior vice‑president of marketing, and replaces Jo Cooke following her promotion to CEO. "Dan brings a wealth of experience on some of the industry's largest IPs, and his leadership will continue Frontier's upward momentum," Cooke said. Karen Ionescu takes the role of digital sales manager at Kalypso Media UK, after sales positions at Numskull Games, Nintendo, and Rising Star Games. Managing director Andrew Johnson praised her extensive commercial background and retailer relationships.
Hannah Barrett is promoted to senior account executive at esports and gaming communications agency Swipe Right, having joined as an account executive in December 2025. Supercell appoints Anni Pyy as contract manager; Pyy previously held the same title at Metacore for four years.
Nathan Solbrandt becomes senior vice‑president of business development at fintech platform ZBD, after senior account work at Motorica and a vice‑president role at Xsolla for the Americas. Olivia Lee is hired as internal events producer at Riot Games, building on her prior experience coordinating internal programs and events. Ciarah Pritchard joins Xsolla as account coordinator, after serving as account performance manager at Playback Rewards. Tracey Thompson returns to Bethesda as vice‑president of communications.
Thompson originally joined Bethesda in 2009, later moved to EA in 2019, and now looks forward to supporting iconic franchises across Bethesda and Xbox. Maddie Richter becomes social media marketing manager at Nintendo of America, transitioning from a social media role at Alaska Airlines. Dana Duffield joins Yotta Games as a narrative designer, after senior narrative design work at Series Entertainment.
Yogscast Games announces three new hires: Charlotte Willis as PR and influencer manager (formerly creator and community director at Diva Agency), Robin Mawhinney as production coordinator (formerly junior producer at Atelier 11), and Charlotte Pang as publishing coordinator (formerly producer, animator, and artist for Team Gramps and Queensguard, and educator at Submarine Art School and The Code Zone). Steffen Holm and Chris Kruger join Roblox’s Foundation AI team to support the mobile‑first AI creation tool Build in New Zealand. The duo co‑founded Jars AI in 2023, raising $3.5 million from Google and other investors, and aim to push the boundaries of AI‑driven entertainment.
Sathvik Sudireddy becomes marketing manager, live services at Rockstar Games, after product management on Call of Duty at Activision and an internship in business development at Rockstar. Joe Chard is named lead product manager at Netflix Games, following senior leadership positions at Jam City, The Walt Disney Company, and Warner Bros. Entertainment. These appointments, promotions, and departures illustrate the dynamic nature of talent movement across the global gaming ecosystem, highlighting how experience from major publishers, indie studios, and adjacent entertainment sectors continues to shape the industry’s future.