Leadership Shift at Phoenix Labs as CEO and COO Depart

In a significant development, Phoenix Labs' CEO and co-founder Jesse Houston, along with COO Jeanne-Marie Owens, are relinquishing their executive roles. As per reports, Houston will continue to serve on the studio's board of directors in Vancouver and take on an advisory position. Owens will also transition into an advisory capacity by the end of 2023, with Ian Johnson, VP of product development, succeeding her as COO. Reflecting on his decision, Houston stated, "After nearly a decade, I feel confident in stepping back from the daily operations at Phoenix Labs. The studio's future looks exceptionally promising, with a robust pipeline of games under development and the recent launch of Fae Farm for the Nintendo Switch and PC." Houston expressed his pride in the team's collective achievements. It has also come to light that fellow co-founders Sean Bender and Robin Mayne left the company earlier this year, citing personal reasons. Following a management buyout from parent company Garena in 2020, Phoenix Labs expanded with new offices in Montreal and Los Angeles. Despite a round of layoffs in May, the studio's latest release, Fae Farm, has shown a strong start, debuting in the UK's Top Ten boxed charts.