Heather Hazen Takes the Helm as Firaxis Games' New Studio Head

2K Games has appointed Heather Hazen as the new studio head of Firaxis Games, the renowned developer behind the iconic Sid Meier's Civilization series. Hazen, who previously served as the studio's chief operating officer, brings 22 years of experience in the gaming and entertainment industry to her new role. Her professional background includes a stint at Epic Games, where she worked as an executive producer on the immensely popular Fortnite. As the new studio head, Hazen will oversee the development of strategy titles and lead the studio's development teams. Her promotion is accompanied by the departure of Steve Martin, who is leaving the studio after two decades, and Jake Solomon, the former creative director of the XCOM series and Marvel's Midnight Suns, who joined Firaxis in 2000. Hazen expressed her enthusiasm for her new role, stating, "I'm excited to build on the studio's legacy, starting with the announcement that Firaxis is working on the next installment of the legendary Civilization franchise." She added, "I'm fortunate to work with some of the best developers in the industry, and we have plans to take the Civilization series to new heights for our millions of players worldwide." Ed Beach will continue to serve as creative director on the upcoming Civilization title, currently in development.