Keeping up with the constant flow of hires, promotions, and departures in the video‑game sector can be a daunting task. To make it easier for industry professionals and enthusiasts alike, we regularly compile concise round‑ups of the most noteworthy personnel moves.
If you know of a change that belongs in this list—whether it’s a new appointment, a transition, or a departure—please forward the details (name, new role, company, and previous position) to newhires@gamesindustry.biz. One of the headline announcements this month is the appointment of former Epic Games executive Ben Board as Chief Executive Officer of The Performance Guys, the optimisation arm of CodeDev Group. Board’s résumé includes a stint as Business Development Director for the Epic Game Store and Unreal Engine, a role he stepped into after joining Epic in 2017 as a developer‑support manager. Earlier in his career he held senior leadership positions at celebrated studios such as Bullfrog Productions, Lionhead Studios, and BossAlien.
"Ben is a true industry heavy‑hitter whose reputation and technical authority speak for themselves," said Myke Parrot, CEO of CodeDev Group. "He understands game development from every angle – from coding engine scripts to managing developer relations for the world’s biggest platforms and engines. Bringing Ben in as CEO of The Performance Guys sends an unmistakable message to the market: if your game has a performance problem on any engine, we have the best team on the planet to fix it." In other major moves, James Turner has rejoined The Pokémon Company International as Creative Director of Pokémon Art and Design. Turner originally left Game Freak in 2022 to co‑found All Possible Futures with Jonathan Biddle; the studio’s debut title, The Plucky Squire, launched in September 2024 and received praise for its inventive platforming mechanics.
His return to the Pokémon franchise signals a renewed focus on artistic direction and brand cohesion across the company’s global product lines. Respawn Entertainment announced the hiring of Billy King as its new Lead Concept Artist. King previously led concept teams at ZeniMax Online Studios and served as a senior concept artist for Amazon Games, where he contributed to several high‑profile projects. His extensive experience in creating compelling visual designs for both AAA and live‑service titles is expected to enrich Respawn’s upcoming releases.
Team17 welcomed Sam Duncombe as Brand Marketing Manager. Duncombe comes from Warner Bros.
Discovery, where he managed product initiatives spanning both games and film, bringing a cross‑media perspective that should help Team17 strengthen its brand presence in a crowded market. Loom Games added Cansu Karahan Can as People and Culture Manager.
Can previously held the same title at Stoikk (formerly Kompanion), where she was responsible for talent acquisition, employee engagement, and organisational development. Her expertise will support Loom’s growing studio culture as it expands its indie portfolio.
Fellow Traveler promoted Christopher Wulf to Senior Business Development Manager. Wulf, who joined the firm in 2021, previously worked for The Triple‑i Initiative as a senior business and event manager, giving him a solid background in partnership building and event coordination. Wizards of the Coast announced that Julie Derhak will serve as Producer for Dungeons & Dragons. Derhak spent seven years at Epic Games, contributing to Fortnite Tech Art and the Lego‑Fortnite collaboration, experience that should translate well to managing large‑scale tabletop and digital initiatives for Wizards.
Mojang Studios named Alvaro Menéndez International Social Lead. Menéndez formerly held the senior marketing manager role at Epic Games’ Madrid office, where he oversaw community engagement across multiple regions. His global outlook will be valuable as Mojang continues to grow its player base beyond Minecraft’s core audience. Frontier Developments promoted Linus Johnsson to Senior Audio Designer.
Johnsson originally joined Frontier in 2022 as a graduate audio designer and has since contributed to the soundscapes of several of the studio’s titles. His promotion reflects Frontier’s commitment to high‑quality audio experiences. After a seven‑year tenure at Epic Games, Nate Nanzer departed to become Executive Vice President, Head of Commercial & Marketing at Paramount Games. Nanzer’s most recent Epic role was Senior Vice President of Partnerships and Monetisation.
"The scale of the ambition and vision here for what's next is incredibly exciting," Nanzer said. "I've spent my career at the intersection of games, entertainment, and fandom, and the opportunity to help build what comes next at Paramount was simply too compelling to pass up." Amazon Gaming appointed Julia Gutnik as Head of Media. Gutnik previously led media, social, and analytics for Kia America and spent over six years at Prime Video and Amazon Studios, where she headed digital and ad‑tech media operations. She remarked, "After two years navigating the auto industry, I am returning to my entertainment roots, and to the place that shaped me into a global marketing leader." Studio MDHR added Lorna Antoniazzi as Art Producer.
Antoniazzi’s prior experience includes a producer role at Roarty Digital, where she worked on Fortnite Battle Royale and Lego Fortnite, giving her a solid foundation in coordinating art pipelines for live‑service games. Grand Games hired Aysu Kutbay as Product Manager. Kutbay previously managed product initiatives at Rollic, focusing on mobile‑first titles and user‑acquisition strategies.
Games Workshop welcomed back David Bailey as Lead Commercial Manager – Licensing. Bailey originally joined the company in 2019 as Senior Licensing Manager, left in 2021 for a director role at Sumo Digital, and now returns to oversee licensing for the expansive Warhammer universe. "It's a privilege to return to the vast and evergreen Warhammer universes to help spearhead new business for licensing here," Bailey said.
Second Stage appointed Liana Murphy as Account Director, US Operations. Murphy most recently served as COO and Head of Public Relations at Vicariously and V Publishing, bringing operational and communications expertise to the agency. Amazon Luna announced Tim Coombs as Head of Brand Marketing.
Coombs previously directed brand management at Xbox until July 2026 and held product marketing roles for Amazon Lumberyard and Amazon Game Tech, positioning him well to shape Luna’s brand narrative. Erik Mogensen left 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 a head‑of‑business‑development role, during which he managed consumer‑product licensing for iconic brands such as Warhammer and Dungeons & Dragons.
Blizzard Entertainment added Ryan Rubin as Senior Producer. Rubin’s background includes senior production roles at Netflix (where he oversaw mobile titles Squid Game: Unleashed and Selling Sunset) and five years at Riot Games working on League of Legends creative development.
Battlestate Games named Andrey Odintsov Head of Marketing. Odintsov previously managed user acquisition at Multicast Games and now operates as an independent growth and go‑to‑market consultant for game studios.
Frontier Developments hired Dan Lazarides as Chief Marketing Officer. Lazarides formerly served as Senior Vice President of Marketing at Sega Europe and succeeded Jo Cooke after her promotion to CEO.
"His leadership in this genre will continue Frontier's upward momentum," said CEO Jo Cooke. Kalypso Media UK appointed Karen Ionescu as Digital Sales Manager.
Ionescu’s résumé includes sales leadership at Numskull Games, Nintendo, and Rising Star Games, giving her a broad perspective on both retail and digital distribution channels. Swipe Right promoted Hannah Barrett to Senior Account Executive.
Barrett joined the esports and gaming communications agency in December 2025 and quickly advanced from Account Executive to a senior client‑facing role. Supercell named Anni Pyy as Contract Manager. Pyy previously spent four years in the same capacity at Metacore, handling legal and vendor relationships for the mobile‑gaming studio.
Fintech platform ZBD announced Nathan Solbrandt as SVP of Business Development. Solbrandt’s prior experience includes senior account work at Motorica and a Vice President role at Xsolla overseeing Americas‑region business development. Riot Games added Olivia Lee as Internal Events Producer.
Lee previously coordinated internal programs and events, ensuring employee engagement across the company’s global offices. Xsolla welcomed Ciarah Pritchard as Account Coordinator.
Pritchard previously managed account performance at Playback Rewards, focusing on optimization and client satisfaction. Bethesda re‑hired Tracey Thompson as Vice President of Communications. Thompson’s career at Bethesda began in 2009 as Director of Publications; she later served as Associate VP of Communications before moving to Electronic Arts in 2019. She now returns to help shape messaging for Bethesda’s flagship franchises.
Nintendo of America appointed Maddie Richter as Social Media Marketing Manager. Richter transitions from a social media role at Alaska Airlines, where she honed community‑building skills that will now be applied to Nintendo’s extensive fan base. Yotta Games added Dana Duffield as Narrative Designer. Duffield previously worked as Senior Narrative Designer at Series Entertainment, crafting storylines and character arcs for narrative‑driven titles.
Yogscast Games announced three new hires: Charlotte Willis (PR and Influencer Manager, formerly Creator and Community Director at Diva Agency), Robin Mawhinney (Production Coordinator, previously Junior Producer at Atelier 11), and Charlotte Pang (Publishing Coordinator, with a background in production, animation, and teaching at Submarine Art School and The Code Zone). Roblox’s Foundation AI team welcomed Steffen Holm and Chris Kruger to support the mobile‑first AI creation tool Build in New Zealand. The duo co‑founded Jars AI in 2023 and raised $3.5 million from Google and other investors, bringing deep expertise in AI‑driven interactive experiences. Rockstar Games appointed Sathvik Sudireddy as Marketing Manager, Live Services.
Sudireddy previously managed product development for Call of Duty at Activision after an internship in business development at Rockstar. Netflix Games named Joe Chard as Lead Product Manager. Chard’s extensive background includes a Vice President role, studio general‑manager duties, and head of product at Jam City, as well as senior positions at Disney and Warner Bros.
Entertainment. These appointments, promotions, and departures illustrate the dynamic nature of the gaming industry, where talent moves quickly and expertise is constantly reshaped. The influx of seasoned leaders into new roles often signals strategic shifts, growth ambitions, and a focus on innovation across studios and publishers worldwide.