Keeping up with the constant flow of hires, promotions, and departures across the gaming sector can be a real challenge. That’s why we put together these periodic round‑ups, gathering the most noteworthy personnel moves in one convenient place. If you know of any recent appointments or transitions that belong in this list, please forward the individual's name, new title, and company, along with their previous role and employer, to newhires@gamesindustry.biz. Catherine Bygrave has been named Head of Commercial for Code Wizards Group.
Bygrave arrives with a robust background in business development and commercial strategy. She most recently served as Business Development Director at Sumo Games, where she helped forge key partnerships and expand the studio’s market reach.
Prior to that, she spent ten years at Activision, contributing to the success of flagship franchises such as Call of Duty and Destiny in a variety of commercial and strategic capacities. Her résumé also includes senior commercial and strategic positions at Gfinity, Humble Games, and Sumo Digital, giving her a well‑rounded perspective on both publishing and development. "I have followed Code Wizards throughout my career and have always admired the team’s ethos and performance," Bygrave said.
"I’m thrilled to join the organization and help drive the business forward into its next phase." Code Wizards Group CEO Stuart Muckley echoed the sentiment: "We’re delighted to welcome Catherine to our leadership team. The games industry has evolved dramatically in recent years, and Catherine’s experience makes her the ideal partner to guide Code Wizards Group toward the next level of growth." Michał Platkow‑Gilewski has been promoted to Vice President of Global Communications and Marketing at CD Projekt Red.
Platkow‑Gilewski first joined CD Projekt Red in 2011 as Head of Marketing. Over the ensuing decade he progressed through a series of senior roles, including Head of Global Communications, Director of Public Relations and Global Communication, and ultimately Vice President of PR and Communication. His promotion reflects the company’s confidence in his ability to shape the brand’s worldwide narrative and oversee its comprehensive marketing strategy.
Daniel Smith has taken on the role of Executive Producer at Playground Games. Smith’s most recent position was Executive Producer at Turn 10 Studios, where he oversaw large‑scale product development and managed the studio’s production pipeline.
Before that, he spent nine years at Xbox Game Studios Publishing as a Senior Producer and Games Producer, supervising the Xbox publishing portfolio and coordinating cross‑functional teams to bring multiple titles to market. Gero Micciché has been appointed Lead Producer at 2K and Hangar 13 Games. Micciché’s career includes a stint as Development Director on the Battlefield franchise at Criterion Games. He has also held development director and producer responsibilities at major publishers such as Electronic Arts, Codemasters, and Gameloft, giving him a deep understanding of both AAA and mid‑tier production cycles.
Bloober Team announced the hiring of Tymon Smektala as Executive Producer for its curated horror label, Broken Mirror Games. Smektala spent 13 years at Techland, most recently serving as Franchise Director after joining the company in 2013 as a game designer. In his new role, he will steer Broken Mirror Games’ creative direction, curate its portfolio, and collaborate with external studios to inject fresh perspectives into the horror genre.
"After more than 13 years at Techland, I’m taking on a new challenge: leading the imprint, shaping its creative direction and portfolio, and working with talented external studios to bring new perspectives on horror in gaming," Smektala explained. Vik Agarwal has joined Roblox’s product team.
Agarwal previously held a product leadership role at Meta and served as Lead Product Manager at Zynga. His background also includes product management positions at Electronic Arts and Amazon Game Studios, equipping him with a broad view of product development across social, mobile, and console platforms. Daniel Loane has been appointed Principal Game Designer at Zynga.
Loane’s prior experience includes a Senior Game Designer role at Fortis Games. He has also occupied senior design positions at ZeniMax Online Studios, NetherRealm Studios, and King, where he contributed to the design of live‑service titles and helped shape gameplay experiences for millions of players. These appointments illustrate the dynamic nature of talent movement within the industry, as seasoned professionals take on new challenges and help shape the future of interactive entertainment. Each individual brings a unique blend of expertise that will undoubtedly influence the studios they join and the games they help create.