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Heather Hazen has been named studio head as head of Firaxis Games, the developer that built Marvel’s Midnight Suns.
She replaces Steve Martin, who is leaving the studio just after 25 many years at Firaxis. In addition, Jake Solomon, resourceful director on Midnight Suns, is also leaving the studio, which is owned by Acquire-Two Interactive’s 2K label. Whilst Midnight Suns received superior opinions, Take-Two reported income fell quick of expectations.
2K also declared that it is doing work on the upcoming mainline recreation in the globe-famed Sid Meier’s Civilization franchise.
Hazen beforehand served as main operating officer at Firaxis, which introduced Marvel’s Midnight Suns previous slide an also works on the XCOM and Civilization game titles.
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As studio head, Hazen will control Firaxis Games’ advancement groups and lead its mission to create the very best tactic game titles on the earth. With 22 many years of experience in gaming and enjoyment, Hazen joined Firaxis Video games in 2020 as the studio’s COO.
“We are psyched to welcome Heather Hazen as the new Studio Head of Firaxis Video games and believe that she will continue to travel the good results Firaxis has continuously sent as element of 2K’s impartial studio design,” claimed David Ismailer, president of 2K, in a statement. “2K and Firaxis Online games are deeply grateful for the foundation that Steve Martin established during his time at the studio, shepherding additional than 30 video game launches across a few genre-defining franchises, and for guaranteeing a easy transition for Heather into her new job. Firaxis is one of our business and the industry’s most renowned studios, and we are assured that the staff will continue on to do terrific issues underneath her management.”
Prior to Firaxis Video games, she was an executive producer on Fortnite at Epic Game titles, as effectively as Crops vs. Zombies and Bejeweled though at PopCap Online games.
“I’m thrilled to have this prospect to have on the studio’s storied legacy, starting with the announcement that Firaxis is in development on the up coming iteration of the famous Civilization franchise,” mentioned Hazen, in a assertion. “I’m blessed to be functioning with some of the finest builders in our market, and we have designs to acquire the Civilization franchise to exciting new heights for our tens of millions of gamers all over the globe. In addition, we will proceed to assist Marvel’s Midnight Suns with submit-launch information, and check out new creative initiatives for our groups.”
Ed Beach front will go on in his part as artistic director on the forthcoming Civilization. Beach has been an integral part of the improvement of Civilization titles for a lot more than 15 many years, and most not long ago led the style and design of Civilization VI, the very best-offering Civilization video game to-date. The Civilization franchise is one of gaming’s most definitive and decorated franchises, with more than 65 million copies sold to-day.
Solomon leaves just after above two a long time at Firaxis Games, and was instrumental in revitalizing the tactical transform-primarily based style with the releases of XCOM: Enemy Unknown, XCOM 2 and Marvel’s Midnight Suns.
“I’m embarking on a new chapter nonetheless, I am extremely grateful to have experienced the option to fulfill my desires at Firaxis Game titles,” said Solomon, in a statement. “I’m grateful to everybody who relished XCOM and Marvel’s Midnight Suns, and to my advancement and publishing companions who aided carry people games to lifestyle.”
“Jake revolutionized tactical flip-centered games and continuously elevated the bar for storytelling in the technique style,” included Ismailer. “We have deep appreciation for his do the job and can’t hold out to see what he does following.”
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