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Phil Harrison heads to Microsoft as vice prez of Interactive Entertainment Business arm
We've officially turned on the theme song to Welcome Back, Kotter and started growing a lustrous mustache in honor of Phil Harrison's return to Game Industry Executiveland. This morning, reports from Europe indicated that Harrison would head to Microsoft -- Microsoft clarified the news later, which named him corporate vice president of Interactive Entertainment Business "with an emphasis on growing the division's European business."Microsoft corporate vice president of Studios Phil Spencer welcomed Harrison in a press release. "We are honored to have Phil join a team that boasts a wealth of talent from across the industry," Spencer said. Harrison is charged with "overseeing UK-based developers Lionhead Studios, Soho Productions and Rare Ltd.," a role he'll likely warm to quickly given past work as head of worldwide studios for Sony Computer Entertainment.Harrison's most recent employer is game industry venture capital firm London Venture Partners, where he served as general partner. He continues on as "special advisor." Harrison will not be replacing former Microsoft Studios Europe head Peter Molyneux (who recently left Microsoft), though he will be overseeing Lionhead. Molyneux's role at Lionhead as studio manager is currently occupied by COO Mark Webley, according to Microsoft.Update: Microsoft announced Harrison's appointment this morning to corporate vice president of Microsoft's "Interactive Entertainment Business" arm, with a focus on European markets. See the full presser just below the jump.[Image credit: Flickr user 'jontintinjordan']
Former Sony exec Phil Harrison takes over for Peter Molyneux at Microsoft (update: confirmed)
Phil Harrison, former head of Sony Worldwide Studios and the man that introduced the world to Playstation Home and gave one of the earliest public demos of the PS3, is heading to Microsoft. Harrison, also a former member of the board at Atari, will be stepping into the shoes recently abandoned by gaming legend Peter Molyneux. While his role at Lionhead was filled by the studio's co-founder Mark Webley, Molyneux's role as head Microsoft's European gaming efforts was left vacant while the company searched for the right fit. The man for the job is apparently Harrison, who is expected to be officially introduced by the Redmond crew later today.Update: Well, that didn't take long. Check out the PR after the break announcing Harrison's joining of the Interactive Entertainment Business team.Update 2: Microsoft has reached out to us to clarify that Harrison joining the team is unrelated to Molyneux's departure and there is still a vacancy for Microsoft Studios Europe Creative Director which may be filled with internal talent.[Image credit: Rob Fahey]
Following Fable 3 disappointment, Molyneux bounces back with BAFTA award
Poor Peter Molyneux was down in the dumps. Following the "justifiably" mixed reception of Fable 3, Molyneux was wondering if his career had already peaked. "We just weren't good enough with the craft of what we did. That always makes you reflect," he recently told The Guardian. Apparently, Molyneux was even doubting his future in game development. "'Have I already created the greatest game I'm ever going to create? Is the rest just a downhill struggle?'" he asked himself "late one night" a few months back. But then, the very next day he received a letter informing him of a BAFTA Fellowship nomination -- an honor he received in-person this past weekend. "As I walked up on stage I almost fainted. There was this sea of faces, and lots of people I've worked with before, and everyone stood. I was choking up," he admitted. "It was an incredible feeling, and I do immediately want to go home and start proving that I'm really, truly worthy of this." Molyneux noted during his acceptance speech that his cyclical over-promising isn't a PR tactic as much as it's him "over-believing" in his own products. "I always truly believe that this is going to be the greatest game of all time -- I wouldn't try to do it any other way," he said. And we wouldn't want you to, Molyneux.
