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CCP's Sean Decker and Hilmar Petursson on the future of EVE, DUST 514, EVE-VR, and mobile gaming
Earlier today, CCP Games announced that industry veteran Sean Decker is coming on board as Senior Vice President of Product Development. Sean's laundry-list of industry experience includes a recent 12-year stint at EA, where he headed up the Play4Free division. This has naturally led to some trepidation within the EVE Online community, which has been extremely wary of free-to-play and microtransaction-based business practices since the Monoclegate scandal in 2011. I caught up with Sean Decker and CCP CEO Hilmar Petursson last night to get the low-down on Sean's role, how he will influence EVE and CCP's other products, and what the future has in store for DUST 514 and EVE-VR. Sean is to be the head of product development across all of CCP's games, not just the free-to-play titles, but I wouldn't worry about EVE going free to play any time soon. "I don't think [free-to-play] is the be all and end all business model," Sean told me, adding that he understands that the subscription model better fits some games. Read on for more information on the future of EVE Online, DUST 514, EVE-VR, and CCP's first foray into mobile gaming.
Apple promotes pair of execs to Senior VP level, Bob Mansfield to hang around after all
It's a day of upheaval in the boardroom at Apple -- in the good sense. Remember how Hardware Engineering Senior VP Bob Mansfield said he would retire in June? He's had a change of heart and will keep working on future products. Meanwhile, two of the vice presidents who've been mainstays of Apple's recent plans, Mac Software Engineering VP Craig Federighi and Hardware Engineering VP Dan Riccio, have been promoted to Senior VP. All three will report directly to CEO Tim Cook, and both Federighi as well as Riccio will get their first turns at Apple's executive management team. While the shift isn't going to signal a dramatic change in strategy, it's notable that Riccio's role is expanding: he's moving from his earlier iPad focus to overseeing all the hardware Apple makes. We can only guess at what the ultimate goals might be for the new assignments, although we can imagine Apple jumping through hoops to keep a hardware executive as skilled as Mansfield on its side.
38 Studios staffing up with MMO vets for Amalur
Now that Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is out and available, 38 Studios may be in a position to return to its storied "Project Copernicus." A few recent hires at Curt Schilling's studio make it seem that way. 38 has picked up both John Blakely, who worked on DCUO and Everquest 2, and Mark Hanson, who was involved with the now-extinct Lego Universe Online. Blakely will serve as 38's senior VP of development, while Hanson will be senior VP of operations and business.Of course, both of those positions are fairly high up on the management chain, so they don't necessarily mean that 38 is right in the midst of Copernicus' main development just yet. But given that Kingdoms is out with solid sales numbers to back it up, it wouldn't be too surprising to see 38 Studios itching to get rolling on its MMO title set in the land we now know as Amalur.
Apple lead designer Jonathan Ive knighted for the New Year, how's your 2012 looking?
Apple Senior VP Jonathan (or Jony) Ive has been credited with fueling the company's resurgence alongside Steve Jobs with products like the iMac, iPhone and iPad, and for these successes has been made a Knight Commander of the British Empire as a part of the New Year's Honour's List. Aside from having a much better NYE celebration than yours, he'll be tapped on the shoulders by the Queen's sword and that will forever be Sir Jony to you, commoner (we'll see if he can make it through the ceremony without suggesting some tweaks for better balance and usability -- you can see his passion above as he eats an invisible sandwich pontificates about new iMacs). It's a bump up from his previous title of Commander of the British Empire and keeps the cycle going, as he released a statement appreciating the benefit of a "wonderful tradition in the UK of designing and making". [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Former Atari VP moves to Trion Worlds
Trion Worlds has a new star quarterback for its European branch today, as former Atari general manager John Burns joined the team. Burns is now senior vice president and general manager of Trion's European branch. Trion's David Reid feels that Burns is a major catch for the company: "John joins Trion with almost two decades of gaming experience with him, and will be essential in our continued success throughout Europe. With the launch of RIFT earlier this year, we began laying the groundwork for a strong presence in Europe, which will grow as we bring premium, connected games to gamers around the world." Burns has a lengthy track record in the industry, boasting over 20 years of experience at various companies. Prior to Atari, John Burns worked at Electronic Arts, Bandai, Acclaim and Sega.
Intel admits Apple 'helps shape' its roadmap, keeps foot lodged firmly in mouth
We knew Intel and Apple had a close working relationship when it came to developing Thunderbolt, but now an exec from Santa Clara has taken the declarations of mutual admiration to the next level. Tom Kilroy, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Intel's Sales and Marketing Group, told a Reuters tech summit that Apple isn't merely important to his company's plans, it actually "helps shape [Intel's] roadmap." Those are strong words coming from the world's biggest maker of processor chips, one that you wouldn't expect to be beholden to any hardware or software partner. Additionally, it marks the second time this week that Intel has indirectly slighted Microsoft, the first one being a damning analysis of Windows 8 on ARM by fellow Intel SVP Renee James. It'd be easy to conclude that we're seeing cracks developing in the old Wintel bond, but we reckon it's more likely that Chipzilla is simply finding the wrong words to express otherwise benign thoughts. Hit the source link for more from Mr. Kilroy.
Nokia's former MeeGo chief confirms new role as Senior VP of webOS at HP
Ari Jaaksi, the former head of MeeGo Devices at Nokia, has confirmed reports from last month identifying HP as his new employer. According to the latest update to his LinkedIn profile, Ari is now enjoying the mild temperatures of the San Francisco Bay Area and does indeed hold the title of Senior Vice President at Hewlett-Packard. That in itself doesn't necessarily mean he's the new head honcho for webOS and Palm devices, but clicking on his "Company Website" link takes you to Palm.com, which should dispel any lingering doubts. So now that we know he'll be helping steer the HPalm ship, can we start sending Ari our mockups for the Pre 3 or what?
Activision Blizzard appoints new European Senior VP
From French coffee to plastic instruments and Azeroth? That's the leap Thibaud de Saint-Quentin is making as Activision Blizzard's newly appointed Senior Vice President and Managing Director of European Publishing. Thibaud de Saint-Quentin (we just like saying that in full) will be joining the company officially on March 9th and will be based out of AB's European headquarters in Stockley Park, UK.Mr. de Saint-Quentin has spent his managing career at Kraft Foods and has held the positions of Marketing Director in France for their Beverages (coffee) Division, Vice President Strategy and Business Development for cheese and grocery categories across Europe, Managing Director of Benelux and Vice President and Area Director for the UK and Ireland. Mr. de Saint-Quentin holds a master's degree from the Ecole Superiere des Sciences Economiques et Commerciales (ESSEC) in Paris. We have no idea what any of that means, but everything just sounds better in French, wouldn't you agree?
Beckett names Rob Pardo most influential person in MMOs
Beckett's July-August issues of Massive Online Gamer magazine (which went on sale yesterday) names what they think are the 20 most influential names in the MMORPG business today, and as you might expect, a World of Warcraft figure topped the list, namely Rob Pardo, Senior VP of Game Design for Blizzard Entertainment. Interestingly enough, Rob Pardo is the only current Blizzard figure that appears on the list. It seems to me, at the least, that Tom Chilton (If only for the Esports thing) or Jeff Kaplan should have been considered for the list as well, and I'm sure most of my fellow old school gamers are noticing the glaring absence of Lum The Mad, the grandfather of all MMO critics. Still, most of us can agree, I'm sure, that Pardo deserves the top spot. It's hard to argue with the success of Blizzard's games, especially WoW, and it doesn't look like it's going to flag anytime soon with WoTLK on the way. You can check out the complete list here, and see how much you agree with it. [Via Massively]
