mark-deloura
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Report: THQ VP of Tech Mark DeLoura out, alongside 174 others
When THQ announced plans for layoffs that didn't affect its five main internal studios, we didn't think folks like VP of tech Mark DeLoura would end up getting cut. But that's what an automated response from his email address confirmed to us last night. The response outright states, "Mark DeLoura is no longer with THQ." According to DeLoura's LinkedIn page, he was "responsible for technology strategy, the online game and MMO operations teams, the centralized online technology group, and relationships with platform and technology manufacturers."More specifically, we're told that DeLoura was leading up management on the upcoming Warhammer 40K MMO -- the same MMO that's rumored to be canceled. At the time, THQ responded to allegations that the MMO was canned with a nebulous statement: "[THQ] has not made any decisions regarding the planned MMO."Additionally, IGDA Mobile SIG chair Kevin Dent alleges that during the recent round of THQ restructuring, 174 employees were let go -- Dent was the origin of the aforementioned cancelation rumors (he isn't related to Harvey Dent, we're told). The company is also facing potential delisting on the NASDAQ stock exchange. THQ declined to offer comment regarding this report, and once more directed us to this Thursday's investor call.
Google game developer advocate leaves after four months
Mark Deloura was hired by Google in April to work with game developers on content for Google's browser-based app store. In a blog post, Deloura has announced that he left the company this week. "There are a lot of very interesting things going on at Google right now," Deloura said, "and I enjoyed working with many of the people there, but it was not the perfect fit for me." Deloura went on to talk at length about the importance of easy access to middleware and cross-platform development. The increasing use of web services can abstract away a lot of the need for platform-specific SDK features," he said, "but there's still a lot of work to do all around. Games aren't getting cheaper to make, that's for sure, and it's important that technically complex features are still easily available to independent developers working alone." During Deloura's tenure, Google announced its Chrome Web Store, purchased Slide, and -- in what may be Google's most successful browser gaming initiative yet -- made that neat Pac-Man logo game.
Google takes a long sideways look at gaming
You might want to strap in, for the road connecting the facts on this one is bumpy indeed -- but intriguing as well. Via 1UP comes the word that search engine giant Google has hired Mark DeLoura to work on game development for the Android and Chrome OS. DeLoura brings with him a truckload of game consulting experience, and had a few interesting comments about the new job on his blog: "Over the years I've seen Google ship products that seemed very useful for game developers, like Google SketchUp and 3D Warehouse. I always wondered why they didn't dive into games further – or, perhaps they were, and they were doing it in secret! :-) Google Lively was probably the closest thing to a game that they produced. When I started hearing about their work on O3D, I began to get very curious about what Google was planning. Clearly there are a number of initiatives going on at Google that can relate to games in some way. Those of you who attended GDC for example saw a massive push for games for Android, with Google giving away perhaps thousands of Android devices. Now seemed like the perfect time to join Google!" So what does this have to do with the world of MMOs? Perhaps nothing, perhaps a great deal. If you'll recall, Google experimented with an online avatar experience called Lively that was closed in early 2009. Even though Lively was not a roaring success, Google's interest in the games market and their prior foray into online worlds could signal a possible future contender in our neck of the woods.
Google hires Mark DeLoura as game 'developer advocate'
[DeLoura at Johnny Rockets, 2006; gamedev.net] Industry veteran Mark DeLoura begins his position as "developer advocate" of games at Google today, ending a 34-month stint as a game technology consultant. DeLoura has traded numerous jobs and advisory roles in the industry since beginning as a lead engineer for Nintendo in 1995. Having once served as manager of developer relations for Sony Computer Entertainment America, DeLoura becomes the second former SCEA man to be hired by Google within its lively loosely defined games division. Until April 2009, Bernie Stolar, the first executive VP of SCEA, was known as Google's "game evangelist" for two years. In his new role at Google, DeLoura will work with game developers, both "traditional" and "new," to provide support for and information about creating games for Google's various platforms, which could include Android, O3D (its open-source web API) and the in-progress Chrome OS. DeLoura described the developer advocate position as "both inward- and outward-facing" and suggested that he will seek to make it "easier for developers to express themselves and share the experiences they create" for Google. As for the Google mission, DeLoura said, "They seek to build platforms by working interactively with their partners, providing a big tent so everyone can get involved." Big tent, huh? Sounds like there's at least a free lunch in it for any developer open to taking a peek at what Google's offering.
Sony's Relations Manager walks the plank, voluntarily
Mark DeLoura, longstanding Manager of Developer Relations, has left Sony for a position at Ubisoft. Ubisoft has recently announced plans to expand their standing and this may be a side effect. The more obvious conclusion, though, is the ill-preparedness of Sony for their November launch and the way they've been treating developers, although smaller developers seem to have a helping hand. Molly Smith was the first high profile loss for Sony, being their PR figure for over ten years. Now DeLoura leaves to work for Ubisoft. This does not bode well. DeLoura's new job involves ensuring the quality of third-party games published by Ubisoft in North America. Maybe he'll help bring some good titles to the PS3? We can hope. But, why, DeLoura? We can speculate all we want, but he hasn't made any public announcements. Which is usually a bad thing, because as we all know, if we can't say something nice...
