Disney Games Expands Executive Team with New Hires and Promotions
Disney Games is bolstering its executive team with new talent and promotions, including the addition of Ray Gresko, former chief development officer at Blizzard Entertainment. Gresko will work closely with the Epic Games development team to create Disney’s new games and entertainment universe. The team also welcomes Jay Ong, who will oversee global games licensing across all franchises, and Sean Shoptaw, who has been promoted to executive vice president of Disney Games. With these additions, Disney Games is poised for growth and innovation in the gaming industry.
Disney Games Expands Executive Team with New Hires and Promotions
Disney Games is strengthening its executive team with new talent and promotions, signaling its commitment to growth and innovation in the gaming industry. With the recent announcement of a $1.5 billion investment in Epic Games, Disney Games is poised to create an exciting new games and entertainment universe. The addition of Ray Gresko, former chief development officer at Blizzard Entertainment, as the senior vice president of product and development, brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the team. Gresko will collaborate closely with the Epic Games development team to build Disney’s new games and entertainment universe.
( Credit to: Variety )
Gresko’s impressive three-decade-long career in the games industry includes roles as a programmer, designer, producer, and executive. During his time at Blizzard, he co-led the development of popular games like ‘Overwatch’ and ‘Diablo III,’ and played a key role in creating the initial playable prototype for ‘Hearthstone.’ His experience also extends to his time at LucasArts, where he pioneered new 3D technology for titles such as ‘Star Wars: Dark Forces’ and ‘Star Wars: Jedi Knight – Dark Forces II.’
Jay Ong Takes on Global Games Licensing Role
Jay Ong, a veteran in the games industry, has been appointed to oversee the global games licensing business across all franchises at Disney Games. With almost a decade of experience leading the Marvel Games team, Ong brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his new role. He has played a pivotal role in launching successful titles such as the Marvel’s Spider-Man series, Marvel Snap, Marvel Contest of Champions, and Marvel Strike Force.
Ong’s extensive background in the industry spans over 25 years, with previous roles at companies like Marvel, Blizzard Entertainment, EA Sports, and Xbox. His appointment to this new position further solidifies Disney Games’ commitment to delivering top-notch gaming experiences across its franchises.
Sean Shoptaw Promoted to Executive Vice President of Disney Games
Sean Shoptaw, previously the senior vice president of games and interactive experiences, has been promoted to the role of executive vice president of Disney Games. In his new position, Shoptaw will be responsible for driving the strategic direction and growth of Disney’s games division. With his leadership, Disney Games is well-positioned to continue delivering genre-defining entertainment through its games.
Bjorn Tornqvist’s Expertise in Games Technology
Bjorn Tornqvist, the vice president of games technology at Disney Games, brings a wealth of experience in distributed systems and artificial intelligence to the team. Having previously worked at Ubisoft and Massive Entertainment, Tornqvist has led global teams on projects such as Ubisoft’s Scalar technology and the multiplayer interactions in ‘The Division.’ His expertise also played a key role in the development of Ubisoft’s digital games publishing platform.
Disney Games’ Strong Position in the Gaming Industry
Disney Games has a strong track record in the mobile games market, with over 1.5 billion global installs and nine game franchises grossing over $1 billion in sales. The recent partnership with Epic Games and the substantial investment in the company’s virtual world platform further solidify Disney’s position in the gaming industry.
With the focus on creating a Disney universe that coexists with Epic’s popular game ‘Fortnite,’ Disney Games is poised to deliver world-class storytelling and entertainment experiences. The company’s commitment to delivering genre-defining entertainment through its games will undoubtedly shape the future of the industry.