It’s all enjoyable and video games (and experiences) for Tony Driscoll.
Driscoll, who headed up Paramount Video games Studio, has been named Skydance‘s president of video games and experiences. He’ll inherit the well-established WB Video games (the Mortal Kombat and Batman collection, Hogwart’s Legacy) into his portfolio; the comparatively new Paramount Video games Studio was itself a mix of Paramount’s gaming property and Skydance’s.
By way of experiences, Warner Bros. largely licensed its IP out for rides — there are some rides in its owned and operated retail shops and WB owned (now Skydance owns) its studio excursions — whereas Paramount’s Nickelodeon licensed its title and IP for a pair of parks inside malls (the American Dream Mall in New Jersey and The Mall of America in Minneapolis).
As well as, Skydance president Andy Gordon has named Josh Silverman president of world merchandise and publishing. Josh Silverman is to not be confused with Jeff Silberman, Gordon’s chief of employees and government vice chairman of company technique.
“We’re investing in our future progress engines alongside our core ambitions in TV, Movie and direct-to-consumer: Video games, Experiences, Shopper Merchandise, and Publishing,” Gordon knowledgeable employees through an electronic mail obtained by The Hollywood Reporter. “These are core pillars of our technique to construct engagement and fandom in each the bodily and digital worlds. We need to meet shoppers the place they watch, play, and interact. On the similar time, we see alternatives to construct on DC Comics’ storytelling and broaden our e-commerce choices to attach followers with the manufacturers they love.”
In his memo, Gordon additionally reemphasized Jim Sterner as head of HR (and “chief individuals officer”) and Jose Turkienicz as president of world operations (together with actual property, procurement and studio operations).
Driscoll despatched a separate electronic mail to staff yesterday; THR obtained that one as nicely.
“We immerse our friends in theme parks, resorts, eating places, retail, studio excursions and extra. We immerse our gamers in motion, journey, fight, competitors and creativity, from Batman to SpongeBob,” Driscoll wrote. “And irrespective of your position on this staff, you’re a creator, builder, operator, and steward of these worlds. We’ve got the chance to create wonderful areas the place friendships are fashioned and communities develop. That’s solely attainable due to your exhausting work and expertise. Whether or not it’s on Zoom or in particular person, my first precedence within the coming weeks is assembly as lots of you as I can from LA to London, Montreal to Tokyo, and past.”