38 Studios Adds Two MMO Veterans to Roster
As if they needed any more...
Published: March 15, 2012
38 Studios has just announced that is has added two more famous names from the MMO world to their cast in Rhode Island. John Blakely will be serving as senior vice-president of development and Mark Hansen will serve as senior vice-president of operations and business. Before 38 Studios, Hansen was senior director of Playwell Studios taking care of business, operations and development for LEGO Systems Inc. We recognize him as the one responsible for LEGO Universe MMO and know he’ll fit in well as senior vice-president running their publishing endeavors, marketing and business development.
Blakely is most well known as the vice-president at Sony Online Entertainment where he was part of overseeing DC Universe Online and most recently general manager of Zynga Austin. We know Zynga as those deviant people behind all the requests from friends to join Farmville or Mafia Wars on Facebook or my personal favorite, Scramble With Friends. If anyone asks, no I don’t want to find you some lumber or water for your farm, should have thought about that ahead of time before buying those chickens.
Most recently 38 Studios shipped out Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning and are currently working on an MMO set in the same world. After reviewing Amalur I have to admit I’m anxious to see what this cast can do in the MMO world. Either way these two new recruits have a lot of work ahead of them, as Blakely will be back and forth between 38 Studios in Rhode Island and Big Huge Games in Baltimore.
"From its founding, 38 Studios has always been about team," said Curt Schilling, founder and chairman of 38 Studios. "I am proud to add these two team-focused and incredibly accomplished leaders to the 38 Studios roster. Between EverQuest, EverQuest II, DC Universe Online and LEGO Universe, both John and Mark have had a decade of experience, and success, in the MMO space and I'm excited they are now part of the 38 Studios family."
Blakely is most well known as the vice-president at Sony Online Entertainment where he was part of overseeing DC Universe Online and most recently general manager of Zynga Austin. We know Zynga as those deviant people behind all the requests from friends to join Farmville or Mafia Wars on Facebook or my personal favorite, Scramble With Friends. If anyone asks, no I don’t want to find you some lumber or water for your farm, should have thought about that ahead of time before buying those chickens.
Most recently 38 Studios shipped out Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning and are currently working on an MMO set in the same world. After reviewing Amalur I have to admit I’m anxious to see what this cast can do in the MMO world. Either way these two new recruits have a lot of work ahead of them, as Blakely will be back and forth between 38 Studios in Rhode Island and Big Huge Games in Baltimore.
"From its founding, 38 Studios has always been about team," said Curt Schilling, founder and chairman of 38 Studios. "I am proud to add these two team-focused and incredibly accomplished leaders to the 38 Studios roster. Between EverQuest, EverQuest II, DC Universe Online and LEGO Universe, both John and Mark have had a decade of experience, and success, in the MMO space and I'm excited they are now part of the 38 Studios family."
