Mafia 3 developer Hanger 13’s studio head and founder Haden Blackman is stepping down from the corporate and 2K after seven years.
Blackman might be changed via Nick Baynes, who has 30 years of business management enjoy and joined Hanger 13 in 2018 to start out Hanger 13 Brighton. He used to be answerable for launching Mafia: Definitive Version and the Mafia Trilogy.
Blackman spent his early sport building years at LucasArts and used to be a manufacturer on Superstar Wars: Galaxies, the venture lead on Superstar Wars: The Power Unleashed, and extra. He additionally wrote a number of Superstar Wars comics, together with Jango Fett: Open Seasons, Superstar Wars: Starfighter, and Darth Vader & The Ghost Jail.
Whilst Blackman’s subsequent transfer used to be no longer printed, 2K did say that he’s leaving the corporate to “pursue his hobby at a brand new undertaking.”
2K shared the inner announcement of Blackman’s departure with IGN, which stocks 2K’s gratefulness for “Haden’s management in setting up Hangar 13, development and uniting groups in Novato, Brighton and Czech, and liberating a couple of studio-defining Mafia video games and collections.”
“Hi staff, It is with combined feelings that I percentage with you many management updates from Hangar 13,” 2K’s interior announcement reads. “Haden Blackman is stepping down as Studio Head of Hangar 13, and is leaving the corporate to pursue his hobby at a brand new undertaking.
“We’re thankful for Haden’s management in setting up Hangar 13, development and uniting groups in Novato, Brighton and Czech, and liberating a couple of studio-defining Mafia video games and collections. What Haden helped construct will proceed to hold ahead and develop for future years. We give a boost to all of our staff pursuing their passions, and we would like not anything however the most productive for him in what is subsequent.
“Nick Baynes, Studio Head of Hangar 13 Brighton will take over as Studio Head of Hangar 13. With 30 years of business management enjoy, Nick joined Hangar 13 in 2018 to determine Hangar 13 Brighton, and has spent the remaining 4 years rising the staff, increase the studio’s functions, and launching terrific initiatives like Mafia: Definitive Version and the Mafia Trilogy.
“I’m hoping you’ll be able to sign up for me in thanking Haden and wishing him the most productive, and congratulating Nick on a genuinely-earned promotion. Whilst exchange may also be difficult, it may well additionally breed new alternatives and luck.
“We’re assured the studio is in nice arms heading into the a couple of initiatives lately beneath method, and the staff has 2K’s complete give a boost to.”
Mafia 3 used to be launched in 2016 and, in our review, we stated that its “sturdy characters and assured storytelling saved me engaged, although the gameplay hardly delivered anything else however bog-standard and repetitive open-world motion.”
Hanger 13 used to be based in 2014 via 2K with Blackman on the helm and Mafia 3 has been the one new identify the studio has launched since then. In 2018, Hanger 13 was hit with “significant” layoffs. The studio would proceed directly to paintings with Gearbox Device on Borderlands: The Good-looking Assortment and the up to now discussed Mafia Trilogy.
In 2021, a Bloomberg record shared that Hanger 13’s unannounced game Volt was cancelled after costing the company $53 million. The studio is lately hiring for another unannounced project.
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Adam Bankhurst is a information creator for IGN. You’ll practice him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.
