executive changes

EA's Florin Gets New Role

Electronic Arts vice president and general manger of international publishing Gerhard Florin will no longer hold that role, the company revealed through an SEC filing today.

Instead, EA says Florin will work on "various of the Company's global strategic and transformative initiatives." The move appears to shift his focus from day-to-day publishing operations to longer-term strategies around North America and European markets.

executive changes

EA CCO Bing Gordon Departs For "All-New Round Of Invention"

Ten-year Electronic Arts chief creative officer William "Bing" Gordon is leaving the company to join California venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byer, the firm announced today.

Newsweek's N'Gai Croal conducted an extensive interview about Gordon's decision to leave EA for the position of partner at Kleiner, beginning in June. In addition to being on comfortable terms with the partners at Kleiner, Gordon explained to Croal that the gaming youth and emerging trends helped inspire his decision:

"Being on campus with young people in videogame classes; seeing what they're interested in; seeing what's going on with the Internet turning into new kinds of platforms, from iPhone to Facebook and Amazon Web Services—I've gotten fired up about an all-new ride, an all-new round of invention that's coming," he says. "Kind of as part hobby, part work, I started diving into it. I realized that I really, really, really wanted to be in the middle of that.

It's worth noting that Gordon was one of EA's earliest employees, and that Kleiner was one of the first investors in the company during Trip Hawkins' startup days back in 1982. Full announcement from Kleiner follows the jump.

Just the FAQs: Departing EA Chief Creative Officer Tells Level Up 'After Twenty-Five Years at EA, I'm Ready to be a Forty-Year Old' [Level Up]

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Game name changes can be good, especially when your original title is something as generic as Sabotage. Gamecock and developer replay studios have announced a brand new name for their upcoming World War II stealth-action game for next-gen consoles and PC - Velvet Assassin. Much, much better.

"Rather than a trite, overused, and generic working title like 'Sabotage,' 'Velvet Assassin™' captures the heart of what we're trying to accomplish," said Sascha Jungnickel, Creative Director at Replay Studios. "From the start we've wanted a game with a strong female lead that stays true to the history of Violette Szabo while pulling players into a world of dark intrigue."

Mind you I have terrible issues with the stealth genre, but I will slightly more remorse passing up Velvet Assassin when it releases this Fall than I would have not buying Sabotage. Hit the jump for a larger picture featuring the main character's leather-clad bottom. More »

changes

Sega's Steinberg Moves to SCEA

Scott A. Steinberg has been marketing the hell out of the electronic entertainment sector for over 20 years, having worked with Sega, Roxio, Liquid Audio, Eidos, and Crystal Dynamics. Now he's leaving his current VP of marketing position at Sega to jump onboard the Sony Computer Entertainment America train as the Vice President of Product Marketing, a newly created position responsible for all PlayStation marketing in North America. Steinberg will report directly to Marketing and PSN senior VP Peter Dille, who had lovely things to say about him.

"We are thrilled to have Scott join our team as he brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the PlayStation marketing staff and the management group here at SCEA," said Dille. "Scott has an ideal blend of experience in digital entertainment and content delivery as well as a proven track record for strategic innovation and implementation within this industry.

Some would say Steinberg has been marketing the PS3 since June, when he famously dissed the Wii in an interview with Reuters. The only difference now is he gets paid for it! Grats, Scott! More »

heavenly sword

Heavenly Sword Lady Looks, Well, Different

Earlier this month, we posted a supposed screen shot of Heavenly Sword heroine Nariko. Game blog Destructoid thought that something seemed different about the character. Gone was the pissed off cartoonish redhead and in was a photo-realistic femme. I'm with D-toid on this one, I prefer the older Nariko. Like, before she had plastic surgery and all. Brian Ashcraft More »