Ubisoft appointed former Amazon Games leader Christoph Hartmann as general manager of Creative House 2, which includes the Tom Clancy franchise.
The division is one of the Creative Houses at the center of Ubisoft’s new operating model, which enabled it to raise $1.25 billion from Tencent.
Creative House 2 brings together Ubisoft teams and brands concerted on delivering challenging, competitive and cooperative battlefield-driven gameplay, including iconic and beloved franchises like Tom Clancy’s The Division, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon and Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell.
March of Giants, a forthcoming free-to-play multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game that Ubisoft acquired in December, is also joining Creative House 2. As general manager, Hartmann will oversee Creative House 2’s strategic direction and the long-term development of its portfolio.
“Christoph is exactly the kind of leader we needed for Creative House 2 – a passionate gamer with a proven ability to bring out the best in creative teams and build franchises that last” said Yves Guillemot, Ubisoft CEO, in a statement. “His experience across development and publishing as well as his management style give him a rare understanding of what it takes to make great games. I am confident Christophe will elevate our teams and brands to new heights and deepen their connection with the dedicated players who love these franchises.”
Hartmann brings more than two decades of experience building, scaling and operating global game organizations across development and publishing. He spent 20 years at Take-Two Interactive, where he held multiple roles and co-founded 2K Games, serving as president of the label until 2017. During that time, he led teams behind major franchises including Borderlands, BioShock, Sid Meier’s Civilization, NBA 2K, and XCOM, and supported early releases in the Grand Theft Auto franchise. More recently, he served as vice president of Amazon Games, overseeing all game-related activities.
“The talented teams at March of Giants, Massive, Ubisoft Montreal, Ubisoft Paris and Ubisoft Toronto have always known how to create worlds that players lose themselves in,” Hartmann said in a statement. “With Creative House 2, we are giving them the structure, support and vision to go further, to build the kind of intense, unforgettable experiences that remind players why they fell in love with games in the first place. That is what great games have always been about, and that is what we are here to make.”