After a new studio named Formation Games formed in 2021, a superstar leadership lineup was revealed in November 2022. Now, the studio reaches further stardom with industry veterans from Mediatonic, Channel 4 and Sport England joining the team.
The ball gets rolling
Formation Games is aiming to create its first mobile game CLUB, a football “team ownership” title that will expand beyond just management – reaching out into the broader footballing culture. It will give players the chance to build and own their own club.
The team leaders include former Football Association CEO Alex Horne as company chair, the ex-Bungle general manager Jonty Barnes as CEO, and former Sports Interactive exec Neil Dejyothin as executive producer.
2023 has been a busy year for Formation already; veterans from PlayStation and Space Ape joined the team this January and an advisory group of Wargaming and Riot veterans formed in June, with big names including Nikki Lewis and Linda Fane.
New recruits
Now, Formation has welcomed aboard veterans from Mediatonic, Sport England, Channel 4 and Improbable: Ho-Yee Li, Claire Charalambos, Ross Hammond (pictured) and Dillon Powlett, respectively.
Leading production activities across the studio, Ho-Yee is donning the title of senior producer after 16 years in production at Interior Night and Epic Games studio Mediatonic. Among her accolades is her engineering initiative on the hugely popular Fall Guys.
Charalambos has come aboard Formation as head of finance and Powlett as an IT consultant. Hammond, taking on a more creative role, is the company’s new senior graphics designer, bringing experience from his projects with King, Google, the FA and more.
Poppy Bennett of Tottenham Hotspur FC is also joining as a gaming industry newcomer, taking on an apprenticeship and in so demonstrating Formation’s dedication to developing new talent. After playing at coaching, her shift to the games industry comes with the new title of multi-media marketing apprentice.
“We are not just focused on creating a groundbreaking game; we are committed to establishing an enduring studio that upholds the highest cultural standards. To achieve this, we are bringing in a mix of industry top talent and fresh faces into our world of gaming,” said CEO Jonty Barnes.
“We are particularly thrilled to welcome Poppy Bennett, who has joined us through the UK government apprenticeship scheme. It is crucial for Formation Games and the entire gaming industry to make itself accessible and welcoming to new talent, as they bring fresh perspectives and innovative approaches.”
Mediatonic’s parent company Epic Games recently announced that developers who publish titles exclusively on the Epic Games Store through its First Run program will keep 100% of their net revenue for the first six months.
