Shrapnel studio Neon Machine announces leadership changes

US-based web3 game developer Neon Machine has announced major staffing restructures.

Working on Avalanche-based extraction shooter Shrapnel, the studio has made significant changes among its leadership. Ahead of the anticipated game launch in 2025, the team said it needed to be enhanced, particularly in terms of experience in execution including areas such as live-ops, retention features, game progression and marketplace.

As a result, Neon Machine has onboarded Ken Rosman, who brings experience from working at Microsoft’s Xbox division (Halo Wars and Sunset Overdrive), as new CEO. Co-founder and former CEO Mark Long is instead taking on the role of advisor.

Meanwhile, Dave Johnson is taking over as project lead from former CTO and studio head Don Norbury. He will transition to focus on the studio’s development tools.

Whether the ongoing legal issues involving six of Neon Machine’s co-founding directors, including Long, and controlling shareholder Cort Javarone, is unclear. In 2023 it was unveiled that the former had filed a lawsuit against Javarone, the founder and CEO of 4D Factory Inc, which acquired a controlling stake in Neon Machine when it spun out of HBO in 2020. 

Alongside changing its leadership, Neon Machine is also currently raising new funding. The latest $20 million series A round was announced at the end of 2023.