Leanne Loombe to Head Games at Annapurna (Exclusive)

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Megan Ellison has appointed Leanne Loombe, an executive from Netflix’s game division, as the leader of Annapurna’s gaming division.

Loombe has been appointed as the executive vice president in charge of games, with responsibilities that include publishing, development, and creative aspects for the company’s game collection. He will report directly to Hector Sanchez, who is the president of Interactive and New Media. Loombe expressed his enthusiasm about contributing to the continuation of Annapurna’s reputation as a haven for creators pioneering storytelling.

Most recently, Loombe managed Netflix’s collaborative game development and distribution, adding games such as “Hades” and “Grand Theft Auto” to the platform, enabling Netflix subscribers to download and play more than 150 titles. Previously, Loombe was employed at Riot and EA, where he contributed to series like “League of Legends” and “Need for Speed.”

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In his most recent role, Loombe supervised Netflix’s external game development and distribution, introducing games such as “Hades” and “Grand Theft Auto” to the platform, allowing Netflix users access to over 150 titles for download. Prior to this, he worked at Riot and EA, where he contributed to projects like “League of Legends” and “Need for Speed.”

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Lately, Loombe has been in charge of Netflix’s third-party game creation and distribution, offering games such as “Hades” and “Grand Theft Auto” to the service, giving Netflix users the ability to download and play over 150 titles. Earlier in his career, he was with Riot and EA, where he contributed to franchises like “League of Legends” and “Need for Speed.

Sanched expressed that only a small number of leaders possess Leanne’s extensive background in Quality Assurance, publishing, and internal game development,” said Sanchez, who recently joined Annapurna from Epic over the summer. “Her knowledge of what it takes to create a quality game from all angles makes her an exceptional collaborator for our developers.

Ellison stated that Leanne’s evident enthusiasm for games and admiration for game developers, combined with her global experience in delivering games to players, makes her an ideal candidate for Annapurna. I am eager to have her join our team as we expand our games business and assist our developers in exploring the limits of interactive entertainment,” said Ellison.

Loombe takes up leadership of Annapurna’s gaming sector during a period of change. Previously, it was announced that Nathan Gary, who held the position of president and managed the video game operations, along with co-heads Deborah Mars and Nathan Vella from Annapurna’s independent gaming division, would be leaving in September. Subsequently, Bloomberg reported that Gary and around 25 employees from the gaming division resigned following failed negotiations to separate the video game division from the main company.

Loombe takes charge of Annapurna’s internal publishing team, working under Sanchez who will continue to direct Annapurna’s broader gaming strategy and partnerships with various Annapurna departments for adapting game IP into movies, TV shows, and other media. Notably, Annapurna has sealed a deal to adapt the games “Control” and “Alan Wake” for screen adaptation. Furthermore, an animated film based on the Annapurna title “Stray” is currently in production.

Ever since I got into indie gaming scene back in 2016, Annapurna has truly made a name for itself. It’s responsible for critically acclaimed indie games like “What Remains of Edith Finch” and the phenomenal “Stray”, which broke records by selling millions within its first month and even won the gaming equivalent of an Oscar in 2022! Other titles that have garnered praise include “Cocoon” and “Outer Wilds”.

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2025-01-21 23:24