Latest news with #Baldur'sGateIII
Express Tribune
24-04-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Discord appoints Humam Sakhnini as CEO amid IPO preparation and gaming strategy shift
Discord has named Humam Sakhnini, former Vice Chairman of Activision Blizzard, as its new CEO, the company announced on April 23. The leadership transition comes as the platform is reportedly preparing for a potential initial public offering. Sakhnini, who also previously led mobile gaming company King—maker of Candy Crush—brings significant experience from the gaming industry. His appointment reflects Discord's strategic shift back to its gaming roots, a move the company emphasised in its official press release. Originally popular among gamers, Discord has grown into a full-fledged social platform with over 200 million monthly active users—a scale that now drives its push toward monetization. Jason Citron, Discord's co-founder and CEO for the past 13 years, will step down from his executive role but remain involved as a board member and advisor. In a statement to VentureBeat, Citron said he looks forward to a break after years of building the company and hopes to spend time gaming, naming Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Blue Prince, and Baldur's Gate III as titles on his list. Discord's recent focus on advertising and micro-transactions as revenue streams has raised eyebrows among its core user base. Given Sakhnini's background in mobile gaming—an industry heavily reliant on such monetization strategies—some longtime Discord users may worry about a shift toward more corporate, profit-driven practices. Citron's connection with TechCrunch dates back to 2013, when he was a finalist at its Startup Battlefield competition. Although his multiplayer iPad game didn't achieve commercial success, it eventually led to the founding of Discord in 2015. Sakhnini's appointment signals Discord's intention to double down on its gaming identity as it prepares for a new era—potentially as a publicly traded company.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Discord's CEO says he's stepping down, and these 3 major video game titles are at the top of his to-play list
Jason Citron is the cofounder and CEO of the messaging platform, Discord. Citron is stepping down as CEO and handing over the reins to a former Activision Blizzard executive. Citron said he has a backlog of three games that he wants to complete after stepping down. Discord cofounder Jason Citron, 40, said on Wednesday that he will be stepping down as CEO of the messaging platform. "I'll be transitioning to a new role as board member and advisor, and continuing to support Discord through this next chapter," Citron wrote in an X post on Wednesday. "I'm incredibly proud of what we've built together — and even more excited for what's ahead." Citron told the tech news publication VentureBeat that he doesn't have any concrete post-retirement plans lined up, though he will be spending more time with his family and on gaming. "I don't have specific plans for myself. I'll maybe take a bit of a break to spend time with my kids," Citron said, adding there were three games on his to-play list. "I need to finish Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. I have a backlog. I want to play Blue Prince. I haven't even played Baldur's Gate III, believe it or not," Citron said. "Rebirth" is the 2024 sequel to the blockbuster "Final Fantasy VII" remake, a landmark release by the Japanese studio Square Enix. Meanwhile, "Baldur's Gate III," a fantasy adventuring game based loosely on "Dungeons & Dragons" mechanics, was released in August 2023 to wide acclaim. "Blue Prince," meanwhile, is a mystery and puzzle adventure game in which the player traverses a family estate in an attempt to find the ever-elusive 46th room. Discord said in a statement on the same day that the former vice chairman of Activision Blizzard, Humam Sakhnini, will be taking over from Citron as CEO from April 28. Citron cofounded Discord in 2015 with Stanislav Vishnevskiy. "The job of a CEO is constantly evolving, and over the years I have continuously 'hired myself out of a job.' Usually, that means delegating work and then taking on different leadership challenges," Citron said in a blog post to Discord employees on Wednesday. "However, as I look at what is needed of Discord's CEO over the next few years, I realize that it's time for me to literally 'hire myself out of a job,'" Citron continued. Citron said in his interview with VentureBeat that his decision to step back was based on who could "take Discord to the next level." "As you know, I'm more of a builder, an early-stage kind of guy," Citron said. Citron's departure sets him apart from most young tech founders who have continued to captain the companies they founded. Mark Zuckerberg, 40, continues to helm Meta, the social media company he cofounded in 2004. Evan Spiegel, 34, cofounded Snapchat in 2011 and remains its CEO. When approached for comment, a representative for Discord pointed Business Insider to Citron's blog and X posts. Read the original article on Business Insider Sign in to access your portfolio
Business Insider
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
Discord's CEO says he's stepping down, and these 3 major video game titles are at the top of his to-play list
Discord cofounder Jason Citron, 40, said on Wednesday that he will be stepping down as CEO of the messaging platform. "I'll be transitioning to a new role as board member and advisor, and continuing to support Discord through this next chapter," Citron wrote in an X post on Wednesday. "I'm incredibly proud of what we've built together — and even more excited for what's ahead." Citron told the tech news publication VentureBeat that he doesn't have any concrete post-retirement plans lined up, though he will be spending more time with his family and on gaming. "I don't have specific plans for myself. I'll maybe take a bit of a break to spend time with my kids," Citron said, adding there were three games on his to-play list. "I need to finish Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. I have a backlog. I want to play Blue Prince. I haven't even played Baldur's Gate III, believe it or not," Citron said. "Rebirth" is the 2024 sequel to the blockbuster "Final Fantasy VII" remake, a landmark release by the Japanese studio Square Enix. Meanwhile, "Baldur's Gate III," a fantasy adventuring game based loosely on "Dungeons & Dragons" mechanics, was released in August 2023 to wide acclaim. "Blue Prince," meanwhile, is a mystery and puzzle adventure game in which the player traverses a family estate in an attempt to find the ever-elusive 46th room. Discord said in a statement on the same day that the former vice chairman of Activision Blizzard, Humam Sakhnini, will be taking over from Citron as CEO from April 28. Citron cofounded Discord in 2015 with Stanislav Vishnevskiy. "The job of a CEO is constantly evolving, and over the years I have continuously 'hired myself out of a job.' Usually, that means delegating work and then taking on different leadership challenges," Citron said in a blog post to Discord employees on Wednesday. "However, as I look at what is needed of Discord's CEO over the next few years, I realize that it's time for me to literally 'hire myself out of a job,'" Citron continued. Citron said in his interview with VentureBeat that his decision to step back was based on who could "take Discord to the next level." "As you know, I'm more of a builder, an early-stage kind of guy," Citron said. Citron's departure sets him apart from most young tech founders who have continued to captain the companies they founded. Mark Zuckerberg, 40, continues to helm Meta, the social media company he cofounded in 2004. Evan Spiegel, 34, cofounded Snapchat in 2011 and remains its CEO. When approached for comment, a representative for Discord pointed Business Insider to Citron's blog and X posts.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Discord appoints former Activision Blizzard exec Humam Sakhnini as CEO
Amid rumors that the company is eyeing an IPO, Discord appointed former Activision Blizzard Vice Chairman Humam Sakhnini as CEO. Discord co-founder Jason Citron will leave his CEO role after 13 years at the company. Discord straddles the gaming and social media spaces -- despite its initial emergence as a platform for online multiplayer gamers to communicate, it has become a prominent social media platform in its own right, growing to over 200 million monthly active users. The company's choice to appoint a new CEO from within the gaming industry signals that it sees its future more so in gaming than in social networking. Discord noted in its press release that the company has "refocused on its gaming roots" to explore monetization opportunities in advertising and micro-transactions. But advertising and micro-transactions aren't exactly music to gamers' ears. The appointment of Sakhnini, along with its impending IPO, may make fans wary that the company may move in a more corporate, profit-hungry direction. Sakhnini was also CEO of the Activision Blizzard-owned King, a mobile gaming developer that makes games like Candy Crush, which thrive on ads and micro-transactions. Citron will remain involved with Discord as an advisor to the CEO and a member of the board of directors. Citron looks forward to taking a break after 13 years of running a rapidly-growing startup. He told Venture Beat that he wants to play Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Blue Prince, and Baldur's Gate III.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Molson Coors Nominates Chris Cocks as an Independent Director to Join Its Board of Directors
GOLDEN, Colo. & MONTREAL, April 02, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Molson Coors Beverage Company ("Molson Coors" or "the company") (NYSE: TAP, TAP.A) Board of Directors today announced that Christian "Chris" Cocks has been nominated as an independent Class B director for election at the company's Annual Meeting of Stockholders on May 14, 2025. Cocks is a seasoned consumer goods executive who serves as Chief Executive Officer of Hasbro, Inc (NASDAQ: HAS), a leading games, IP and toy company. "With his background evolving a historic business in the consumer goods industry and a track record of driving commercial and operational success, we believe Chris will bring valuable experience and a great voice to our Board. We are very happy to nominate Chris for election, and we expect he will be an excellent addition to our already strong Board of Directors," said Geoff Molson, chair of the Molson Coors' Board of Directors. Cocks brings executive public company leadership experience and an extensive understanding of consumer behavior across multiple channels, including deep e-commerce, brand management and digital transformation experience. He also has valuable experience in the consumer goods industry, enterprise strategy and talent management and development. Under Chris' leadership, Hasbro has become the #1 IP licensor in digital gaming and the largest corporate parent of IP mobile games by U.S. revenue, with the success of the mobile game juggernaut MONOPOLY GO! from partners at Scopely, and the award-winning Baldur's Gate III video game from Larian Studios. "I'm honored and excited about the opportunity to join the Board of this historic company," said Cocks. "Molson Coors has made tremendous progress over the past few years and has a strong strategy to achieve its ambitions in the years ahead, with its iconic beers and a range of products that will reach more consumers in more occasions. I'm deeply appreciative of the opportunity to be part of that journey." In addition to his role as CEO, Cocks currently serves as a director of Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) and Brown University Health. Prior to his current role, he was President and Chief Operating Officer of Hasbro's Wizards of the Coast and Digital Gaming division and held senior leadership positions at Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) and LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. ABOUT MOLSON COORS BEVERAGE COMPANY For more than two centuries, Molson Coors has brewed beverages that unite people for all life's moments. From our core power brands Coors Light, Miller Lite, Coors Banquet, Molson Canadian, Carling, and Ožujsko to our above premium brands including Madrí Excepcional and Staropramen, Blue Moon Belgium White and Leinekugel's Summer Shandy, to our economy and value brands like Miller High Life and Keystone Light, Molson Coors produces some of the most beloved and iconic brands. While Molson Coors history is rooted in beer, it offers a modern portfolio that expands beyond the beer aisle as well, including flavored beverages like Vizzy Hard Seltzer, spirits like Five Trail whiskey and non-alcoholic beverages. Molson Coors also has partner brands, such as Simply Spiked, ZOA Energy, among others, trough license, distribution, partnership and joint venture agreements. As a business, our ambition is to be the first choice for our people, our consumers and our customers, and our success depends on our ability to make our products available to meet a wide range of consumer segments and occasions. To learn more about Molson Coors Beverage Company, visit NOT A SOLICITATION OF PROXIES This press release is not a solicitation of proxies from holders of Class A common stock of Molson Coors Beverage Company (the "Company") or Class A exchangeable shares of Molson Coors Canada Inc. ("MCCI"). Each of the Company and MCCI will provide stockholders with a proxy statement and other relevant materials in connection with the 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Any solicitation of proxies by or on behalf of the Company or MCCI in connection with the 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders will be conducted upon and following the dissemination of the proxy statement and other materials in accordance with applicable law. We urge stockholders to read the proxy statement and any other relevant documents to be filed with the SEC when available, as such documents will contain important information. Stockholders will be able to receive the proxy statement and other relevant documents free of charge at the SEC's website at or at FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. From time to time, the Company may also provide oral or written forward-looking statements in other materials the Company releases to the public. Such forward-looking statements are subject to the safe harbor created by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that refer to future events or circumstances are forward-looking statements, and include, but are not limited to, the contributions of new directors. In addition, statements that the Company makes in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may also be forward-looking statements. Words such as "expects," "intend," "goals," "plans," "believes," "continues," "may," "anticipate," "seek," "estimate," "outlook," "trends," "future benefits," "potential," "projects," "strategies," and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. View source version on Contacts MEDIA CONTACT:Josh Noel, Manager, Corporate INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT:Traci Mangini, Vice President, Investor Sign in to access your portfolio
