Kabam’s Jeff Howell promoted to CTO

Mobile and online games firm Kabam has appointed Jeff Howell to the new role of Chief Technology Officer.

Before Howell’s promotion, the closest comparative position Kabam had was his own: senior director of engineering. The new role is a sign of how seriously the company is taking its tech strategy going forwards.

Driven by the success of titles such as Star Wars: Uprising and Marvel: Contest of Champions, Kabam plans to shift towards a model centred around larger gamers with global appeal. 

Howell will contribute to this by leading the firm’s tech advancements, as well as helping to improve Kabam’s proprietary Fuse & Sparx engine, according to GamesIndustry.

Previously working at EA Vancouver and Relic Entertainment, Howell joined Kabam when the firm acquired Exploding Barrel Games – a company at which the tech expert held the role of CTO. He will be based in Kabam’s Vancouver office.

"Jeff is the natural choice as Kabam’s first chief technology officer," said president of studios Aaron Loeb in a statement. "He has been an integral member of the Kabam team, having led the continued advancement of technology in our games to be the highest quality mobile games in the industry.

"Through Jeff’s leadership, Kabam is producing some of the highest-fidelity games in the mobile games industry, with tools and technology that allow our artists and designers maximum freedom to innovate and express their creativity."