GDC: New CEO for Emergent

Game engine vendor Emergent has appointed Scott M Johnson as the group’s CEO – the role he has acted in since late last year to see the firm score record financial results.

The Californian group enjoyed a sizable jump in revenues last year, having sealed over 120 licensing deals.

Year-on-year revenue for 2009 rose 35 per cent while profits climbed 58 per cent.

In October last year the group restructured its business –which led to an unspecified number of job losses – in a move to become more agile in a difficult financial climate.

Now Johnson wants to see the studio grow, and plans to make a “string of strategic hires”.

He added, “As developers and publishers look to new business models, Emergent is out front in two proven ways.

“First, our flexible and agile technology serves the growing free-to-play and social MMO, digital distribution and other expanding categories, and second, our company culture is dedicated to working closely with independent game developers to quickly put their best ideas on screen.”