Range Media Partners Launches Game Publishing Division Led by Industry Veteran Ben Jones (EXCLUSIVE)
Gaming industry veteran Ben Jones has joined Range Media Partners to lead the management and talent representation firm’s newly created game publishing division.
The move makes Range the first entertainment management firm to offer game development and publishing capabilities, according to the company. Range Games aims to be a cross between a traditional game publisher and a game incubator for talent and intellectual property, “creating new assets and enabling Range clients to further capture full global value,” the company said.
Range Games will work with a variety of game development partners, focusing on extending talent IP and brand strategies via “fun, shippable games that have inherent viability to reach audiences wherever they may be,” the company said.
Initially, Jones and Range Games will focus on mobile and PC games in horror, “friendslop,” action and life simulation, with expansion into other formats and genres as appropriate for talent and IP. The division already has a slate of games in development with a variety of Range clients and partners but is not yet disclosing details of those projects.
Jones has 25 years of experience in game development, including work on hallmark franchises like Electronic Arts’ “Battlefield.” He got his start with the highly acclaimed “Day of Defeat,” which was sold and transitioned to Valve in 2002. He subsequently rose through the ranks at Sony Computer Entertainment and EA, working on projects including like “MAG,” “SOCOM” and “Medal of Honor.” After serving as lead designer for premium content on “Battlefield 4,” Jones left EA to found Fugitive Games, where he launched a successful Kickstarter to build the indie title “Into the Stars.” After spending a year leading the zombie-survival title “Just Survive” at Daybreak, he joined ZeniMax Online Studios to helm development for the ambitious “Project Blackbird.”
“We built Range as a multi-vertical, full-service offering specifically designed to help our clients unlock new opportunities and verticals of business,” Range CEO Peter Micelli said. “To do so, it’s been critical for us to hire best-in-class experts who can navigate the complexities of these new categories, create synergies and efficiencies across our ecosystem and with external partners, and minimize risk while maximizing reward for all involved. We are thrilled to have Ben join us to lead Range Games so we can create more opportunities for our clients and partners.”
Jones was brought into Range by Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Range Studios’ co-president of film and production, who will serve as a strategic adviser to Range Games.
Range Media Partners was founded in 2020 by Micelli, formerly with CAA and eOne, joined by agents from CAA, UTA and WME.
Since its formation, Range has helped a number of clients build and launch new businesses, such as Danny & Coop’s Cheesesteaks with Bradley Cooper, Respin Health with Halle Berry, and Brooklyn Beckham’s Cloud23. The firm has launched new in-house capabilities focused on creating owned-and-operated assets, including Range Music Publishing, Range Literary Publishing as a boutique book publishing imprint, and, most recently, a live events and experiences offering through its acquisition of experiential provider Superfly.
The move makes Range the first entertainment management firm to offer game development and publishing capabilities, according to the company. Range Games aims to be a cross between a traditional game publisher and a game incubator for talent and intellectual property, “creating new assets and enabling Range clients to further capture full global value,” the company said.
Range Games will work with a variety of game development partners, focusing on extending talent IP and brand strategies via “fun, shippable games that have inherent viability to reach audiences wherever they may be,” the company said.
Initially, Jones and Range Games will focus on mobile and PC games in horror, “friendslop,” action and life simulation, with expansion into other formats and genres as appropriate for talent and IP. The division already has a slate of games in development with a variety of Range clients and partners but is not yet disclosing details of those projects.
Jones has 25 years of experience in game development, including work on hallmark franchises like Electronic Arts’ “Battlefield.” He got his start with the highly acclaimed “Day of Defeat,” which was sold and transitioned to Valve in 2002. He subsequently rose through the ranks at Sony Computer Entertainment and EA, working on projects including like “MAG,” “SOCOM” and “Medal of Honor.” After serving as lead designer for premium content on “Battlefield 4,” Jones left EA to found Fugitive Games, where he launched a successful Kickstarter to build the indie title “Into the Stars.” After spending a year leading the zombie-survival title “Just Survive” at Daybreak, he joined ZeniMax Online Studios to helm development for the ambitious “Project Blackbird.”
“We built Range as a multi-vertical, full-service offering specifically designed to help our clients unlock new opportunities and verticals of business,” Range CEO Peter Micelli said. “To do so, it’s been critical for us to hire best-in-class experts who can navigate the complexities of these new categories, create synergies and efficiencies across our ecosystem and with external partners, and minimize risk while maximizing reward for all involved. We are thrilled to have Ben join us to lead Range Games so we can create more opportunities for our clients and partners.”
Jones was brought into Range by Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Range Studios’ co-president of film and production, who will serve as a strategic adviser to Range Games.
Range Media Partners was founded in 2020 by Micelli, formerly with CAA and eOne, joined by agents from CAA, UTA and WME.
Since its formation, Range has helped a number of clients build and launch new businesses, such as Danny & Coop’s Cheesesteaks with Bradley Cooper, Respin Health with Halle Berry, and Brooklyn Beckham’s Cloud23. The firm has launched new in-house capabilities focused on creating owned-and-operated assets, including Range Music Publishing, Range Literary Publishing as a boutique book publishing imprint, and, most recently, a live events and experiences offering through its acquisition of experiential provider Superfly.