Elementary Division winners from PS 24 Andrew Jackson, Team Sigma, coached by teacher Kerry McGarvey and led by Principal Bani Singh.

Via NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment

More than 270 students from across Queens gathered at Thomas Edison High School in Jamaica, on Saturday, May 5, to compete in the 2025 Minecraft Education Battle of the Boroughs semi-finals — a key event leading up to the City of New York’s first-ever Video Game Festival later this month.

Hosted by NYC Public Schools in partnership with the National Esports Association, the borough-level competition determined which three teams from Queens — one each from elementary, middle, and high school divisions — will advance to the citywide finals on May 31.

Now in its third year, the Battle of the Boroughs has grown significantly, with 3,295 students submitting 659 entries — a 37% increase in participation compared to 2024, and more than double the student involvement from 2023. Students were tasked with using Minecraft Education to design and build visions of a more sustainable, future-ready New York City.

The winning teams from Queens are:

Elementary Division: Team Sigma from PS 24 Andrew Jackson, led by teacher Kerry McGarvey and Principal Bani Singh.

Middle School Division: Neo NYC from J.H.S. 185 Edward Bleeker, coached by Ana Silva-Collins under Principal Michael Leung.

High School Division: Diamond Sword Bustamoney from World Journalism Preparatory School, guided by teacher Ernest Lai and Principal Michael Roberts Bacchus.

The borough winners will represent Queens in the Mayor’s Cup Minecraft Education finals, held during the city’s inaugural NYC Video Game Festival at Convene Brookfield Place in Manhattan. The free, public event will feature esports competitions, VR experiences, indie game demos, cosplay contests and a career expo showcasing educational and job opportunities in the digital games industry.

“This event celebrates New York City’s growing leadership in digital gaming, while opening doors for students and young professionals to explore career paths in one of the world’s fastest-growing industries,” said Deputy Mayor Adolfo Carrión Jr.

The Minecraft Education Battle of the Boroughs is part of a larger effort by the Adams administration to foster career-connected learning and highlight the city’s expanding digital economy. Earlier this year, officials announced more than $1 million in new investments in digital game education and training, including support for CUNY’s first-ever bachelor’s degree in game design and development.

“The NYC Video Game Festival is more than just fun and games – it is about the future of New York City’s economy, education, and creative industries,” Carrión said.

The final round on May 31 will crown this year’s Mayor’s Cup winners and spotlight students’ creativity and teamwork as part of the city’s growing focus on digital literacy and technology access.

To learn more and to register for the NYC Video Game Festival, click here.

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To keep you up to date with the latest movers and shakers in the mobile games industry, we’ve put together a regular roundup of the latest hires, promotions and, in some cases, exits.

If you’ve recently joined a company or bagged a big promotion, or you’re an employer that’s just made a hire, drop us an email at news@pocketgamer.biz.

King names new president, Roblox exec exits

Candy Crush developer King has appointed Candy Crush franchise GM Todd Green as its new president with incumbent Tjodolf Sommestad set to step away from June 1st.

Sommestad has been with the company for close to 14 years but departing to spend time with his family and pursue other passion projects. Green has been with the firm for 12 years, working across a range of roles.

“Huge thanks to Tjodolf for his ongoing support and leadership at King,” said Green.

“There is tremendous potential here with our incredible teams, and I’m excited by the opportunities ahead. The mobile games business is young, King has adapted and evolved many times to develop great games for a huge audience, and we are just getting started.”

Sommestad added: “After overseeing this transition, I’ve decided now is the right moment for me to take some time out of the industry and spend more time with my family. I’m excited to continue to watch King’s journey under Todd’s leadership. He is a tremendously talented leader who will continue to drive innovation in our franchises. I wish the talented King team every success.”

Roblox chief partnerships officer Christina Wootton is stepping down after over a decade with the UGC platform.

She had been responsible for leading the company’s business partnerships group, aimed at diversifying revenue streams, building new brand ecosystems and growing its external partner network.

Wootton will continue on at the company until the end of the summer to support the transition.

“What a ride it’s been,” said Wootton in a LinkedIn post. 

“When I joined, there were fewer than 50 of us. We had 10 million monthly visitors and just one brand on the platform – but an incredible vision. 

“Over the years, Roblox has scaled and grown into a truly global platform that has nearly 100 million daily active users and we’ve welcomed hundreds of incredible partners across fashion, beauty, music, entertainment, sports and education.”

New executives at Scopely and Stillfront

Former Playtika COO Shlomi Aizenberg has joined Monopoly Go developer Scopely as its new chief business officer.

Aizenberg spent over a decade at Playtika, overseeing multiple business units and serving as GM of Bingo Blitz. He was also said to have played a key role in integrating acquired studios such as Wooga, Seriously and Solitaire Grand Harvest.

At Scopely he’ll play a key role in the company’s M&A strategy to evaluate new business opportunities and identify potential acquisition and investment targets.

“Our focus remains on identifying industry-leading products and teams that align with and enhance our portfolio,” said co-CEOs Walter Driver and Javier Ferreira in a statement.

“In fact, last year alone, we engaged with over 800 companies to evaluate promising games, talent, and technology.

“Our approach to M&A is differentiated, dynamic and creative — tailoring our strategy to the unique strengths of each opportunity. We then strive to create enduring value for every new addition to our portfolio by unlocking synergies, amplifying the strengths of acquired teams, and ensuring long-term success within our ecosystem. 

“This strategy requires leaders who both deeply understand business operations, gaming teams and founders and have significant relationships within the games industry, which Shlomi has demonstrated time and time again through his long tenure at Playtika.

“We are confident that Shlomi will significantly contribute to Scopely’s mission to inspire play every day and look forward to having his perspective as part of Scopely.”

Stillfront Group has appointed Tim Holland as its interim group chief financial officer.

He replaces Andreas Uddman in the role, who will remain on as a senior advisor until exiting the company in July.

Holland has been with the firm since 2019 and has previously held roles such as CFO North America, deputy group CFO, and MENA and APAC CFO. 

Stillfront is currently searching for a permanent replacement in the role.

“We are very pleased to announce Tim Holland’s appointment as our interim Group CFO,” said Stillfront president and Group CEO Alexis Bonte. 

“Tim’s extensive experience within Stillfront, alongside his deep understanding of the gaming industry and our financial operations gained from various finance roles, ensures strong financial leadership and continuity.

“This is crucial as we continue our strategic initiatives focused on enhancing profitability and shareholder value. I also want to thank Andreas Uddman for his contributions and look forward to his continued support during the transition period.” 

New recruits at Night School and Jetapult

Netflix-owned Night School Studio has appointed Carrie Patel as game director at the developer.

Patel was previously game director at Obsidian Entertainment, working on projects such as Avowed, The Outer Worlds and Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire.

Night School was acquired by Netflix in 2021 and has previously worked on titles such as the recent Black Mirror-themed Thronglets, as well as the Oxenfree series, Next Stop Nowhere and Mr. Robot:1.51exfiltrati0n.

Games investment firm Jetapult has recruited Oz Silahtar and Arjun Jain to its AI team.

Silahtar has previously worked with Tarentum AI and UA Hero and will help studios utilise AI to improve efficiency and content. Jain, meanwhile, has experience at Apple and Weta Digital and will lead AI-assisted content creation at the company.

“AI isn’t just a tool – it’s the new infrastructure for how games will be built, scaled, and experienced,” said Jetapult CEO and co-founder Sharan Tulsiani.

“At Jetapult, we’re not just adapting to this shift – we’re leading it. By bringing in experts like Oz and Dr. Jain, we’re doubling down on our belief that the future of game development lies in AI-native studios.”

We recently spoke with Tulsiani about Jetapult’s AI platform Gamepac that’s designed to help studios accelerate their game development.

Movers at ESL FaceIt Group, MTG, Zeptolab, Dream Games, and more

ESL FaceIt Group co-CEO Craig Levine is stepping down from the role. He has been with ESL Gaming since 2014, leading the company through its transition into the ESL FaceIt Group. Niccolo Maisto will now operate as the firm’s sole chief exec.

Ex-SuperAwesome CEO Dylan Collins is joining the board at Modern Times Group.

Dream Games has hired ex-Game games product manager Dilara Gundogu as product specialist.

Former ZeptoLab senior Unity developer and project tech lead Pablo Silvestre has joined Voodoo as senior game developer at its Samba studio.

Elsewhere, Voodoo has appointed studio director Hadrien Carpentier as a GM at the company.

New recruits FRVR, Room 8 Group,Next Games, and others

Former nDreams senior marketing manager David Burroughs has headed to Plaion as the company’s global brand marketing manager.

G5 Entertainment has recruited ex-Yandex Games senior business development manager Alexey Shcherbakov as its VP of business development.

FRVR has named former Mobile Finance Collective head of business development and community Anna Nikulina as its senior business development manager, publishing.

PR agency Raptor PR has officially appointed Thomas Huxter as a director at the company. The company also recently recruited Rosie Lumley as a senior PR consultant.

Room 8 Group has recruited ex-TransPerfect Gaming senior account executive for EMEA Stijn Morren as business development director.

Jukka Hilvonen has been recruited as a marketing consultant for Netflix’s Next Games studio.

Ex-Gomble CEO Jihoon Johnny Byun has been named as Supercent’s director of new business group.

Avakin Life studio Lockwood Publishing has promoted Jody Zarkos to the position of people and talent lead.

Additional reporting by Craig Chapple.

Top hires at Sensemitter and Ares

AI-powered playtest analyser Sensemitter has hired ad tech veteran Katie Madding as its new CEO. Madding brings over a decade of experience from Adjust in roles ranging from US account team lead to VP of product and ultimately chief product officer. She spent nearly three years in that final role at the company.

She also serves as a member of Forbes Technology Council and is a founding member of women-centric executive community Chief.

Madding’s appointment as Sensemitter CEO marks a major milestone in the company’s transition to a full-scale SaaS product offering. She formally joined her new role on April 21st, where she had responsibilities including overseeing product, growth, and team expansion.

“Katie brings not only the expertise and strategic clarity we need to scale, but also the kind of leadership energy that can transform teams,” said Sensemitter director Alex Ovcharov.

“We’re excited – and lucky – to have her leading the charge.”

Rogue Games founder and CEO Mike DeLaet is a veteran of Scopely, Mattel and more. Now, he’s joined mobile games newcomer Ares Interactive as president.

Ares Interactive was established one year ago, in May 2024, and is led by former Glu Mobile CEO Niccolo De Masi. A number of games industry veterans have already joined from Glu Mobile, Scopely, Kabam and more, now including DeLaet.

DeLaet previously worked at Glu Mobile too, more than a decade ago, as SVP of global publishing. His latest role was at Mattel, where he served as global head of digital gaming and a member of the board. He headed up the company’s entire digital apps and games business spanning more than 200 brands on console, PC, mobile and the web.

Heads and execs

In her fourth year back at match-3 giant King, Eva Ryott has been promoted to VP, head of live operations, shared tech.

Ryott has spent almost nine years at King across her career, having started as a data scientist driving monetisation for Pet Rescue Saga in 2013. She rose the ranks to senior producer, product manager by 2018 before shifting focus to Meta, where she led teams in central integrity and customer support as the conglomerate’s data science manager.

Ryott later returned to King where she has held senior roles since 2022, leading to her latest appointment.

“I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as head of live operations, shared tech at King,” she posted on LinkedIn.

“In this role, I will be responsible for advancing our tooling and technologies to support better and faster (real-time) decisions in our games – creating cohesive and relevant experiences for our players. With this, I am also transitioning from the Candy Crush game team into our shared tech organisation, serving multiple games across King.”

Fellow Swedish firm Stillfront has made two new promotions, with Jochen Gary advancing to chief marketing officer while Kieran O’Leary has fast-tracked to EVP of growth.

O’Leary joined Stillfront as EVP of growth platform this January, with his title change coming just four months later. He has brought experience from Rovio, Ubisoft and most recently Gameloft, building upon more than a decade’s games industry experience in his latest role.

Gary joined Stillfront in 2021, after 10 years in marketing roles at Goodgame Studios. Following his promotion to Stillfront chief marketing officer, he will report directly O’Leary as the company looks to bring its marketing and growth services closer together.

“Congratulations to both Kieran and Jochen, looking forward to this next chapter,” Stillfront posted on LinkedIn.

Movers at Epic, Lockwood, Google and more

Epic Games has promoted games veteran Ben Board to head of Unreal Engine games business in Western Europe. He’s been working at the Fortnite maker since 2017.

Ex-Jagex and Omeda Studios veteran Jody Zarkos joined Lockwood Publishing in 2023. Now she’s been promoted to people and talent lead, responsibilities will include overseeing talent attraction and managing a team of two.

Pedro Alcaria has been promoted from Google’s senior growth manager in games to principal growth manager after three years with the tech giant.

Tom Grinsted, meanwhile, has been promoted to PM director at Google Play, with involvement in games, Play Pass, services and loyalty.

María Díez has joined Day III Digital as head of production in a freelance capacity, betting on a long-term collaboration.

Game design advisor Paolo Gambardella is taking on a new consultancy role at match-3 developer Picante, his first major client since going freelance.

SuperScale, SuperPlay, super hires and more

With more than 21 years of experience in the games industry, Second Leap co-founder Antti Stén has departed from his studio and taken on a game programmer role at Bit Odd.

Candywriter has secured Deniz K as its new director of product marketing, set to leverage his experience in senior roles at Rovio, Gameforge and Supercell.

David Molnar has been promoted from VP of partnerships to CEO at UserWise.

Bringing more than five years’ experience in product marketing, Holly Cooper has joined Secret Mode as head of communications.

Sean Parmenter has been appointed director of customer success at SuperScale.

SuperPlay co-founder and CPO Elad Drory has joined Kokoon’s board of advisors as the company lays the foundations for its first launch.

Reuniting with Jam City founder Chris DeWolfe, Jeremy Horn has joined Reach Labs as a co-founder and COO, looking to build a platform intersecting UA, ecommerce and social media.

Shefali Johnson has stepped down from her role at Nodwin Gaming after more than a decade, moving to pastures new as CEO of Comic Con India.

Michael Wilson is spearheading Tiny Titan at Rhea Games, now the company’s lead producer.

With nearly two decades of experience across Activison, Riot Games and Netflix, Andrew Hoffacker has joined Annapurna as VP of game production.

Agata Foti joined Funday Games on May 1st, bringing over a decade’s experience from Kiloo. Her new role is as head of player insights (maternity cover).

Sam Devlin has moved from Microsoft to Meta to start his new role as AI Research Scientist. His passion is pushing boundaries in modern AI capabilities using digital games.

Esports, short for electronic sports, is growing fast especially among high school students. One local high school recently earned some top honors in esports.

A.C. Flora High School’s esports team won the South Carolina Scholastic Esports state championship for Rocket League. The championship was held May 10 at Midlands Technical College.

The team also won the Rocket League championship in the Lexington One Invitational in March, the first major in-person esports event that Richland One’s esports teams have competed in.

“Winning the invitational was super exciting, and being able to win the state championship as well solidifies how great of a year it was for the team,” said Bobby Gunshefski, the head coach of A.C. Flora’s esports team.

Richland One’s competitive esports program launched in February 2025 at all of the district’s high schools.

Missouri State University’s esports team captured its first national title. 

One of three competing teams for the university, the Overwatch team took home the trophy during the National Esports Collegiate Conference Project  I National Championship on May 11, in San Antonio, Texas.   

MoState defeated Mount Saint Mary’s University in the grand final.  

“We’re incredibly proud of our players and all they accomplished this season,” said Terry Weber, director of Plaster Student Union and esports advisor. “This championship is not only a testament to their hard work and dedication, but also to the rapid growth of the players and interest in esports at Missouri State.   

“Qualifying for and competing in the Project I Championship has elevated our program and provided invaluable experience for our students.”  

NECC launched Project I last year to promote the growth and development of esports programs at NCAA Division I member institutions representing 82 colleges across six divisions.  

About MoState esports

Missouri State has three competing teams, totaling 16 students. Each student receives a $1,500 scholarship.   

This marks the first year scholarships have been awarded within the Missouri Valley Conference esports program, underscoring the growing significance of competitive gaming in higher education. The program netted two MVC championships and one national championship this season.  

Summer camps

Missouri State will host esports camps this summer, offering young aspiring players a chance to sharpen their skills and experience competitive gaming firsthand.  

The middle school camps in June and July offer an engaging experience combining challenges, team competitions and skill-building activities.    

Each camp features STEM-accredited programming led by university coaches and athletes. Participants will enjoy a unique blend of recreational and competitive gameplay.  

Mindy Cawthon resigned from the School Board after serving six years.

School superintendent Keith Martin said Cawthon has “been a part of a lot of growth and change.” He praised her contribution.

In an email to board president John Dye and Martin on Sunday, Cawthon said, “After much thought and consideration, I believe it is in the best interest of my family for me to resign from my position on the Pea Ridge School Board effective immediately.”

Cawthon’s son, Gage Cawthon, was approved for employment as a football coach in the Monday meeting.

Explaining the process of filling the seat, Martin reminded board members they had faced the same situation last year when Sarah Saragusa resigned.

“We have a Zone 4 vacancy… we have 30 days to fill the seat,” Martin said, showing board members the timeline of what must be done. “We will need to have board meeting week of Memorial Day so they (appointee) can get ready for June board meeting.”

Taking care of regular business, the board approved a memorandum of understanding with City of Pea Ridge for School Resource Services for 2025-2026 providing 2.5% increase in salary.

“Our community feels very good about it and so do I,” Martin said, referring to the School Resource Officer program. “It allows for a level of safety in our buildings.”

Board members also approved a memorandum of understanding with Sarratt Therapy Services Inc. for 2025-2026, for out-of state trips for boys basketball and for a Chromebook purchase totally $111,932.

In other business, the board:

Approved resignations of certified personnel Chris Brown, Jr. High, girls basketball/PE; Michelle Kimble, second grade; Valerie Hooten, second grade; Britainee Cashmore, math teacher, Middle School; Tanner Gilliaum, head volleyball coach, PRHS; Vander Bowden, football/CCR teacher, PRHS; Kelsie Brodie, counselor, Primary; Heide Donalson, SPED teacher, Primary; Kacie White, occupational therapist, District; Angelia Bassett, Special Education coordinator/LEA, district; Kathya Valadares, math teacher, PRHS; and Crystal Schaefer, first grade, Primary;

Approved resignations of classified personnel Brenda Huston, child nutrition tech, Intermediate; Jacob Reut, eSports only, PRHS; Sondra Gundel, custodian, Intermediate; Ashley Radtke, paraprofessional, Intermediate; Gail Simpkins, registrar, Middle; and Addison Lee, paraprofessional, Jr. High;

Approved hiring certified personnel Shambury Jordan, GT teacher, district; Jeff Canan, girls soccer coach and teacher, PRHS; Christian Cawthon, coach and teacher, PRHS; Abby Butcher, teacher, Intermediate; Jesse “Dave” Carter, volleyball coach and teacher, Jr. High; Kristin Below, teacher, Jr. High; Nicole Wiltgen, teacher, Primary; Dylan Kinney, coach and teacher, Jr. High; Jeanie Wilson, grant coordinator, district; Sherie Cormack, teacher, PRHS; Richard Snyder, coach and teacher, Jr. High; Haley Hatch, special education coordinator, district; Kristen Johnson, teacher, Jr. High; Lindsey Gerdes, teacher, Middle School; Sarah Reed, band, Jr. High; Darren Hotelling, teacher and coach, PRHS; Jessica Woods, principal, Intermediate; Angie Day, assistant SPED coordinator/LEA; and Tony Travis, dean of students, Primary; and

Approved hiring classified personnel Adam Hand, eSports coach.

PrizePicks has significantly expanded its Major League Baseball presence by securing a partnership with the Houston Astros, becoming the official daily fantasy sports (DFS) partner of the 2022 World Series champions. This strategic move strengthens the operator’s foothold in Texas, one of the largest untapped sports betting markets in the country.

The agreement arrives just one month after PrizePicks renewed its longstanding partnership with the Atlanta Braves through 2028, signaling the company’s aggressive pursuit of baseball partnerships across markets where traditional sports betting remains unavailable.

Strategic Visibility in a Key Baseball Market

Under the terms of the agreement, PrizePicks will gain substantial visibility throughout Daikin Park through both static and rotational signage, placing the brand in front of one of baseball’s most dedicated fan bases. The partnership extends beyond physical presence to include prominent placement on the Astros Radio Network, where PrizePicks will sponsor a “More or Less” segment before each game – a natural tie-in to the company’s prediction-based gaming format.

Mike Quigley, PrizePicks Chief Marketing Officer, emphasized the fan-focused nature of the partnership:

“This partnership is all about bringing more fun and bigger rewards to PrizePicks players in Houston. We’re rolling out new promotions and experiences that make following the Astros even more exciting for fans – both at the ballpark and at home.”

These fan experiences include creative promotions tied to specific team moments. Astros fans will have opportunities to win $10,000 free PrizePicks lineups along with tickets to future home games – but only during specific circumstances, namely when the team wears their Nike City Connect uniforms during Monday home games. This distinctive approach creates additional anticipation and engagement points throughout the season.

From the Astros’ perspective, the partnership aligns with their focus on enhancing the fan experience while working with companies committed to responsible practices. Matt Richardson, Astros VP of corporate partnerships, expressed enthusiasm about the arrangement:

“We are thrilled to add PrizePicks as an official Astros partner. PrizePicks continues to invest in Major League Baseball and is committed to engaging fantasy sports fans in both a responsible and fun way.”

Building a Baseball Portfolio in Non-Betting States

The Houston partnership represents the latest chapter in PrizePicks’ strategic focus on baseball partnerships, particularly in states where traditional sports betting has not yet been legalized. Texas and California – where PrizePicks has established partnerships with the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants – represent the two largest U.S. states without legalized sports betting, though both permit daily fantasy sports operations.

This strategy allows PrizePicks to establish brand recognition and customer relationships in major markets ahead of potential regulatory changes. By partnering with popular franchises, the company creates a foundation that could prove valuable should Texas eventually legalize sports betting – a possibility that has gained traction in recent legislative sessions despite failing to cross the finish line.

The timing of the announcement is particularly noteworthy as it coincides with PrizePicks’ increased emphasis on responsible gaming. In April, the company announced plans to invest $50 million in responsible gaming initiatives throughout 2025, underscoring its commitment to sustainable growth as it expands its market presence.

This substantial investment in responsible gaming comes as the daily fantasy sports industry faces increased scrutiny and calls for greater consumer protections. By proactively addressing these concerns, PrizePicks positions itself as a responsible operator ahead of potential regulatory changes.

The Astros partnership continues a pattern of MLB teams embracing fantasy sports partnerships as alternative revenue streams while traditional sports betting remains unavailable in their states. For the Astros, aligning with a fantasy sports operator provides additional engagement opportunities for fans without crossing into restricted betting territory.

Baseball has proven particularly well-suited for daily fantasy contests due to the sport’s statistical nature and 162-game schedule, offering abundant opportunities for player performance predictions. PrizePicks’ format, which focuses on whether players will exceed or fall short of projected statistical benchmarks, aligns naturally with baseball’s quantitative foundation.

For Houston fans, the partnership opens up new ways to engage with the team beyond traditional viewership. The prediction-based format allows fans to test their knowledge of player performance while competing for prizes – creating additional investment in game outcomes and individual player achievements.

As PrizePicks continues to expand its baseball portfolio, industry observers note that these partnerships could position the company advantageously should regulatory frameworks shift. By establishing strong brand recognition and fan relationships in these key markets, PrizePicks builds valuable equity that could translate to customer acquisition advantages if sports betting eventually becomes legal in Texas or California.

With this latest partnership, PrizePicks solidifies its position as a major player in the fantasy sports space while continuing to blur the lines between traditional DFS and sports betting experiences. As the industry evolves and regulations continue to develop state by state, companies with established brand partnerships and responsible gaming credentials appear best positioned to navigate the changing landscape.

For Astros fans, the partnership offers immediate benefits through promotions and engagement opportunities. For the broader sports betting community, it represents another sign of the industry’s continued mainstream acceptance and integration with major sports franchises across the country.